10/09/2026
FeLV/FIV Cats Deserve to Live and Be Loved! 🐾💙
Today is a bittersweet and wonderful day for the BAM Fam! We sent off our foster FeLV cat, Cappy, and our foster FIV cat, Herman, on transport to Austin Pets Alive! 🚐✨ Both of these sweet cats came to us from City of Del Rio Animal Services, and they are finally on their way to the bright futures they’ve always deserved.
We want to take a moment to bust a heartbreaking myth: A positive FeLV or FIV diagnosis does NOT equal an instant death sentence.
If you or someone you know is unfamiliar with these diagnoses, here is what you need to know:
-As long as these cats are kept safely indoors, loved, and given proper veterinary care, they can live fulfilling lives just like any other cat!
-FeLV is primarily spread through close contact like mutual grooming or sharing saliva. Because of this, FeLV-positive cats should either be the only cat in the home or live with other FeLV-positive feline friends. In fact, people who already share their homes with an FeLV-positive cat often look to rescues specifically to adopt an FeLV-positive buddy so their cat has a companion!
-FIV is harder to transmit and is typically passed through deep puncture wounds from aggressive fighting or through mating. Because friendly house cats don't engage in deep bite fights, FIV-positive cats can safely live in homes with negative cats, as long as everyone is spayed/neutered and gets along peacefully!
-Both FeLV and FIV kitties have so much affection to give and make incredible, loyal companions.
We cannot thank Austin Pets Alive! enough for welcoming Herman and Cappy into their dedicated FIV and FeLV programs. Because of rescues like APA, these special cats get a true chance to find the loving homes they’ve been waiting for.
None of these happy endings happen without our local fosters opening their homes first. If you want to be part of the magic, we are always looking for more foster heroes! 🏡❤️ https://forms.gle/2VeXvzhQKeFTfaVF6
Please share this post to spread awareness, shatter the stigma around FeLV and FIV, and show everyone that these cats deserve love too!