Rusty is an incredibly lovable cat who, despite his somewhat rugged appearance, has an undeniable yearning to be loved by absolutely everyone he meets! His initial interaction with a human was quite remarkable; he approached a woman in a parking lot, nonchalantly hopped into her car, and seemed ready for an adventure. This spontaneous journey ultimately led him to the vet's office and, subsequently, into the caring environment of foster care with Red Clay Animal Rescue, where he received treatment for an upper respiratory infection and got neutered and microchipped. This lovable character charms all who encounter him. In his first foster home, he won over the affections of a dog that tends to keep his distance from most cats. He also got along well with the other resident adult cats. His gentle nature made treating his respiratory infection a breeze as he's very good about letting humans do almost anything to him without too much resistance. He rarely stops purring, and has recently started to make the most adorable tiny meows when he feels his food bowl needs a refill. He prefers attention first, food second, but then playtime is a must. He loves feather wand toys as well as catnip mice. He's VERY good about using the sisal scratching posts and likes to look over his shoulder to make sure his foster mom sees that he's being the best boy. Once he gets a little praise for his scratching, he heads over for a head bump and butt scratch. Little is known about Rusty's beginnings before he hopped into the car of a friendly woman. He most likely belonged to a local cat colony, but must have managed to dodge the traps for TNR events. He's definitely had a rough start to life if his face and ears are any indication. We suspect he was likely the victim in a few cat altercations as he is positive for FIV, which is transmitted by deep bite wounds from an infected cat. Like HIV, FIV can reduce immune tolerance to infections. Unlike humans, cats with FIV can be kept indoors so that their exposure to infectious disease, parasites, and other health hazards are kept to a minimum. This means they can live long, happy lives just like other cats. He can even live with FIV negative cats, provided the other cats don't bite him! Rusty is neutered, microchipped, current on FVRCP and Rabies vaccines, FIV positive, Felv negative, and has received general deworming medication with a recent negative fecal test for parasites. For more information about Rusty, or any other cat or kitten, please contact us via PetFinder or directly at stowkittens@gmail.com