New Member

[Lomaxturtle]

Hi - my name is Michelle and I just recently joined this FeLV group and I'm sure it is going to be mine and my cats lifeline.   I am in a bit of dilema already. My baby girl had to put to sleep at Easter after a long battle with many different ailments she was found to have FIV and was in the final stage. I have now adopted 3 cats from my local sanctuary where I do a little voluntary work too helping out with the care of the cats.   I am in UK and many people still don't have anywhere near enough knowledge about FeLV or FIV. The sanctuary houses FIV and FeLV cats together which I recently found out should never be done and that FeLV should only be kept alone or with other FeLV. I was led to believe that FeLV was no more contagious than FIV but it actually is quite a lot more contagious it seems.   My 3 cats are Bramble (9 year old male tabby - FIV+ with symptoms) he is currently back and forward to the vet - we are now testing for calicivirus, herpesvirus, and FeLV as a result of his symptoms - I've suggesting calicivirus since I got him (had them all 3 weeks now). Bramble was dumped 2 years ago when he was ill and spent days hiding under brambles in fear before staff managed to get hold of him. Buddy is a 2 year old black tortie female with FIV and Minstrel is a 2 year old black and white female with FeLV.   My vet said they recommend euthansia for FeLV cats but I'm not prepared to do that yet as she is a happy healthy non-symptomatic cat and only 2 years old. She suggests I seperate my FIV from FeLV and don't let them near each other to protect the FIV cats from getting FeLV. Buddy and Minstrel have lived together with Bramble for the last 2 years at the sanctuary. In fact Buddy and Minstrel had spent their whole lives in the sanctuary - I have given them their first home, so all have been exposed for the last 2 years along with the other 6 or 7 FIV cats in the sanctuary.   Has anybody had experience of owning both FIV and FeLV + cats and how was it? Having read around FeLV more now I am sgocked that sanctuary house them together - they should know better really but they consider them as being very similar virus with the same outcomes - and I have now discovered that is not totally true and the prognosis is often quite different.   Michelle