Dixie has been with me three years now and is perfectly healthy. She was a show-up (thrown away) at my Mom's for several months before that and was probably 2-3 years old when she showed up there (best guess but full grown and spayed). There are no guarantees in life. I knew that when I agreed to bring Dixie inside. I haven't regretted one second of it. She is marvelous, wonderfully intelligent, loving, and beautiful. On Jun 4, 2008, at 9:15 PM, Laura Mostello wrote:
> I have had Duncan for a year now and he is fat, active and symptom- > free. Now Celery and Baby Girl have joined him. They are all healthy > and love each other's company. A vet tech said to me recently, > "Enjoy your FeLV + cats while you have them, because they'll > probably be dead within a couple of years." Nice. I've been upset > about her comment since then, but with luck she'll be proven wrong. > > --- On Wed, 6/4/08, MaryChristine <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> From: MaryChristine <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Subject: Re: Hi again :) >> To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org >> Date: Wednesday, June 4, 2008, 6:26 PM >> current wisdom is that positive cats can remain asymptomatic >> for >> years, until the virus is triggered. no one really knows, >> however, >> what it is that activates it. culprits high on the list are >> serious >> illnesses, but i know that at the sanctuary, we had >> positive who got >> very sick, were treated (often surgically) and recovered >> quite fine to >> go on for a number of years. stress is another thing >> suspected of >> awakening the virus, but how do you define that? the best >> we can do is >> the best we can do: give them as calm and safe and loving >> an >> environment as possible, feed them the best food that your >> own >> research tells you to (that varies because everyone has >> their own >> opinion, and last year before the pet-food recall, some >> people were >> accused of murdering their cats because they didn't >> feed them things >> that others thought they should--things that turned out, in >> some >> cases, to ACTUALLY kill, while the other foods did not); be >> extra >> vigilant about any health concerns or behavior changes, and >> have them >> attended to right away--and did i mention love them as long >> as you >> have them, because no matter how long that is, it won't >> ever be long >> enough..... >> >> there are no guarantees for any of us--the healthiest cat >> or dog or >> human can drop dead tomorrow--to worry about it all the >> time >> accomplishes nothing, and probably creates a level of >> stress that the >> cats can pick up. >> >> there have been FeLVs in my life who have only had five >> months to >> share with me, and other whom i've known for >> years--it's the quality >> that matters. >> >> (and take lots of pictures--i get incredible joy from >> looking at the >> photos of the silly little furcritters that aren't >> wandering this >> earth anymore--and i just grin when i see their faces >> looking out at >> me, and remember how they graced my life.) >> >> MC >> >> On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 12:28 PM, Laurieskatz >> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> YES. Squeaky tested positive at age 13 and lived to >> age 22, symptom free >>> except for his final 3 weeks. >>> Laurie >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf >> Of Sue Koren >>> Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 6:33 AM >>> To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org >>> Subject: Re: Hi again :) >>> >>> Does anyone know if a positive cat who stays positive >> but not sick for a >>> certain length of time, if the chances are that they >> will not become sick? >>> Or could the sickness just come on them at any time >> regardless of how long >>> they have harbored the virus and remained healthy? (I >> hope that made some >>> kind of sense) >>> Sue >>> >>> ---- MaryChristine <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> wrote: >>> >>> ============= >>> yes, cats can retest negative on IFAs if enough time >> has passed so >>> that the virus can work itself out of the system. just >> as with initial >>> exposure, the time period given varies from 60 to 120 >> days, depending >>> on who/what you read--i go for the 120 days or longer, >> so i don't >>> always wonder...... tho it's not mentioned in the >> current on-line >>> merck manual, and i never thought to keep the >> reference back when i >>> first read it in 2003 or so, it used to refer to a >> case where it took >>> a cat seven or nine (my memory is going) for a cat to >> revert to >>> negative on an IFA. >>> >>> generally, however, if 120 days or so has passed since >> last possible >>> exposure, i figure they're not gonna >> seroconvert--but until/if the >>> virus gets activated, they're just positive, not >> sick. >>> >>> my little pastel calico, lorelei, who came to me last >> summer solstice, >>> just retested positive on the IFA when she was spayed, >> so i'd say that >>> it's pretty definite that she's gonna stay >> positive..... but it didn't >>> really matter, because it wasn't going to change >> anything one way or >>> another, so there was no rush here to retest.... >>> >>> and for those who don't know, all my others are >> either vaccinated, or >>> were inadvertently exposed almost eight years ago, so >> she's no threat >>> to anything other than my peace of mind--calico, after >> all..... >>> >>> MC >>> On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 5:51 PM, Laura B >> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>>> A few weeks ago I joined this list but >> couldn't post, so Belinda very >>> kindly >>>> posted an introduction for myself and my FeLV+ >> kitty, Laura. Thank so >>> much >>>> for the replies we got, we read them all. >>>> >>>> I wanted to send in a little update on Laura >> (still don't have a new name >>>> for her), she is doing very well. Most of her fur >> is growing back (she >>> had >>>> bald patches) and since being on the l-lysine she >> is not drooling nearly >>> as >>>> much (she had herpes lesions in her mouth). She >> seems to be settling in >>> and >>>> loves her room with a view. I spend as much time >> with her as possible, >>> and >>>> my nieghbor (another cat person) comes over daily >> to give her a snack and >>>> some lovin. >>>> >>>> I think she has also put on a little weight, which >> is good because she >>>> is quite thin, other than that she is doing well. >> My vet just had me >>> bring >>>> her in and restest her, (IFA), she came back >> positive again. Do cats ever >>>> test neg on an IFA after testing positive? Vet >> also retested the three >>> cats >>>> in her care that were positive on snap tests a >> month ago when she >>> discovered >>>> Laura's status. Out of the three only one >> retested pos on an IFA test. >>>> >>>> Anyway, just wanted to pop in and thank you all, >> also give a little update >>>> on my sweet girl. >>>> >>>> Best regards, >>>> >>>> Human Laura and furry Laura >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Felvtalk mailing list >>>> Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org >>>> >> http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/ >> felvtalk_felineleukemia.org >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> Spay & Neuter Your Neighbors! >>> Maybe That'll Make The Difference.... >>> >>> MaryChristine >>> >>> AIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCats >>> MSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> ICQ: 289856892 >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Felvtalk mailing list >>> Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org >>> >> http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/ >> felvtalk_felineleukemia.org >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Felvtalk mailing list >>> Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org >>> >> http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/ >> felvtalk_felineleukemia.org >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Felvtalk mailing list >>> Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org >>> >> http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/ >> felvtalk_felineleukemia.org >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> >> Spay & Neuter Your Neighbors! >> Maybe That'll Make The Difference.... >> >> MaryChristine >> >> AIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCats >> MSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> ICQ: 289856892 >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Felvtalk mailing list >> Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org >> http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/ >> felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > > _______________________________________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
