APA! cat shelter getting makeover, needs foster homes for cats
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Feline Leukemia Adoption Center inside the Austin Pets Alive! shelter is getting a makeover and needs to find foster homes for the cats that are currently staying there.
The last day for cats to get fostered before construction begins is Tuesday. Anyone interested in fostering the animals can visit APA's website or visit its Cesar Chavez location.
Feline Leukemia Adoption Center
The FLAC opened in 2016 and acts as the designated area for cats diagnosed with the feline leukemia virus, also written as FeLV. The center has not received a makeover since it opened seven years ago.
Kelly Garlock, the FeLV program coordinator, said the shelter is going to install new shelves for the cats to play on and give the whole room a new paint job. Garlock said the paint job will have an inviting message to encourage people to go inside the FLAC.
Garlock explained a lot of the cats in the center are overlooked because people misunderstand their diagnoses. Many think FeLV is a form of cancer for cats, but Garlock said it just means the cats have a compromised immune system.
"We want people to know that these are not sick cats. These cats have feline leukemia, and so they can still be pet, you can still come see them," Garlock said.
Who's up for fostering?
Garlock said there are usually 10 cats inside the center, but only four cats remain to be fostered. One of those cats is a 7-month old kitten named Pavlov. Garlock said he was almost euthanized, but now he is a very playful kitten and the definition of a curious cat.
Pavlov's next door neighbor is an 8-year-old Tabby cat named El Macho Gato. He's missing an ear but still has a lot of love to share, the shelter said. He also came very close to being euthanized. Garlock said El Macho Gato was just four hours away from being euthanized before he was brought to APA.
Who can foster?
The FeLV cannot be transmitted to other animals. If you have any other pets that are not a cat, then you could foster one of these FeLV cats without the fear of getting your other pets sick.
Anyone who has a cat that is not diagnosed with FeLV is told not to foster one of these cats, because your pet could catch the virus.