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Thanks for the links. I actually had a third cat who was FIV positive, Jack, but I had him pts last August. He had kidney problems, and eventually his kidneys failed, so there was nothing left to do.
Both Pickle and Tigger are just plain moggies, though Pickle has something in him - I am not sure what. He has an unusual rough short coat, rather big feet. He is a tabby.
Pickle was named Pickle as he was found by a vet nurse at one of the local vet surgeries wandering around her area with a limp. At first they thought he was feral, as he would not let anyone touch him, let alone pick him up. He would stay for food, but that is about it. In the end she had to borrow a trap from the RSPCA to catch him. Once they got him into the vet surgery, they found out he was just a big softie really, and not feral. When he was also there, they tested him and found he was FIV positive. The vet nurse named him Pickle, because he was found in a bit of a pickle. He also had scratches and kept on going hot and cold - nobody could work out why. In the end they had to just treat him depending on how he was feeling - if he was hot, then gave him a fan - if he was cold, then extra blankets. Fortunately he managed to sustain a normal temperature, but due to his FIV status, nobody could offer a home - so he came to the Cats Protection.
He also had very bad cystitis initially - literally he was weeing all over the place. In the end he was confined to a single piece of vet bed on the floor - even cats who urinate on the toys, scratching post or the bed are even granted a single plastic bed (they get their ladder and shelf taken off them, as well as the bed on the shelf), but Pickle was so bad, that he was only allowed the basics. We also found out that he was renal, so he is on a special diet for that, after losing Jack, I swore I would not take another renal kitty, but it was too late by then, as I had fallen in love with him.
He also had a very short tail - but that was taken off late January as it kept on getting infected so the vet recommended amputation. So now he has nothing except a slightly bald patch where the hair was shaved and has not grown back properly yet.
Tigger is less complicated. She came from a multi cat household, where they rescued 15 cats and kittens. We get a lot from the estate where she is rescued - the people are very bad down there (so bad there was riots nearly 6 years ago that got into the national papers) so they dont care about the cats. In fact, nearly all the cats we had from there have been in extremely poor condition (from the estate in general, not that particular house). She had 3 kittens with her - and she was tested FIV positive, so her kittens were adopted quickly, but not her. She was actually at the shelter the same time as Jack (the cat I lost in August), but I don't remember her. She was adopted, but returned nearly 3 years later, because the person moved into non pet accommodation. The only health problem is that she has got (other than the FIV) is that she has a flea allergy, but fortunately since I have had her that has not returned. She also required no treatment other than spaying, so she is a easier case than Pickle. Whereas Pickle has had a lot done to him, and visited the vet with me a few times (8 times since October), all she has had to date is her booster. We are not sure how she got the name Tigger, she was named that by the people she originally came from, so she has kept it since. She is actually very good for a tortie!
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