Adorable Adoptable Pets Of The Week For Baltimore County

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — Meet Patch's Adorable Adoptable Pet of the Week available from Baltimore County Animal Services. Malakai is a senior cat with special needs looking for an extra special home to settle into. At 13 years old, Malakai made his way to BCAS as a stray back in January, so little is known about his earlier life. But one thing is for sure, Malakai is never short on stories to tell, as he can be heard happily meowing and chatting with the staff and volunteers each day while they clean and reset his cage.

Upon his arrival to BCAS, it was quickly discovered that Malakai had a few medical conditions that should be closely monitored when he goes off to his forever home. Malakai presented with severe dental disease, a grade 3/6 heart murmur, as well as tested positive for FIV. Heart murmurs can be caused by structural abnormalities within the heart, systemic or metabolic conditions. Depending on the underlying reason, treatment may not be necessary. FIV, or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, is transmitted from cat to cat, mainly through deep bite wounds.

Due to the nature of transmission, FIV+ cats should generally only live with other FIV+ cats, but they can live with FIV- cats if it is ensured that they will co-exist peacefully without fighting, the shelter explained. Cats with FIV can live long, healthy, happy lives and commonly go many years or their entire lifetime without any symptoms. While all of these conditions could be off-putting to the average adopter, it is important to note that most can be managed with frequent wellness checks with your preferred vet and, in some cases, medication if needed.

Malakai isn’t letting his medical diagnosis or his age slow him down. This talkative old fella has plenty of love to give and he wishes every night, as he lays his head down to sleep, that the perfect family is waiting to give him the forever home of his dreams. If you think that Malakai #0425 would be the perfect fit for you and your family, visit the shelter's website at https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/animalservices/adoption-resources.html to complete your online adoption application. Once your completed application is received, a BCAS staff member will reach out to you to schedule your adoption appointment.