Thomas FIV+

My name is Thomas. I live in Eugene, Oregon. I am about 14 years old and am FIV positive.I lived on the back porch of a State office building for the past 3 or so years. The person who tried to make sure I always had food and love is Lilly. She came to visit me during every break. Susan always made sure I was okay during times when Lilly was gone.There were over a hundred employees working at the office where I lived. Many of them cared about me and helped on occassion by donating food, snacks, toys or bedding made from an old pet carrier. One person gave me a heating pad in the winter but she got caught and had to take it from me. It was against safety codes they said.Winters have been hard. There was no heat and temperatures would get below 30 sometimes on the porch. Summers were hot.Lilly and the others left the office for the weekend, leaving me on my own. They put food and water out but sometimes other creatures, probably raccoons, came and ate my food and spilled my water. That made for long weekends.Lilly wanted to take me home a couple of years ago to live with her and her other cats. The people at the office raised enough money to take me to vet first. That is when we all found out I was FIV positive. The vet wanted to kill me right on the spot. Lilly and Susan wouldn't let him. They insisted on the completion of my exam and then took me back to the office porch. There were no other cats there and I'm not a fighter so they believed it was safe for me to live.The office is located on a busy street. Next door was a topless bar that recently closed. Everyone at the office new there would be major construction soon.One day the constuction started. Sooner than everyone expected. Susan found me in the carrier I used for a bed. I was so scared from the noise that I peed in my bed and I was trembling. Susan took me home and I stayed in a room by myself for two weeks. She tried very hard to find me a home. My time was running out. I had to leave Susan's house by the 28th of March. I wasn't used to being in a house but was on good behavior. I used the litter box after only one intervention from Susan.Susan put word out to other pet loving people she knew. One was Kim. She, along with Lilly and Susan, are known for helping animals.Kim made a plea to her friend Cheryl. Cheryl lived alone with her cat Lewis Armondo for many years. Cheryl loved Lewis more than anything. She lost Lewis to cancer in late 2006. It left a very lonley spot in Cheryl's heart.Cheryl is a very busy person and often she is out of town. Kim decided it was still worth asking. So she asked Cheryl if she would consider adopting me. Or maybe she would know someone who could. Cheryl and Kim talked a lot about how Cheryl isn't home a lot and how I would be alone. I guess they finally decided I was better off alone at times, than I was being homeless.So Cheryl came to Susan's to meet me. I knew right away I liked her. She understood how I felt. She didn't expect me to be young, athletic or even outgoing. She understood I needed safety, shelter, food and water, love, support and stability. She agreed to take me home. She understood.I went to live with Cheryl in her small apartment. When I got there, she had food, water, a litter box and lots of toys for me. She wasn't surprised though that I just wanted to hide under her bed. That is what I liked about her so much. She understood.The first night I was at Cheryl's, I woke her up in the middle of the night yowling and hanging from the curtain rod. She kindley removed me and went back to bed. She understood.Cheryl thought it would help me feel better if she read to me and played Enya real quietly. I appreciated it so much. From under the bed.Only a few days after I moved in with Cheryl, she left to go see a friend out of town. Kim agreed to come see me and make sure I was okay. That is where my blog starts. It is a letter to my Cheryl to let her know how I did while she was gone.I joined myspace so people who knew me could keep in touch with me. I hope to have visitor's stop by to see me and find out how I am doing. I am sure there are great adventures coming my way.I'll keep you posted.