Jamie --
Rio was also badly beaten up, and feral, when I found him last summer. I
found him outside a drainage ditch near a Rio Bravo restaurant, and his ears
were chewed up on the ends and his nose looked broken. He bit me, so we had
to quarantine him for 10 days since he was stray (to watch for rabies). The
vet said he was about 5 months old at the time. He tested negative but
tested positive in December. I think he, too, got it from open wounds and
who and whatever was chewing him up while he was out in the big, bad world
and living with the rats in a drainage ditch. :( My poor li'l guy!! Anyway,
his ears have healed (he didn't used to let us even touch them and now he
loves ear scratchin's.). He seems really happy. But I let him and Aspen mix
and I think I'll always wonder who got FeLV from whom. I still miss Aspen
greatly. That might sound crazy, but it just makes me sad I thought I was
protecting him from this and he ended up getting it, anyway. I really want
to take the chance of letting him mix with Oskar, because they're like
brothers to each other, but I'm so scared of someone else "getting it." My
vet says for me to "err on the side of caution," but watching him be lonely
is really, really, really getting to me. I think he's going to be integrated
quite soon. :)
Hugs,
Rebecca
----------
>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: Rio's test (and other stuff)
>Date: Tue, Aug 29, 2000, 7:02 PM
>
> Sherry and Rebecca-
>
> Before I knew Andy was positive, he mingled with mine and my sister's cats.
> Tiesha had 5 very young kittens at the time (and was not vaccinated herself)
> that Andy carried around like he was the mom, played with, cleaned, slept
> with, etc. for WEEKS before I knew. One of the kittens died later (Little
> Kitty who was run over), another lives w/ a friend (oh, they are 15 months
> old now) two went w/ a lady who swore she'd call if they ever tested positive
> just to let me know, and the last one was the same way (went w/ a couple and
> their little girl). So far all are negative as are Miss Mouse, Tiesha, and
> now Barney.
>
> I say let them mingle if they don't fight and can't mate! BTW- Andy was a
> very badly beaten up stray when I got him and had abscessed (sp?) puncture
> wounds and toenails that had to be removed b/c they were ripped almost
> completely out. I just know that's how he got it.
>
> Jamie
>
