Hi, and thank you, thank you, thank you for being such an angel and taking such good care of the feral kitties----it's also wonderful that they're a bonded pair. You are absolutely right to keep them together (and the neg girl will probably remain negative in any case). Three of my four-strong feral family have FeLV. (There were six, but two have very sadly succumbed to the FeLV.) I noticed that after the first succumbed--Caramel, 11/04--the others began eating noticeably less food. They've never regained their former appetite. They had just turned 1 year then, so I don't know if it was because they needed more while they were kittens, and the appetite change was just coincidental timing. Now, it's just turned very hot here in Chicago--90s. I have the fan on in their room all the time and the windows open (I'm having the a/c put back in next weekend), but it seems to me they've been eating even less since the temp shot up. The weather, I suspect, is making them much less active, and so I'm not worrying too much about it -- they look fine otherwise. (I don't know if this is any help--you've clearly already tried tons of stuff--but my lot go totally crazy over Wellness dry food--the orange bag--I think it has salmon, turkey and herring.) I've also noticed that stress of any sort reduces their appetite for several days---e.g. I had to have a workman in their room for just a few seconds last weekend, and I don't think they ate for the rest of the day, and also ate very little the next few days. When I used to have to catch Caramel for giving fluids (totally relate to what you say---I hated doing that so much) there was always much more food left over every morning and evening for a few days. The stress involved in catching Caramel appeared to affect everyone's appetite, not just Caramel's. Re the trapping business, I'm taking advice from Nina, one of our wonderful FeLV web list members, and putting their favorite food on separate dishes and putting the dishes inside 4 carriers, to try and get them used to going in, esp when I'm sitting there. I'm hoping that once they get truly used to them (and I've figured out the best size--I've already changed the carriers once for a bigger size, and think I may need to do so again, so that not even a little tail is left outside the carrier when they're grazing the food inside) I'll be able to simply close the door on anyone that needs subQs or a vet visit. Trouble is, they're so smart, I fear it may be a one-time deal....hope not. I'm sorry I can't help more--I figure if they seem ok, and are active, and haven't changed their behavior otherwise, you needn't worry overly--just keep a close eye on their behavior as we always have to do with Felv kitties. Good luck, and keep us posted. The little souls are very lucky to have found you. Kerry
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Gloria B. Lane Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 11:21 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Fwd: Question about feral with FeLV >Date: Thu, 09 Jun 2005 11:20:30 -0500 >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >From: "Gloria B. Lane" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Question about feral with FeLV > >Well, in my opinion, you have a wonderful set up there and certainly did >the right thing for the ferals. > >I don't know about the eating - have they thrown >up? Diarrhea? etc. Have you tried extremely tastey wet kitty food, or >sardines or fried chicken, to see if they can be tempted? > >There's a more active list, if you're interested, go to >felineleukemia.org.- Meanwhile, I"ll forward your message to that group - > >Gloria >in Arkansas > >At 11:00 AM 6/9/2005, you wrote: >>Is there anyone in this group with experience with FERAL cats with >>feline leukemia? Specifically - their eating habits during hot >>weather. >> >>We have a feral cat that was shot with a bb gun back in March. We >>trapped him and had him treated by an animal eye specialist. He lost >>his eye. Only after the eye surgery, etc. did we learn he was >>leukemia positive. He was one-half of a bonded couple. >> >>We have an outdoor enclosure for our regular indoor cats - for them >>to spend some time each day outdoors. SO - after we learned of the >>feral's situation, we built a SEPARATE enclosure in our back yard for >>this bonded pair. His girlfriend is leukemia negative and has now >>been through the series of vaccinations. Keeping them separate was >>not an option as she was stressing big time (i.e., losing hair with >>no physical explanation, etc.). And yes, we have had vet care for >>both of them. >> >>The feral recovered from the eye situation and had been doing very >>well until last weekend when he just all of a sudden stopped eating >>very much. His girlfriend has also cut way, way back on her food >>intake. I live in south Texas and it is very hot here during this >>time of the year. >> >>Both cats still look to be in pretty good shape. If it were ONLY the >>leukemic cat that wasn't eating, I would know it was his disease; >>however with BOTH of them cutting back, I am wondering if it is an >>instinctual response to the weather. Obviously, however, I am more >>concerned with him not eating as he has less reserves than she does. >>I've tried EVERYTHING I can think of to entice him to eat (i.e., baby >>food, sardines, tuna, different canned foods, different dry foods, >>chicken broth, boiled chicken - YOU NAME IT). I see him nibbling >>occasionally but I can tell from the amount of food leftover that he >>is not eating much at all. >> >>We have fans on them and we've set up a "mister" system on the side >>of the cage - placed so that the water does not hit the cats, but >>cools the area somewhat. >> >>Does anyone have any input on a situation where a feral cat just >>stops eating when it gets very hot? And if so, how long do they do >>this? Getting vet care for him is almost impossible because he has >>to be trapped, sedated, etc. I don't want to stress him any more >>than necessary and again, so far, he does not look to be in bad >>shape. >> >>Help!!!! >> >> >> >> >>------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> >>What would our lives be like without music, dance, and theater? >>Donate or volunteer in the arts today at Network for Good! >>http://us.click.yahoo.com/TzSHvD/SOnJAA/79vVAA/DIOolB/TM >>--------------------------------------------------------------------~- > >> >> >>Yahoo! Groups Links >> >><*> To visit your group on the web, go to: >> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FeLVPositiveCats/ >> >><*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >><*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: >> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ >> <hr> Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP is moving our Chicago office to the Hyatt Center, 71 S. Wacker Dr., Chicago, Illinois 60606 - effective June 15, 2005. Email addresses, telephone numbers, and facsimile numbers remain unchanged. For more information, click the link below or copy / paste the link into the address bar of your Web browser: <a href="http://www.mayerbrownrowe.com/chicago/move.asp";>http://www.mayerbrownrowe.com/chicago/move.asp</a> Please Note: Effective July 1, 2005, some administrative functions will be located at 230 S. LaSalle, Chicago IL, 60604. <hr> This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail.
