Rocket is a beautiful long hair blue found in the fall of 2019 as a young, unneutered stray near John Marshall High School, in Rochester MN. He was christened Rocket because John Marshall High School where he was found is the home of "the Rockets" — all sports teams and other school groups there are referred to as the Rockets. He was likely not older than a year when found, but Rocket was very run down from trying to survive on his own and was suffering from ear mites and fleas—both conditions that were debilitating and would have made it even more difficult for him to stay strong and healthy, to continue to live outside on his own. In fact, Rocket was very run down when recovered, and was lucky to find a safe berth with the Paws and Claws Shelter of Rochester, MN. A young cat, not street smart to the dangers of the world, and trying his best to make it on his own, Rocket was a sitting duck to be injured or to suffer a slow death from exposure or starvation.
When Rocket tested positive for FIV, Paws and Claws asked Home for Life® to accept him at our sanctuary. FIV or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus is a contagious virus among cats, found mostly in outdoor strays. It has been thought to spread primarily thru deep bite wounds among cats, but this theory does not explain our many FIV positive female cats nor how cats like Rocket, who is gentle and not a fighter, have contracted the virus. When Rocket tested positive for FIV, Paws and Claws asked Home for Life® to accept him at our sanctuary. FIV or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus is a contagious virus among cats, found mostly in outdoor strays. It has been thought to spread primarily thru deep bite wounds among cats, but this theory does not explain our many FIV positive female cats nor how cats like Rocket, who is gentle and not a fighter, have contracted the virus.
Our observation and supported by at least one study, is that FIV can spready among cats who share water and food dishes which might be contaminated by saliva or even trace amounts of blood from affected cats. We have also had kittens who have tested positive when born of a FIV positive mother. Home for Life® believes the safest course is to keep cats positive for FIV segregated from those who are not positive for the virus.
Now that he is at Home for Life®, Rocket doesn't have to struggle to survive, searching for a warm place or his next meal, and has thrived under our loving care—his fur has grown thick and beautiful, and he loves to be outside even on winter days. Most of all, Rocket's trusting and sweet nature has been fostered at Home for Life® whereas he so easily could have suffered a sad fate at the hands of a world that can sometimes be cold and cruel.
