LGBT bar Venture Inn will host the Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia this weekend for a unique event that seeks to connect infected felines with loving homes.
ACCT Philly will be on hand with a number of adoptable kittens and cats from 5-8 p.m. Aug. 31 at the bar, 255 S. Camac St.
The event will specifically raise awareness about feline immunodeficiency virus and other conditions like feline leukemia virus.
Samantha Holz, community programs manager at ACCT Philly, explained that the stray-cat population in the city explodes in the summer.
With the uptick, there is also an increase in the number of cats with FIV, which is transmitted among felines through mating, biting or scratching. The condition cannot be passed from feline to human.
Once infected, the feline has the virus its entire life. Some cats may never exhibit any symptoms or not until they reach advanced age, but symptoms can include enlarged lymph nodes, fever, weight loss, disheveled coat, shedding, poor appetite, diarrhea, eye inflammation, gum inflammation, frequent urination or behavior problems.
“Most cats, when they are positive, they are still able to live a long life, if not the longest life possible. But the medical bills certainly will not be extensive, unless it’s toward the end of their life. Generally, they don’t show symptoms and it is not a rapid death,” she said. “The only real concern is that if you have an infected cat and another cat, there’s the chance of the one becoming infected if they’re fighters and would bite or scratch. But they can share litter boxes, dishes.”
Holz noted that, because of the stigma of the virus, cats infected with FIV are often less adoptable than others and may be euthanized at high-kill shelters like ACCT, which she said is overrun with cats needing good homes.
The Venture Inn event is meant to raise awareness about FIV.
“A lot of times when potential adopters come in, they overlook cats that may be infected with FIV. So we want to raise awareness about what the virus actually is, how it’s spread and how the cat really can live a healthy life with it,” she said, noting that it was an HIV-positive adopter who gave her the idea for the Venture Inn event. “He was recently diagnosed with HIV and came in specifically to adopt an FIV-positive cat. You don’t hear that often and I really thought that was sweet and it made the lightbulb go off. Being infected with any virus doesn’t take away from who you are as a human and it shouldn’t for animals either.”
ACCT Philly will have FIV-infected felines up for adoption at the event, as well as their non-infected “supportive” feline friends. All cats will have already been spayed, neutered and vaccinated for the next year. Adoption fees are $25 for kittens and $15 for adult cats; the organization is offering a buddy program that waives the adoption fee if an adopter takes home a second cat or kitten. Holz noted that other cat-rescue groups may also be on hand, and their adoption fees may differ.
Goodie bags will be given to adopters, and vet technicians will be on hand to answer questions. Venture Inn is creating a special menu and drink specials for the event.
For more information about the event, contact Holz at [email protected] or 267-385-3800 ext. 110. For more information about ACCT Philly, visit
www.acctphily.org or visit the organization’s Facebook page.