Extra-Special Cats
What makes a cat “Extra-Special”? At Love A Stray we believe that ALL cats are special. Yet some cats have challenges that can make it difficult for them to find the loving forever homes they deserve. This could be their age; a well-managed medical need; a physical handicap; an emotional need or FIV+. Each cat you see here has so much love to give in so many different and rewarding ways. They just need that wonderful person (maybe you?) to recognize the gifts they have to offer and give them their big chance to shine and love!
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Zina - 8 year oldZina is a short-haired, tortie female cat who was born around 11/8/2011. She was rescued from a property in Avon Lake with her kittens. She is very loving, social, and very appreciative of being rescued! Fostered in a home. She is good with other cats and she is good around the house. Zina is spayed, current on vaccines, and has tested negative for feline leukemia and FIV. For more information, please call Marge at 440-628-1228. Adopt me!
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Lindie - 5 year oldLindie is a short-haired, buff female cat who was born around April 14, 2014. She was rescued after one of the LAS volunteer read a Facebook post offering to trade a cat for "body piercings". She is currently in a foster home. She is very sweet and she loves to sit or lie next to you. She tolerates dogs but does NOT like other cats. Lindie has been tested for feline leukemia/FIV and is negative for both. For more information, please call Marge at (440) 628-1228. Adopt me!
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Bessie - 5 year oldBessie came to LAS on 2/9/2016 with two other siblings from Quaker Steak Restaurant - sadly left there. The others have found homes but Bessie is still with us. She is shy but not a mean as were her siblings. They warmed up wonderfully, once in a home environment. She is a beautiful girl that has been fully vetted and would love a quiet home where she could be a companion to her human. (DOB - 2/1/2015) Adopt me!
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Sneakers - 4 years oldSneakers is a 3-legged, short-haired, grey tabby and white male cat who was born around December, 2015. He was found living outside with an injured paw. After he was rescued, the veterinarian determined that his leg needed to be removed because of the injury.
While healthy, Sneakers tested positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). FIV is a type of "slow virus" that affects the cat's immune system. FIV is a cat-only virus and cannot be passed in casual contact between cats. Cats with FIV often live long and perfectly normal, symptom-free lives. (Note that identical FIV positive test results occur for cats that are vaccinated for FIV as for cats with the actual virus). Learn about FIV + below. Even though he is a disabled kitty he gets around very well at his foster home and he loves to do everything others kitties do. He loves to play with toys, climb on the couch or bed and go to the basement to catch mice. He gets along well with the other foster kitties. Please consider allowing Sneakers to be your Forever Kitty! Adopt Me! |
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Rhett - 4 years oldRhett is a short-haired, solid grey male cat who was born around July 2015. He was found in the woods near the Cleveland Clinic in Lorain and only weighed 6 pounds when he came to LAS. He is shy but very sweet when he is comfortable with you. He seems to do well with other cats. He loves to be petted and loves attention. Rhett is neutered, current on vaccines and tested negative for feline leukemia but positive for FIV. He would be fine in a home with FIV negative cats. For more information, please call Ellen at (440) 934-5418. Adopt Me!
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Sydney - 5 years oldSydney was originally found in a North Ridgeville neighborhood out in the bitter cold and arrived to LAS on 2/17/2017. He was vetted and diagnosed to be FELV positive. He was tested twice within a 90 day period. He is symptom free and doing well. He is a very sweet, social boy who loves attention. He comes running to you! (FELV positive cats can be homed with non FELV cats as long as the other cats are vaccinated against the disease. A series of 2 vaccines are required 30 days apart.) (DOB - 2/26/2014) Adopt Me!
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Ripley - 3 years oldRipley (black male) arrived at LAS on 4/9/2017 from Old Brooklyn. We had big hopes for his adoption at the time because of his extra special outgoing personality!! We vetted him and found him to be FELV positive. He was tested twice within a 90 day period. He is symptom free and doing well. (FELV positive cats can be homed with non FELV cats as long as the other cats are vaccinated against the disease. A series of 2 vaccines are required 30 days apart.) He is hugely social and sweet! He jumps up on your lap or comes to your level from the cat tree to be petted ! (DOB - 4/9/2016) Adopt Me!
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Gizzy - 4 years oldGizzy (Grizelda) (Grey Tabby and White) - Grizelda arrived at LAS on 4/16/2019 found at an apartment complex in N Ridgeville. She cannot go to PetSmart for adoption as she is cage shy and destests the process. She is beautiful and wants to be loved. She has been completely vetted and is Negative for FIV and FELV. (DOB - 4/2/2015) Adopt Me!
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Silas - 2 years oldSilas - (Black tuxedo) - Silas arrived at LAS on 3/21/2019 from a home where the owner dropped all of her cats off with her elderly grandfather and then left. He could not care for them and none were spayed or neutered. Silas is a good boy and enjoys being petted, but has become fearful from being in his cage...it is his sanctuary - but not what we wish for him...he plays with the cats or kittens in the cages next to him. We think that with the right home and family he will thrive! He is a big, beautiful boy! He has been completely vetted and is negative for FIV and FELV. (DOB-10/1/2017) Adopt Me!
