Re: Introduction

[Nina]

Welcome Presto and Everett!  Could you tell us a little more about the way your kitties live?  When you say "introduced to the colony" instead of "cattery" or "sanctuary" it conjures visions of more of a free roaming society set-up.  Are the  all the cats confined to some sort of habitat?  Do they live with you in your home?  Do you have any neg as well as the pos?  I'm just curious about how the day to day lives of your charges work.  I'm very pleased to hear that you've changed your custom of immediate euthanasia when encountering pos.  What changed your mind on this protocol?  I'm not asking merely to be nosy, any information on altering the perceptions of other rescuers in regard to pos is valuable in the fight to enlighten people about the worth of these wonderful cats. Bless you for your open hearts, all your hard work and the contribution you make, Nina Presto wrote: Greetings.  We are Presto and Everett.  We operate a private, at-home sanctuary for cats who have either Felv or FIV.  In addition, we have several ferals who could not be TNR'd to their original locations.  They are isolated and fully vaccinated before being introduced to the colony.  It's not an ideal combination, but death was the only alternative for all the cats we have.   I've done rescue work for twenty years, in HI, WA, CA, MA, and briefly in the Congo and Venezuela.  My husband and I met fourteen years ago.  He is as dedicated as I am to our work with cats.   When working as a foster home, it had been our custom to have positive-testing newcomers euthanized.  Four years ago, we decided to cease fostering and to become a positive-testers' sanctuary.  We've cared for thirty positives.  We currently have fifteen.  Our death rate is three to four per year.  We are our veterinary clinic's top client, and average eight-thousand a year in payments to them.  We also use Tufts Univ. Veterinary Hospital when needed.   We are always keen to hear insights on cat care, especially pertaining to the positives.  Likewise, we've learned a lot and are glad to share.   Presto