Meet Our Cats: Gumby

We started fostering Gumby via Pet Rescue by Judy (PRBJ) in October of 2013. Since we didn't have other cats in our home at the time, they gave us Gumby, who is FIV+. He was our first foster and he made a failure of us -- we officially adopted Gumby on July 25, 2014. At that time his age was estimated to be about 4 years old.

We read about what it meant to have an FIV+ cat. We learned from other foster cat families that had met Gumby that he was a cat's cat -- he loves to spend time with fellow felines. With PRBJ we fostered a few more cats who were adopted out, before we decided to leave the program. Gumby was especially a great mentor to kittens and shy cats.

Gumby gets along great with his two brothers from another mother. The above photo is from a few years back when Timmy and William moved in with us. He is the dominant kitty in our home, but he rules with a gentle paw. He even lets the younger cats win play fights with him... sometimes.

Gumby is in great health for his age and condition. He has food sensitivities and when we first got him he had some skin issues. We had to give him baths a few times as his skin was healing -- he didn't like it but he behaved like a champ in the tub!

Gumby's skin issues were finally resolved once we found the right brand of grain-free food for him. He still has a sensitive stomach and if he gets too excited before mealtime, he has a tendency to regurgitate his food. We manage this with smaller meals and a set mealtime routine which greatly mitigates this issue.

Gumby's Likes

  • Baking himself in sunbeams
  • Chasing laser lights
  • Meeting strangers
  • Being brushed

Gumby's Dislikes

  • Visits to the vet
  • When dinner is late
  • Crunchy sounds
  • Snakes

Posts Featuring Gumby

Update: Popular Jumbo Cat-Scratching Post

Almost four years ago we featured this sturdy sisal scratching post that our cats loved. This year we realized this extremely popular scratching post was showing serious signs of wear and it might be a good idea to replace it.  Sisal rope scratching posts are often...

Review: Self-Grooming Arch Brush for Cats

We've had a self-grooming brush arch like this one for about four years, and it's holding up very well although our cats don't really use it as intended. Our arch brush sits in our living room. Rather than using it for self-brushing, our boys Gumby and especially...

Easy Wheeled Travel Soft-Sided Pet Carrier

This is a soft-sided pet carrier with a trolly handle and removeable wheels. It makes transporting your kitty on foot easy and less strenuous. Note that the carrier is not intended for air travel.

Christmas-Themed Cat Trees

Give your kitty her own Christmas tree this season. Maybe she'll leave yours alone, then! (If not, you can try a cat-proof tree solution or alternative). Rotating your cat's furniture (as well as toys) is a great way to keep kitty interested and engaged and burning her energy...