Dear all
It's been a few years since I last posted. Background: I found this amazing,
wonderful, kind, supportive, and knowledgeable group--it remains my best
Internet experience--after discovering that 5 members of a feral colony of 4
kittens and 2 adults that I took in in 2003 had tested positive for a disease
called feline leukemia. (1 of the adults, Momcat, was negative. I should say,
we
didn't know if she was really the mother--I just gave her the name as she was
the only adult female in the group. I saw no reason to separate her as she'd
already been exposed, plus she was the most stressed/timid of all of them.)
Re-testing a few months later showed no change--5 pos, 1 neg.
Within 2 years, 3 of the kittens and the positive adult succumbed to the
disease, 2 on the same day.
A few months later I re-tested again. This time, both remaining cats, Momcat
and
Mickey, tested negative. Hi-fiving all round! They're now 8 and 7,
respectively.
Still resolutely feral, but healthy!
Fast forward to September this year when I began fostering Sally, a 5-week
calico that had tested positive on both ELISA and IFA. The rescue group said
they would re-test in 3 months.
The lab people said: "Why bother? Nothing you do is going to change the
result."
One of the vets at the clinic said the same thing: re-testing is pointless.
The rescue group disregarded the "advice" and earlier this month I took her for
a 2nd round of ELISA and IFA. Result: both negative!
Just wanted to share--I figure we can always use good news.
I will also say--and it's very much my decision, based on my personal
experience
with healthy adult Momcat (above), who lived alongside 5 positives but remained
neg--this is the 2nd time I've fostered a pos kitten--Daisy remained positive
and found a great forever home where she has a pos boyfriend too--and both
times
I've mixed them freely with my healthy, adult cats. As I say, my personal
decision. I would not say anyone else should do the same thing.
Sending good wishes to all of you who do so much and for all the kitties in
your
care.
love and hugs and happy holidays.
Kerry M., mom to Flavia, Caramel, Levi, Snoball--all of whom gave me so much in
their all-too-short lives, and are now immortalized thanks to Belinda and the
Candlelight Service--Mickey, Momcat, Katyis, Trixie and Tiger, and foster mom
to
Sally.
_______________________________________________
Felvtalk mailing list
Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
