Jamie,
When I found out Chewey was felv and the vet said to seperate I
felt what's the sence he was with everyone for 3 months already
and using water, food, litter and grooming during this time. No one
was vac. either. So when they all were vac (I didn' t know about
seperating) I figured they would be ok. They were.
As for right now Charmed is in a room with a large cage due to his
brothers are in there waiting to find homes. (Go to Petsmart). I let
the rest of the group out for a few hours in my room (door closed to
keep my own out). Then I take Charmed and let him run twice a
day in my cat litter room but I take out the litter first and close the
door. If he is with my cats he is sitting on my lap watching
everyone. I have him on a harness in cases he gets the urge to
check out someone. The more he see them and they see him none
of mine seem to care as long as he stays put. As soon as
everyone is adopted that room with the screen door will be his and
no cage. If he turns negative then I will mix freely. This is how I
keep them as mixed with out mixing. So it would have to be airborn
since he has no physical contact except I did let them smell
between the crack of the door and basicly my one puts her paw
and swats at him he rolls over on his back.
But that's about how I keep them together but seperate really.
Carla
Date sent: Wed, 06 Jun 2001 16:52:27 EDT
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: SHORT Lucy update
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Send reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Carla,
Again, to be 100% sure (or 99% as it is stated) they need to be isolated from him.
The virus is present in saliva, so if they groom each other they are exposed, if they
share toys they are exposed. Just separating food bowls does not preclude spit
swaping. I think any amount of separation, like with food, water litter box, and toys
probably increases the protection though.
You are right, it is not air born and it is fragile outside of the body, i.e., the
dries it dies saying. With several cats, I don't see how you can keep them from each
other's boxes and water. If you don't free feed and supervise mealtime, food bowls
are easy to separate. But if you keep water
out all the time and the litterboxes obvioulsy are out all the time, how do you keep
them out of each other's stuff?
If I had the room, I would put Felv+ box and supplies in one room and Felv- in the
other. Then I would get two of the kitty doors w/ the sensor collars that only let
your cat in/out. I would just put these on interior doors or walls and get two
collars for the "negative room" (Miss Mouse and
Barney) and Andy would have a collar to the "positive room" If we have room when we
own our own house, I may do that. However, after them mixing together for 4-5 years,
I doubt it matters. The same is probably true of your cats w/ Chewy, depending on how
long they were exposed to him. I know
Andy and Barney love each other and groom/wrestle all the time, so they do get saliva
on each other anyway.
If you have Charmed in one room or area of the house with a screen so he can see the
others but isn't in contact with them, I think you are ok. I don't think saliva
through the screen would pose much risk, but I'm not an expert!
Also, I don't separate mine at all, so I am not passing judgement on anyone for what
they decide.
I just brought this up b/c people want us to say it's ok to let them mingle. If you
want to be as
certain as you can be that your negatives stay that way, then it is not ok to mingle.
It is a cont
agious disease.
Jamie
