This is a story of an unlikely pair of cats who found each other and a loving home at the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in Los Angeles, California.
Sweet Cheeks is a tough-looking orange tabby who lost an ear. Wampum is a soft-colored torbie who has a habit of hitting. Wampum likes to smack Sweet Cheeks on his face with her paw. But that’s not the weird part – Sweet Cheeks likes it! He thinks it’s a sign of affection from his friend.
There’s another thing they have in common – they both have feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). They were put together in the same cage at the Adoption Center, and that’s how their friendship began.
Wampum had to share her space with Sweet Cheeks and another big male cat who also had FIV. She decided to show them who was the boss by giving them playful smacks with her paws.
Samantha Bell, Cat Behavior and Enrichment Lead at the center admits that Wampum’s paws serve more like hands compared to any cat she’s seen in the past. She would smack the other two cats playfully each time they walk past her. Also, she would smack them if she feels more attention was going to them. The two cats already know the way of Wampum and would squint most times in expectation of her smack. they, however, don’t mind the gestures.
Wampum didn’t just smack them, though. She also rubbed her head against them and purred loudly. She was showing them that she cared for them in her own way. Sweet Cheeks especially liked her attention and became very close to her.
One night, Davis and Ni came to the Adoption Center looking for a cat to adopt for their new apartment. Most of the cats were asleep, but not Wampum and Sweet Cheeks. They were ready to greet them and play with each other.
Davis admitted that the couple cats were ridiculously cute together. How they played together after greeting them amazed him.
The caretakers at Best Friends described to Davis and Ni what it means to have a cat with FIV. They said that cats can only get it from another cat through a deep bite wound, so as long as they keep their cats indoors, they won’t infect any other cats. They also said that they have to be careful about their health and take them to the vet if they show any signs of illness.
Davis and Ni adopted the two feline buddies and took them home. It wasn’t their original plan to adopt cats with FIV, however, destiny has its ways.
Now, Wampum and Sweet Cheeks are happy and comfortable in their new home. They even have their own Instagram account! Davis says that taking care of cats with FIV is not much different from taking care of any other cats apart from the extra care, especially for their diets.
The two cats adore each other and spend most of their time snuggling, of course, when they are not combating.
In Davis’s opinion about cat adoption, he feels that older cats and cats with FIV deserve a chance to find a loving home. Adopting an adult cat is a wonderful experience because you can see its personality and character right away. You can also make them very happy by giving them a comfortable and safe place to live. That’s what happened with Sweet Cheeks and Wampum, after their rescue from the streets and finding their forever family.
FIV is not a reason to avoid adopting a cat. It’s not a fatal or contagious disease, and it doesn’t mean that your cat will have a lot of health problems. It just means that you have to be careful about their diet and their vet visits. In fact, having FIV can be an advantage, because it can make your cat more unique and special. That’s how Davis and Ni felt about Sweet Cheeks and Wampum, who have amazing personalities and are very smart and sweet. They were lucky to be first-time adopters because they were open-minded and willing to give these cats a chance.
Sweet Cheeks and Wampum found their forever home irrespective of their conditions, that’s luck and destiny!
Credit: photos via Ni and Davis (except SweetCheeks image sourced from Best Friends Pet Adoption)