Hi Dee For months, I was paranoid and did everything you're doing, too (except showering post-visit--I never did that)--change of clothes, wearing scrubs, and shoes (yup, kept high, behind closed closet door), wdn't let my neg cats touch me till I'd changed clothes again, washing hands with anti-bacterial soap, never using the new fresh litter that was stored in the pos room for my neg cats even when I ran out of the "non-contaminated" litter for my neg cats. (I'd go out and buy more.) Etc, etc. Somewhere along the way, after all the input from this group, and some other reading, I realized it just wasn't necessary! I threw away the scrubs & stopped worrying. The only precaution I continued was to keep the door of their room shut so that my neg, non-vaccinated cats couldn't mix with them. Forgive me if I told you this already, but there was one neg cat that came with the colony of positives, and I kept her with them--it would have been too cruel to separate her, especially as she was so scared, AND had already been exposed anyway. After 4 of the 5 positives passed away, I re-tested her this May and she has stayed negative. And she has never been FeLV vaccinated! And she shared everything with them---food & water bowls and litter boxes. She is a walking example of the fact that FeLV is NOT as contagious as many--including vets- believe. The 5th pos, who obviously also shared everything, threw off the virus and is now also neg. You are doing everything right for Smoky--doing the best you can for him, within your means. One suggestion: print off all the reassuring answers you got from list members who, like you, live with negs and positives and post them in an obvious place so you can read and re-read them, especially when you start to feel anxious. It's also very important for Smoky that he gets good vibes from you! Take care, you're doing a great job, Dee. Bless you! Kerry
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dee & Evan Sent: Saturday, August 05, 2006 11:48 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Smokey I am the guardian from Western Pennsylvania with 10+ cats (oldest ages 17-female & 13-male), with a newly diagnosed FeLV+ stray, now named Smokey. I want to thank everyone for your comments of support. I am very grateful. I am still on my quest to find a new home or foster parent for him (if we can get him stabilized) . My support where I live is very poor & limited. Both vets I have talked to have given the 1st option of euthanasia because I will "just be throwing money down the tubes" to treat him as put by one of the vets. I even had to make the suggestion of Pet-Tenic for him (6 days after the vet visit) after reading the Feline Leukemia website. I am freaking out about exposure to my other 10 cats since the vets keep telling me he is highly contageous! The boosters on my other 10 cats are due here in August so I have a vet coming out on Wednesday, 08/09/06 to administer the boosters. I don't even wear the same clothes around my other cats (I place them in a plastic bag to use again, high enough for my other cats not to reach). I use Lysol spray, Clorox wipes, Germ-X hand sanitzier, etc. I even go to the extreme of taking a shower after visiting Smokey. Sometimes I have to hold the tears back at work & break down & cry when I finally get home. I am panic stricken over this whole situation & not sure what the right thing to do is. Smokey has a right to a chance for life ~ I cannot chose to euthanize him just becuase he is sick, it is not his fault. Although I do understand there will probably be a time where there is nothing more I can do. I have limited finances, I am not a Rockefellar, but I am not ready to give up yet. Help! Can anyone give me some more words of wisdom & experience? Thank you. *_Smokey's Situation_:* We have only "known" Smokey for less than 4 weeks. I do not know how old he is. As far as I can tell he is not neutured. He is too weak to even vacinate for rabies,etc. He is only 4 1/2 pounds. He has diarrhea (although it is somewhat better but not anywhere close to where his stool should be). He seems to be running a slight fever. His appetite is very good. I wish he would drink more water so I am going to make him homemade chicken broth. I Sub-Q 1/2 to 1 unit of IV every other day, every day if he lets me. He is wormed ~ I will need to worm him again in 8 days. He is on three antibiotics (two oral liquids & one for his ears). He had a bacterial ear infection. He is a very loving, warm soul. I have him isolated in a bedroom from the other 10 cats. I have a laundry basket in front of the door & a towel w/a 2x4 piece of wood at the bottom so there is no contact with the other cats. We live in an old farm house. So I cannot install a window air conditioner because the electrical outlets are only two-prong, ungrounded. There is a fan in his room. ~Dee IRS CIRCULAR 230 NOTICE. Any advice expressed above as to tax matters was neither written nor intended by the sender or Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP to be used and cannot be used by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed under U.S. tax law. If any person uses or refers to any such tax advice in promoting, marketing or recommending a partnership or other entity, investment plan or arrangement to any taxpayer, then (i) the advice was written to support the promotion or marketing (by a person other than Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP) of that transaction or matter, and (ii) such taxpayer should seek advice based on the taxpayers particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor This email and any files transmitted with it are 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. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail.
