Snow Daddy is an uptown funky cat who lives at the St. Charles Parish Animal Shelter.
This strikingly colorful Siamese mix kitty lives there because it’s believed he could not find an adopter. He has feline immunodeficiency virus, better known as FIV or feline AIDS, which is not communicable to humans but it is to other cats, said Jena Troxler, head of the St. Charles Parish Department of Animal Control.
Snow Daddy contracted FIV during his tomcat days as a stray in St. Charles Parish. Troxler said he got it from another infected cat that bit him.
Neutered six months ago, his tom cat days are long gone, but the virus is uncurable at this time.
And, despite his grouchy appearance, word is Snow Daddy is actually a burly fur ball of love.
“He is a big and beautiful Siamese mix that makes biscuits (kitty kneading) on human legs as they stand,” Troxler said. “He lives in our hall by the cats and has access to his food and bed all day. He doesn’t go up front because he stresses a bit and isn’t so happy about all of the action.”
As for his memorable name, shelter worker Paige Rochelle gave it to him.
Rochelle’s sister’s cat is named Snowie and, when she first started working at the shelter and saw that lovable big guy, commented that he looked like Snowie’s daddy and it became a catchy name that stuck.
“Now everyone calls him that,” Rochelle said laughing. “His real name is Omar.”
But Omar is nowhere near as cool a name as his latest handle and that’s only the beginning of his special story.Because of the virus, Troxler said they decided to let him live at the shelter. Having FIV would make him hard to adopt out, particularly since many cat owners have more than one cat and adults might bite each other spreading the FIV.
In short, Snow Daddy became the shelter cat.
“He has an oversized head, as you can see, because unneutered male cats have excess testosterone that causes their heads to grow, urine to smell stronger and oil glands to be more prominent,” Troxler said. “Of course, we neutered him when he came, but at our shelter we want our adoptable cats feline leukemia and FIV free.”
Snow Daddy can live a normal, long life and would even be adoptable to the right home if someone could care for him, she said. He should never be an outdoor kitty to ensure he doesn’t spread the virus or contracts other diseases with his lessened immune system.
“His immune system isn’t as stout, so if he has any health issues we treat right away and he recovers well,” Troxler said. “These cats live best indoors as single cats or cats they get along with and then there is zero risk of transferring the virus since it is via deep bite wounds only. There is not a great vaccine available, but we do indeed have this test as part of our medical work up provided by the St. Charles Humane Society.”
Snow Daddy isn’t Razah, the celebrity deaf Persian who gained notoriety as a much beloved shelter cat for three years. Razah had his own Facebook page, blog and fans whom he greeted in the lobby until he died from a short battle with an unknown severe illness on June 5, 2015.
There wasn’t going to be another shelter cat for health reasons, but the shelter staff couldn’t part with Snow Daddy.
This big ole tomcat may not be a greeter, but he has proven to be an impressive charmer.
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