Ark Animal Sanctuary

The Story of Tate
by Lorraine Monfills
    Tate was about 6 months old when he came to the Ark. He was found as a stray and tested positive for both AIDS and feline Leukemia so his days were numbered. He was the sweetest little red kitten that just couldn’t get enough attention.
    After being with us for about six months we decided to re-test him and much to our surprise this time he only tested positive for AIDS which was a big plus for Tate. Instead of living for only 2 or 3 years, his life span had just increased to 10 or 12.  What a big difference.
    We were still hesitant about putting him with our other aids kitties, so we waited and tested him a third time after a few weeks and again the test came back positive for only AIDS.
    Tate’s big day finally came when he was able to be around other cats and not in isolation. I think he purred the entire day. He loved being with the other cats and sitting in the window and having someone to run and play with. In Tate’s mind life couldn’t get any better than this. We loved watching him thrive in his new environment. He became a whole new cat. Tate had so much to offer and we knew he, just like the other AIDS cats, would not likely be adopted.
    A few weeks back I received an e-mail from a lady inquiring about adopting an AIDS cat. She had had two and one passed away, and she was interested in helping another. She asked if we had a cat that would benefit from being taken into a home environment. Tate was our first choice.
    I told her a little bit about Tate and she was hooked. She lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, which is about seven hours away. When I pointed that out to her, she said it wasn’t a problem, that she was willing to drive. She filled out all the necessary paperwork online and we set up a date for Tate to go to his new home in Halifax. Because Tate was an AIDS cat, I set up an appointment with our vet to get him thoroughly checked out and get his shots updated.
    When the vet examined him she found out that he had the beginning stages of Stomatitis and this teeth would have to be pulled, which is common in AIDS cats. Tate was due to go to his new home that weekend and this was a real problem. I e-mailed his new owner and explained the situation and asked if she would be interested in another cat. Her response was no, she had made a commitment to Tate and she still wanted to adopt him.
    She called her vet explained the situation and Tate was scheduled for surgery in Halifax to have his teeth out. Tate’s big day was finally here, his new owner had driven seven hours to get him and the bond between the two was instantaneous. After a safe trip to Halifax, he is now settling into his new home.