Thoughts on my special needs cats

I'm far from being an expert on anything - including feline leukemia cats - but I really feel like I have been learning so much, especially with my current batch of little loves. Sweet little Gabby makes FeLV cat number ten (not at the same time - I lost Harper, Oscar, Sawyer, Taylor and Sully, which were my first five, and swore I could never do this ever again. Until I saw Harlow's face, of course), but I am still no expert. I know my cats, though. I know each one of them, and how their "normal" looks, and how they look if they just aren't feeling well. Luckily, most of them have yet to show symptoms of sickness. Harlow, Leroy and Andy have been the perfect pictures of health, aside from a sneeze here or there, which always puts me into a slight panic mode. Gabby came to me with crusty eyes and runny nose, but she would never let me near her to medicate her. Luckily, whatever she had has cleared up and she has become a sweet little loving kitten (but don't you dare try to pick her up, because she will holler at you).

Stella has been sickly since early on, and has been on antibiotics three times in the ten months or so that I've had her. I was able to obtain some Clavamox for her last week (so grateful for friends that are involved in rescue), and she looks and sounds better than she has in months. I actually caught her playing these last few days - and this morning she play-pounced at me to engage me in her silliness. I swore Stella wouldn't make it long at all, but here she is, thriving today. She still has slightly labored breathing, and you can hear her sniffling, but there is no longer green discharge constantly running from her nose. She is no longer lethargic. She is currently playing with toys and the cats' condo - something that if you had asked me a month ago, I never thought she would do.

My newest task is to learn how to incorporate a non-FeLV kitten into the fold (yes, we will be vaccinating!). Zelda is stronger than I realized, though, and I know she'll be fine - as soon as we get to the bottom of her issues. Why does she wobble? Can it be fixed? Will she always be a little bobble-headed baby?

I recently read a Facebook post somewhere that insulted people who take in special needs pets. After all, there are so many healthy, normal pets out there who need a home. To be fair, that person is right. I have questioned at times why I do this. Healthy pets are euthanized every single day because no one steps in to adopt them, and that really is sad. But then, if I took healthy cats, I know I would have stopped a long time ago. I would have gotten one cat - or maybe two - and called it a day. I would have never taken on six healthy cats. I know what I am getting into when I take in my feline leukemia cats. I know they might not live past two or three years old. I know that my life will be full of sadness and heartache over these sweet babies. I come to terms with that every time I fall in love with a new one. I would rather change the life of a cat (or, a pet in general) who no one else wanted to give a change, than to take the healthy cat that anyone could have taken.