RE: I have a cat with FIV

[Hideyo Yamamoto]

Before you get convinced that she is really positive for FIV – I would ask the vet to send a sample to test for Western Blot – I have 6 positive cats, but 2 cats ended up being false positive – did the vet run inside snap shot test or did it send it outside?   Just so that we are clear, as I understand it, for FIV to bet transmitted, it requires for a FIV positive cat to bite a negative one – and not the other way around.  There is a very active support group for FIV cats, you should join the list, lots of people on the list, they mix their positives with negatives, and none of negatives have become positive for anyone and I am one of them, too.  I am hoping that you will find a way to keep the kitty -   Here’s the address – you will need to join through yahoo – please do, you get a lot of good information from this list on FIV – not worry too much.. Most of FIV positive cats do live a normal life span if they are indoor kitties – again I have 6 FIV kitties, and they are very healthy.. and some of them are older, too.   Make sure that you join the FIVcats2 not FIVcats (most of the FIVcat group moved to FIVcats2 due to the harassment posting from a couple of the list members [EMAIL PROTECTED]     From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of erin moody Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 5:00 PM To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: I have a cat with FIV   Hello to all,   i am new to this site, and looking for any info anyone has. My uncle reciently died and he had an indoor / outdoor cat.  There was confusion as to who was first taking it in, well noone did.  I drove the 45 min drive 3 times the first day to try to catch the cat.  They locked it outside for 2 weeks! The neighbor helped me catch Fingers (the cat).  I took it home and locked it in a spare bedroom away from my other cats. I finally convinced a family to take her in, with the exception I checked her out at the vet.  Well,  yesterday I found out she tested positive with FIV.  I love this cat.  Fingers has such a frendly personality. I know its a plus that she has extra fingers, but noone seems to want her now.  I have contacted Tabbys Place which takes cat in with FIV.They won't take anymore cats due to space. I would keep her myself, but my one cat fights. If I am correct that is the only way they transmit the virus. I  live in New  Jersey, but am willing to  do  just about anything for this cat.       Erin