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Olivia - 3 years oldOlivia - (black female) Olivia arrived at LAS on 5/22/2019 from Lorain - one of our volunteers found her in her yard. We vetted her and found her to be FIV positive. She was tested twice within a 90 day period. She is symptom free and doing well. FIV cats can live well among other non FIV cats as per the newest veterinary information and do in fact live very long, good lives with no issues as long as they have proper care and a warm cozy home with food and love. Olivia is a very sweet, social girl. (DOB - 5/22/2016) Adopt Me!
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Dennis - 2 years oldDennis was rescued by one of our LAS volunteers on 10/17/2017 who is a Home Care Professional. We vetted him and found him to be FIV positive. He was tested twice within a 90 day period. He is symptom free and doing well. FIV cats can live well among other non FIV cats as per the newest veterinary information and do in fact live very long, good lives with no issues as long as they have proper care and a warm cozy home with food and love! Dennis lives among our other free roamers here at the shelter. He is super sweet and social! He would be a wonderful companion. (DOB - 10/17/2017) Adopt Me!
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Snowball - 11 years oldSnowball is a large, short-haired white male cat who was born around April 10, 2008. He is NOT deaf. He was originally adopted from LAS as a kitten but he was returned recently after 8 years because he was not getting along with the other cats in the home. He must be the ONLY CAT in his new home. He has been tested for feline leukemia/FIV and is negative for both. He is very social with people and very sweet! (DOB - 04/10/2018). Adopt Me!
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Oksana - 18 months oldOksana - Oksana came to LAS on 4/23/2019, with her 5 "all orange" kittens who were a month old! She is a petite, sweet girl who has been fully vetted and is negative for FIV and FELV. She does not do well going to PetSmart for adoption days - it is all too much for her. She loves to be petted and just needs a wonderful, quiet home to acclimate to. Probably best with no small children. (DOB - 5/1/2018)
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What is FIV?
FIV is a type of "slow virus" that affects the cat's immune system. FIV is a cat-only virus and cannot be passed in casual contact between cats.
FIV+ cats might be considered by some to be “special needs” cats because, while they are healthy and live quite normal lives, they have tested positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). FIV+ cats have long lived under a cloud of confusion and misunderstanding. Now, fortunately, that is much less the case as the medical community has become more and more aware of what the presence of FIV really means. We now know that FIV is basically a virus whose presence has the potential to cause some weakening of a cats’ immune system. It does not seem to have much impact on lifespan, as FIV+ cats can and do live quite normal lives, in quality, in duration and in happiness. Experience, studies and the medical research community have, for numerous years now, watched positive cats live peacefully together with non-positive cats without transference. It takes a seriously deep bite wound or blood transfusion from an FIV+ cat to infect another so a typical household where cats live in harmony can blend FIV+ and FIV- cats without worry. It is more difficult for FIV+ cats to find their forever homes though, because of the previous stigmas associated with the presence of FIV. The pet stores we participate with limit FIV+ cats from their adoption locations. The special cats you see here are being well cared for in loving foster homes or at our shelter, but that is just temporary; these great cats deserve a wonderful forever home. They have so very much to give. Please consider opening your home and hearts to one or more of these beloved cats.
For further information, a good article about FIV can be found at catster.com, resources.bestfriends.org/article/fiv-cats-faqs-feline-immunodeficiency-virus, or fivcats.com.
FIV+ cats might be considered by some to be “special needs” cats because, while they are healthy and live quite normal lives, they have tested positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). FIV+ cats have long lived under a cloud of confusion and misunderstanding. Now, fortunately, that is much less the case as the medical community has become more and more aware of what the presence of FIV really means. We now know that FIV is basically a virus whose presence has the potential to cause some weakening of a cats’ immune system. It does not seem to have much impact on lifespan, as FIV+ cats can and do live quite normal lives, in quality, in duration and in happiness. Experience, studies and the medical research community have, for numerous years now, watched positive cats live peacefully together with non-positive cats without transference. It takes a seriously deep bite wound or blood transfusion from an FIV+ cat to infect another so a typical household where cats live in harmony can blend FIV+ and FIV- cats without worry. It is more difficult for FIV+ cats to find their forever homes though, because of the previous stigmas associated with the presence of FIV. The pet stores we participate with limit FIV+ cats from their adoption locations. The special cats you see here are being well cared for in loving foster homes or at our shelter, but that is just temporary; these great cats deserve a wonderful forever home. They have so very much to give. Please consider opening your home and hearts to one or more of these beloved cats.
For further information, a good article about FIV can be found at catster.com, resources.bestfriends.org/article/fiv-cats-faqs-feline-immunodeficiency-virus, or fivcats.com.