Experience has taught us and funds allow us now to give all our cats the best possible care.

1. All cats abandoned in the shelter and cats that are accepted as permanent boarders because of physical handicaps receive treatment against internal and external parasites.
2. They are vaccinated against Panleukopenia (feline distemper), rhinotracheitis (feline herpes), calicivirus, feline clamydia and leukemia.
3. They are tested for Fiv and Felv.

If a cat is positive for Felv, we cannot accept the cat in the shelter. The disease is transmitted by body fluids; cats that sneeze, litterboxes and food bowls are ways to transmit Felv to healthy cats. We will do our best to home these cats.

We do accept healthy FIV cats in our shelter: our vets are of the opinion that once sterilized, they do not pose a threat to the healthy cats..

Once cats have been vaccinated and are tested, they are sterilized. After they have recovered from surgery, they are released from their cages to adapt to their new surroundings, first in the nursery and when the vet staff considers them ready, they are allowed to be free in the shelter.

Kittens that are abandoned in the shelter are fostered by volunteers until the age of 2 months. Then they are brought to Torre Argentina to be vaccinated and three weeks later they are returned to TA for their booster vaccination,to be tested for FIV and FELV and to be sterilized.

The foster program has contributed much to the health of the kittens. Since they have an immature immune system, their health and even their lives are at risk. The death rate among kittens in TA has dropped dramatically since we started the Foster program. Besides being healthier, kittens are socialized faster, which gives them a better chance to be adopted.

We practice early age sterilisation, when the cat is about 3 months old. The advantages:

1. surgery is minor and recovery faster.
2. the cats do not have to be in a cage for a long period awaiting sterilisation.
3. they are ready to be adopted sooner.

  



Dr Stefano Baldi takes blood from a
 frightened black kitten.