Oak and Birch are a pair of affectionate brothers with a bond that’s as strong as it is sweet! Though these two take their time to warm up to new people, once you’ve earned their trust, they’ll shower you with love. Birch will wind himself between your legs, inviting you to crouch down for pets. Oak, on the other hand, is a huge fan of chin scratches and will nudge you for more if you stop too soon. These two are never far apart—whether they’re napping side by side or having playful wrestling matches, you’ll always find them together. Oak and Birch each recently had a dental cleaning and multiple tooth extractions and need an adopter who will brush their teeth and help them maintain good oral health. They are best suited to a home with a quiet and calm environment that is adult-only or with older children with previous cat experience.

Medical Considerations:

In May 2024 and March 2025, Oak and Birch had dental cleanings and several teeth extracted. However, they are still experiencing red and swollen gums, which we believe may be due to stomatitis. Oak and Birch have started a six-week treatment with Atopica and Doxycycline. Atopica is an immunosuppressive medication that helps reduce the immune system’s overreaction, while Doxycycline is an antibiotic that targets any bacterial infection contributing to the inflammation. This treatment aims to reduce inflammation and manage pain. Managing stomatitis often requires balancing effective treatment with a cat’s comfort and quality of life. If we don’t see improvement after six weeks, we’ll be revisiting other options including a full mouth extraction. Adoption applications are still being accepted, and they can be reserved for adoption. They will be available to go to their new home after completing their recovery.

Oak and Birch have Feline Coronavirus (FCoV). FCov is a common virus in cats. Generally, it presents as an asymptomatic infection, but can cause upper respiratory issues, and diarrhea which they have experienced intermittently. There is no cure for FCoV, only supportive care can be provided to treat symptoms as they arise such as specialty diets, probiotic supplements and/or antibiotics.

FCoV itself does not cause serious illness but it can undergo a genetic mutation in some cats and become a very serious virus called Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). FIP results from the distinctive occurrence of a mutation of FCoV within a genetically susceptible cat with a particular immune response. This mutated virus is cell-associated and thus is not commonly transmitted directly from one cat to another. FIP generally develops within a few weeks to 18 months after infection with FCoV, often following a stressor. Due to the contagious nature of FCoV they would likely transmit it to any cat they may share a home with. While cats can live long healthy lives with the virus and can go a long period of time being asymptomatic, sadly, there is no way of knowing whether or not it will mutate into FIP. A prospective adopter would need to be prepared for the potentially elevated cost of caring for a cat with such a virus as they may require more frequent veterinary visits and use of antibiotics and/or speciality diets to treat symptoms.

The Avery Foundation is a foster-based and volunteer-run rescue. Every TAF rescue cat is vet checked, vaccinated, treated for parasites, spay/neutered, microchipped and receive any necessary additional medical care.

Our adoption process involves an application, reference check, interview, and home visit prior to placement. From the time we receive your application through the screening process adoptions can take a couple weeks. We thank everyone who takes the time to apply but only those who best fit the cat’s requirements will be contacted.

If you’re interested in adopting, please apply online at: https://www.theaveryfoundation.ca/adoption/adoption-application/cats/ .