The Big Juicy Gang
FeLV+ CatsFeLV+ cats we adopted from the Humane Society of Walden.
Our Story
The Big Juicy Gang started on May 21, 2017, when we adopted our first two Feline Leukemia Positive (FeLV+) cats, Sinatra (AKA Big Juicy) and Drax the Meower, from the Humane Society of Walden.
What started with two cats became something of a family tradition. Since 2017, we've welcomed eight FeLV+ cats into our home, along with one honorary canine member, Lady.
Today, the Gang consists of Drax, now 12 years old, and Bruce, our newest troublemaker, who joined us in 2025.
Over the years, we've said goodbye to Sinatra, Keyser Cöze (Cozy), Ruby, Cole, Nugget, Georgie, and our beloved Lady.
Living with FeLV+ cats has taught us that you never really know how much time you'll have. We lost several before their third birthdays. But Cole lived to 9, Ruby to 10, and Drax is still going at 12.
FeLV can be heartbreaking, but a positive diagnosis doesn't mean a cat can't have a wonderful life. Some of ours had much shorter lives than we hoped, but every one of them had a happy home, was loved, and lived a good life.
We wouldn't trade any of them.
Art by K. Daley
Members
Sinatra
AKA Big Juicy
Learn More
Drax the Meower
AKA The Annoying Orange
Ruby
AKA Lady Ruby
Cole
AKA Mushy-mush
Keyser Cöze
AKA Cozy
Learn
Feline Leukemia
Cats with Feline Leukemia
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) causes a highly contagious and potentially fatal retroviral infection that weakens a cat’s immune system, making them susceptible to illness and secondary infections.
However, exposure to the feline leukemia virus doesn’t have to be a death sentence; about 70% of cats who encounter the virus are able to resist infection or eliminate the virus on their own.
Cats with FeLV can live until a ripe old age; many infected senior cats pass as a result of problems not associated with their infection.
Adopt FeLV+ cats
Humane Society of Walden's FIV+ and FeLV+ cats are some of the most loving, affectionate cats we have ever met – but most of them have been waiting a long time to be adopted, just because people who don’t know any better are afraid of the virus they carry.
Please consider adopting one of these wonderful cats! If you meet them, you will fall in love!