"Home" means something different to all of us. For some, San Francisco is home, even though we may have spent our entire childhood on the East Coast. For others, home is an ocean away with long-time friends and family. But what does "home" mean to a cat like Whiskers?

Whiskers is a social and lovable five year old cat, who also happens to have FIV. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), also known as Feline AIDS, is a virus that may eventually suppress the immune system of the carrier cat. Though there is no cure for FIV, with the proper attention and care approximately 90% of cats that test positive for FIV lead long, healthy lives.

FIV is not contagious to people, dogs, or other non-feline pets; however, we do recommend that FIV+ cats either be the only cat in the household or live with other FIV+ companions to prevent the risk of transmission to uninfected cats. Because people don't fully understand what the condition entails, FIV+ cats often stay in animal shelters for much longer than usual. However, thanks to a generous donation from former Board President Nan Zimmerman and her husband, Ian, cats like Whiskers have a special place at Pets Unlimited - Saffron House.

Saffron House is a larger, more comfortable space for our FIV+ cats to live while they wait to find a loving family. Though no permanent "home" for any shelter animal, FIV+ cats are welcome to stay in Saffron House for as long as it takes for them to get adopted to a true home, complete with toys, treats and most importantly, unconditional love.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about FIV (or are interested in adopting an FIV+ cat), visit our Adoption Center or call a member of our Shelter Staff today, at (415) 568-3058! 

Want to Help?

If you can't adopt an FIV+ cat but want to help support these cats, please consider making a donation. At the bottom of the form, in the comment section, type "Saffron House" or call Leah Prassinos, Development and Marketing Manager, at (415) 568-3052.

You can also support our shelter animals by joining our monthly giving program, the Warm Fuzzies. The enrollment process is simple  - the "warm fuzzies" are our shelter animals' way of saying "Thank You" every month!

Warm Wishes,

Your Friends at Pets Unlimited  

Editor's Note: In our September E-Newsletter, we intended to highlight the risks of anesthesia-free dental cleanings on the health of your pet; we apologize if we implied that every animal should have regular dental cleaning performed under anesthesia.  At Pets Unlimited, we always fully assess each patient individually prior to recommending this procedure and discuss these recommendations with the pet owner so an informed decision can be made.