Meet Salem!

 Salem is a GORGEOUS little guy that is looking for a loving home.  He does well with other cats and loves attention and affection. There couldn't be a better kitty to add to your family! However, Salem's story is somewhat heartbreaking and full of ups and downs.
Found in a sewer drain, cold and shivering, he was turned in as a stray to the humane society. Shortly after, being transferred to MARS, this tiny kitten was named Salem and became the talk of the Shelter. His color is very unique (black topcoat and a white undercoat with variations of stripes) and his eyes are giant and green. Small enough to fit into a butter dish, (with a wash cloth for bedding) he weighed in at a whopping 4 oz! Tiny, frail, covered in fleas, a wound on his little neck (that looked like an infected bug bite), and being diagnosed with an eye infection upon intake, little Salem was sure to be a handful from the start. After a round of tests, (negative for FELV and FIV) bath, nail trim, antibiotics, and some soft kitty food, he was settled into the shelter and couldn't be happier! A few weeks into his stay with us, he was given a clean bill of health and approved for adoption and for a crate mate! YAY FOR SALEM! However, his crate mate would not adjust to socialization and he had to be removed, leaving little Salem all alone again. The stress of the unhappy crate mate caused him to withdraw a little but he came around. Salem FINALLY reached the age and weight to undergo his neuter surgery just a few short months ago and with that, he had a speedy recovery, healed up nicely, and was able to then start attending adoption events again. On March 12th, MARS was preparing transport for an adoption event. SALEM GETS TO ATTEND!!! However, when getting him out of his cage, it was noticed that he was missing some fur from around his neck and legs. His trip was forfeited and yet again, poor little Salem was left behind. A skin test was performed on him the following day and nothing was found. What's wrong with Salem now? Things seemed to be great leading up to his surgery so the vet simply called it a "stress case" from his surgery and hormone change. At this point, we were sure everything would be fine. A few weeks have passed since then and Salem is regrowing hair, being his playful self, and was having high hopes to be able to return to an adoption event soon so that he may find his forever home. However, today changed his outlook on finding his forever home indefinitely. He was due for a checkup following his last visit when his hair was still missing. At this checkup, it was time that he could be tested again for FIV/FELV. Today's test (4-15-16) showed a strong positive for FELV and his official diagnosis is set in stone. 
After all of the things that he has overcome, poor little Salem has Feline Leukemia. 
Looking into his eyes and hearing the vet speak those harsh words was one of the most difficult things any rescue worker has to do. To find out that an animal has fought so hard to live only to be handed such a terrible diagnosis is VERY heartbreaking. 
The question is, NOW WHAT DO WE DO? 
The answer is simple:
Continue to show him love, give him treats, care for him, and make sure that he has everything that he needs and deserves. 

Is this something that is going to make it harder for Salem to find his forever home? Yes.
Will he need special attention once he is adopted? Yes, this is very possible.
Does this make him unadoptable? No. He is still able to live out his life in a REAL home.

Salem will have to be an inside cat that does not make face to face contact with other cats. The only way that he can be adopted into a home with other cats, is if they have also been diagnosed as being positive with FELV. Otherwise, Salem will need to be an "ONLY CHILD" of the household. (Which personally, I don't think he will mind getting all of the attention.) I urge you to do a little research on the virus so that you are aware of the risks involved in having a cat that is in fact positive. It's not the end of the world for him because he has never gotten the chance to see the map of life. Will you be the family to help him start his journey?

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADOPTING, PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW!