Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! You've all been so awesome and helpful!! As far as having the instinct about diet and vitamins...I just figured that since that's what I'm supposed to do to boost my immune system when I'm sick, I wondered if the same could work for him. I am abig believer in holistic treatmentsfor myself (balanced with medicines, etc.), so hold the same philosophies for Slink. As far as the food, we've made some good progress on that front. I think my problem was that I was trying to introduce too many new things at once (canned food, new dry food, vitamins, etc.). I backed off a bit and have been mixing the Evo dry with the purina (increasing the Evo amounts) and he seems to be having no trouble eating it. Pretty soon we should be able to do just the Evo. THEN, I'll try to start adding canned and then mixing in vitamins, etc. But it looks like there's hope! And the good news is that the pet food store owner gave me samples of the Evo so that if he really won't eat it, I can take back the bag I bought. This weekend I did some of my own research on the different brands of natural foods and it does appear that Evo is just about the best thing I could give him. So hopefully he'll start cooperating! :)I would love to see the info you have from the Natural Cat book. Thanks for sharing!!The only question I have right now (and I think I know the answer, but want to check) is...if he ends up testing positive when I have him retested, can I adopt another positive cat? It sounds like several of you have multiple positive kitties, but I wanted to make sure it would be okay to have 2 together. I just wondered if they would share secondary infections or if one could make the other worse or anything. But if it won't hurt either of them, I've decided that if he tests positive, I will adopt another positive cat. I want to wait 'till I'm sure of his test results, though. I may still adopt another cat (negative) even if he tests negative. :)I'll send more questions (and the names of the vitamins and stuff I bought for opinions) as I think of them.Thanks again everyone for all your support and help!!! MarissaKerry MacKenzie [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Marissa And a big welcome, although I'm sorry for the reason you had to find us. First, thanks for opening your heart to this sweet little soul. And, given that you say you've been largely more of a "dog person" I'm hugely impressed by the manner in which you've proceeded so far, eg, your instinct about your vet's diet comments is right on the nail. Your main goal is to keep Slinky's immune system boosted as much as you can, so Number One essential--which you're already doing (if only Slinky would co-operate!)--is go to a good pet food store as you've doneand buy top-quality cat food ie cat food without additives and preservatives and fillers, like Innova, Wellness, or Eagle, to namea few. (Showering him with all that love and affection you're already giving him will sure help keep his immune system boosted too!) If he absolutely won't eat any of the top brands after you've tried a few---and this is just my suggestion--maybe you cd try mixing it to begin with with a "junk" pet food that he will eat and then gradually eliminate the "junk"? Just an idea, and maybe others on the list will have a better idea. Another idea--again just my own suggestion--would be to try finger feeding him the good stuff, and see if that changes his attitude. Tomorrow I'll send you info gleaned from the FeLV section of Anitra Frazier's The New Natural Cat book that I used for my FeLV cats--it's on my work computer. I used her recipe for Vita-Mineral mixfor my FeLV kitts from the time I got them till the time I lost them and I'm convinced that even tho their lives were cut far too short, it helped them enormously. You will get lots more advicethe list can be slow on weekends. Please fire away with any Qs--you can never ask too many. This is thekindest,most supportive, most knowledgeablegroup ever and was my lifeline/godsend when I discovered all my brood had FeLV. Will be in touch again tomorrow Marissa. You are already doing a great job in using your own instinct to guide you--Slinky is a lucky little kit to have found you. take care, Kerry- Original Message - From: Marissa Johnson To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 11:21 AM Subject: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!Hi all. So I'm new to all of this! I recently took in a stray that was living under my boyfriend's house (his mom gave birth there and we found homes for all the kittens...one being mine. Mom still lives there and he feeds her).My family had cats when I was in high school but they were indoor/outdoor (we lived in the country) and I never bonded with them too much. They were mostly my step-mom's pets. I've generally been more of a dog person.But now i have this WONDERFUL, adorable litt
