Hello! >From what I've read about FIV, it's very rare for a mother to pass on the virus directly to her kittens (unlike FeLV). I would definitely have her retested in a few months and wouldn't be surprised if she turned up negative. But FIV is not like FeLV in that cats with FIV usually live long, asymptomatic lives. I also wouldn't worry about mixing your positive and negative...the virus can only be transmitted by a deep bite wound (typically seen with un-neutered, feral males who fight each other). I don't think you'll have any problem with the little one! ;)
I don't know much about the vaccine only that subsequent FIV testing on a vaccinated cat can come up positive because of the vaccine. Either way, I think your older guy will be just fine...FeLV is considered more contagious than FIV and I've mixed my FeLV guys with my non-FeLV guys and no one has ever turned up positive. Bless your heart for caring for the little one! What is her name? Jen **************************************************** "But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world; You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed..." --Antoine de Saint-Exupéry "If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears one destroys." --Chief Dan George "The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long..." --Blade Runner ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thursday, June 22, 2006 7:44 am Subject: FIV infected Kitten To: [email protected] > I have been researching the net for information on FIV in kittens > and hope > to get more info here. My daughter came home two weeks ago with a > little freal > kitten appr. 5 weeks old. We already hav a 3 year old cat and had > not planned > on another cat, but ofcourse everybody in the family fell in love > with this > little thing. Yesterday we were told she tested positive for FIV, > which realy > upset everybody, but we have decided to keep her and deal with > things as > they come. Now I read that when a little kitten tests positive, > you need to keep > testing it until at least 6 month of age because it might be > mothers > anti-bodies, passed through mothers milk that might make the test > come back > positive. Is there anybody in this forum that indeed had that > happen, meaning that at > first the test came back positive but later negative? I know we > are grasping > at straws, but hope helps. We are also trying to decide whether to > keep the > two cats separate for ever or introduce them anyhow, I will talk > to the vet > to have the older one tested too now and if that comes back > negative, to have > him vacinated, but wonder whether that would be sufficient > protection. Any > advise?? >
