Ben and William’s story is a long one, so get comfy and we’ll begin… please do stay with us so we can ensure we find them their perfect home.
Ben (black and white) and William (tabby and white) were discovered on the streets. Not unusual, you might think? Well, they began life as street cats - in Dubai.
Their future was not set to be a good one, so another charity arranged for them to get the necessary vet work done and come over to the UK in search of a forever home.
After a long journey, they arrived in the UK and into foster care. However, it was quickly noticed that Ben was not well.
Extensive vet tests showed that poor Ben had Neurological FIP (Feline infectious peritonitis). After lots of discussions with the charity that rescued him, it was agreed that he and William would be transferred into our care.
Ben was very poorly indeed and we were unsure if he would survive. Up until quite recently there has been no treatment for FIP and sadly the infection could have been deadly. Thankfully, treatment is now available so we had to try and give him every chance. Being the neurological form of the FIP infection, this meant it affected his brain.
Ben couldn't walk. He would stumble and fall whenever he attempted to move. He would shake and tremble through his severe high temperature. He was very underweight, had no appetite and would constantly lick his lips. The infection was deep - and if we didn't treat it quickly, the outcome would have been fatal.
Within 24 hours of starting treatment, his fosterer saw small signs of improvement. His fever was subsiding and his nausea was easing. There were strict feeding and medication routines for the next 96 days. Thankfully, Ben showed huge improvement over this time. After regular blood tests, Ben is currently still in the observation stage but his vet is very pleased with his progress. We’re now waiting for the final tests before we can officially celebrate his recovery.
As a branch, we have decided to start looking for Ben and William's perfect home now, so that as soon as Ben is given the 'all clear' the duo are able to move on to their forever home. Ben and William are around 18 months old and need to stay together as they are very bonded; they sleep together, play together and whenever Ben has had to go for his vet appointments, William will not settle waiting for his buddy to return.
Ben and William need a spacious indoor home. A cat-proofed garden or catio would be ideal, but as long as they have plenty of space indoors to race around, that would be great for them.
Both boys are very confident and friendly cats. They love cuddles, fusses and lots of attention. They are also very active and will race around playing and chasing each other. They will be up on cupboards, shelves and windowsills, knocking anything over in their path and generally causing chaos! They are quite vocal, have lots of energy and need plenty of toys and games to keep them entertained.
After all Ben has been through, it’s so lovely to see him so active - he and William may use you as a springboard to race around!
We do think once they have the full run of a home, they will calm down a bit as they are quite confined in their foster home – after all, they are still young and love playing and having fun!
We’ve been advised not to vaccinate Ben for around 12 months. We would also need Ben's adopter to be aware of signs of any relapse of FIP infection. Although this is rare, it is a possibility.
After all the boys have been through, they deserve the very best. if you think you can offer them a forever home together, please complete our adoption form.
Please note with the increase in cost of veterinary treatment we now require adopters to take out relevant insurance - we will provide more information during the adoption process.
