Hi Rachel,
Welcome and I'm sorry you had to join the list.
Kim
--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Hi. I just subscribed to this e-mail list last
> night and would like to share why I am here. My
> name is Rachel Thiemann. Over the past 8 years, I
> brought four cats into my family. When I moved out
> of the family house and into my own place 6 months
> ago, the family agreed that the cats should stay at
> the only house they ever knew and with two of the
> three people they have as their family. I miss them
> terribly but I know it is the right thing for them
> to stay where they are. I saw this as an
> opportunity to get another cat for my very own in my
> new house.
> My boyfriend and I agreed that after my 2nd job ends
> for the season (I prepare taxes part-time during
> evenings and weekends) that I would get a cat.
> Obviously it�s not after April 15th and I got
> a cat.
> My cousin, John, approached me last week after a
> get-together and told me about a cat that had shown
> up at his workplace a couple weeks ago. He said he
> suspected it was female and told me that she is so
> friendly that she has gotten underfoot and into some
> potentially dangerous situations. He said because
> of her sudden appearance and friendly nature that he
> suspects she was �tossed out� of a home
> situation.
> I spoke to my boyfriend and we agreed to take her
> in. Although he asked to name her. He decided upon
> calling her Cruizer � but I got to pick the
> strange spelling. I arranged to pick her up last
> Thursday (Feb. 22) and made an appointment with my
> local vet for Saturday. I was in my glory and
> happily went to the pet store to buy food, litter,
> toys, kitty bed, litter box, food bowls, collar,
> brush and anything else a new kitty could possibly
> need.
> I picked her up and I must tell you it was love at
> first sight! She is just the sweetest friendliest
> cat I have EVER met. You just look at her and she
> purrs. She is an absolute doll. I�ve never
> had a cat like this before. I am truly in my
> cat-adoring glory! I took her to the vet with a
> list of concerns (ear mites, URI, fleas). Each of
> my concerns was checked and all my suspicions were
> incorrect. The vet confirmed she is a girl. She is
> a beautiful tortoise colored cat. She is 8 pounds
> and so I suspected she was a little less than a year
> old. The vet corrected me and said she is just a
> small cat but she is actually about 2 or 3 years
> old. He settled on declaring her to be 2.
> He took blood and I was to call Monday for her
> leukemia and aids test results. I called and she
> has tested positive for both. He explained to me
> about false positives and all, but that the chances
> of that are very small.
> That is what has brought me here - to this list. I
> am worried because she is exhibiting some symptoms
> of a problem (diarrhea, drinking lots & lots of
> water, sleeping most of the time), and I am afraid
> to wait two months for a retest before I consider
> treatment. I am taking her to the vet on Saturday
> to have her symptoms checked and to discuss what to
> do.
> I feel most comfortable in a forum like this �
> where I can just blurt out my questions and people
> will understand what I am going through and why I am
> probably asking this sort of stuff.
> I am wondering if anyone has any experience with
> treating a cat after only one positive test result.
> Could it cause her harm for me to ask that she be
> given one of the treatments for leukemia such as the
> ones that are discussed on the felineleukemia.org
> website?
> I don�t want to �jump the gun� on
> this but neither do I want to see her deteriorate
> over the next 2 months while waiting for a retest
> and missing a possible good opportunity to catch
> this disease early.
> I am quite upset and a little depressed over this
> turn of events. I find it very difficult to accept
> that such a sweet and loving little ball of fur
> could have a disease that could kill her. I
> understand � thanks to reading a lot of
> websites � that this is not a death sentence
> and she can be treated and have a happy life. I
> want to give that to her and I will no matter how
> long she has.
> This is my first cat that has any problems that
> aren�t totally cureable. I�ve had to
> give other cats medicine and even feed one with a
> syringe to get him to eat. I�m ready, willing
> and able to take good care of her. I just
> don�t want to be blind to her needs.
> I look forward to being part of this list and
> getting some information and support.
> Thank you for any and all help you can provide. I
> am sorry to be so long, but I wanted to let you
> know about me and my new baby Miss Cruizer (I just
> like the way that sounds).
>
> Rachel
>
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