Bertie

Bertie is likely around 5 years old. He was a long term un-neutered stray turned semi-feral. In October 2022 I was alerted to him by a local rescue contact. I was told he had been often staying in someones hallway beside their garden door. When I turned up to collect him he was hissing and spitting. His feeder was able to stroke him often, but not much more. After I brought him to the rescue room it was many weeks before I could stroke him without him hissing or trying to bite me. 

He was neutered and chipped via Waltham Forest Cats Protection whilst in my care. He also tested positive for FIV (Feline immunodeficiency virus) which is a blood virus which lowers the immune system.  Generally only cats that aren't neutered pass it on to other cats via mating or deep wounds from fighting. There is no cure but with lots of care they can live long lives. You can learn more about FIV on the following website, it really is the best website available for it and has a lot more information and research than even a lot of vets know. https://fivcats.com

Bertie took a long time to fully trust me, but we got there in the end. We ended up keeping him as he did not trust many people and due to his FIV it was making it difficult to find the right home for him. He has a permanent sad, worried face and he can still act like a bit of a gangster sometimes, due to his long-term being stray, but generally he's a lovely, kind of specials needs cat, and now the only cat at the sanctuary who is not black or black and white!