This is Onion.

He’s a sweet little stray who has clearly been surviving on his own for a while. When I trapped him, it was obvious he needed help. His nose is raw and sore, his eyes are tired, and he’s been living without the care every cat deserves.

UPDATE:

Hi everyone,

I just got a call from the vet with an update on Onion.

He has tested FIV (Feline HIV) positive. He also has clear signs of anaemia and some kidney issues. They’re now testing for FeLV (feline leukaemia) and have said there’s a high likelihood it could be positive. They’re running a PCR test to confirm. If that does come back positive, his prognosis unfortunately won’t be good.

The good news is his ears are not cancerous. The thickening is from scar tissue and polyps, which can potentially be treated later if we can first stabilise his other health issues.

He’s staying on fluids and supportive care, and if all goes to plan I’ll hopefully be bringing him home on Monday to decompress and continue care from there.

I was somewhat prepared for the FIV result, but the possibility of FeLV has been really hard to hear. The vet has also explained that if FeLV is confirmed, there are risks to other cats through close contact and deep scratching. I’m taking this very seriously and will make sure everyone is kept safe.

It’s not the news we were hoping for, but I still have hope for him. Thank you all so much for your support so far. I’ll update again once I receive the full written summary from the vet and the PCR results.