Re: To Marissa (MJ) Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Hi Wendy. Thanks!! I would LOVE to see your sick cat manual!!! Thanks!Yes, Evo does seem to be just about the best thing out there. The pet food store owner said that with FeLV, raw diet could compromise his immune system, so I decided to go with the Evo. As I said in my last post, he does seem to be getting better about eating at least the dry. Will start adding canned soon. This weekend was interesting. My boyfriend lives 5.5 hours away from me (so when I got Slinky he had to ride up in the car with him, his sister, and his dog!). I go down there every other weekend to see him. I debated about what to do with Slink this weekend while I was gone, and finally decided to take him. I knew it would be stressful, but decided I wanted to teach him to adjust to different situations now while he's young and healthy. Then if he ends up getting sick, going to the vet or hospital or having someone care for him or something hopefully won't be so stressful.I have to say that he did pretty well! He doesn't really like his carrier and usually spends quite a bit of time meowing before he settles down. But by the time we got back last night, he had gotten pretty used to it. He even used the litter box in the car when I stopped for gas! He did fine at my boyfriend's house (kept him in the bedroom, mostly). My boyfriend and his sister each have sheepdogs. Slink and Sam (boyfriend's dog) do fine together - they mostly ignore each other and Sam is very mellow. But Milo (his sister's dog) is used to playing with cats and kept chasing Slinky around. But he found his hiding places and some new toys and seemed to do okay. So all in all I'm glad I took him. I didn't want to leave him for 2 days (would've missed him) and I think he did fine with adjusting, etc. He seemed to have tons of energy when we got back last night and was bounding around and playing with his new toys. So that's good.I think I'll always be a dog person, but now I'll be a cat person too! lol It is great having him around...and you can't beat having him curl up next to you in bed and purr you to sleep! lol Re: the name Slinky...I debated a long time about a name! But then when I first got him, I saw him going down the stairs in my apartment and he looked just like a slinky! And since he's gray, it seemed like a good fit. Now, of course, he's grown quite a bit and has no trouble going down the stairs. When we got home last night, he ran all the way down and then back up again...as if to say, "Look what I can do mom!" But mom isn't so happy about that because the only thing at the bottom of the stairs is the door, so now I have to watch to make sure he doesn't go outside. Hopefully he won't go down there too much, though, since there really isn't anything to interest him there.Anyway...this is getting very long! Thanks again for everyone's wonderful advice!! I'll have to try the chicken broth on him. So far the only kind of treats I've been able to get him to eat are chicken, so he'd probably love some cooked chicken and/or broth! I hope you are all doing well and I'll keep your kitties in my prayers!Marissawendy [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Marissa,My name is Wendy. I've been on this list since lastOctober and probably will never leave. The peoplehere got me through one of the hardest times in mylife when my baby Cricket was sick with anemia fromthe FeLV, and died after three weeks of trying to gethim to turn around. Everyone here is so knowledgeableand helpful, and I stick around now to try to help newpeople just like you.Your vet is right. Many cats throw the virus off, andsome just carry it around. And even if he does testpositive, there are absolutely things you can do toprolong his life.The two most important things to keep in mind withFeLV positives is a stress free environment and immuneboosting including food and supplements. A lot ofpeople use the Evo. I think what Maggie and Kerrysaid about mixing the old food with the new and thenslowly decreasing the old might work for your baby. It will take time. Mine are on the Evo, wet and dry,and it is great stuff. Probably the best on themarket, in my opinion. Some do the raw diet. Whatever you end up feeding him, make sure it has nograins in it. As far as supplements go, there areseveral routes you can go. Vitamin C is supposed tobe a great immune booster. Some people even claimthat it can turn positives to negatives. L-lysine(WITHOUT) propylene glycol is also good for immuneboosting, especially if he has feline herpes, whicheither can't be or isn't easy to be tested for (can'tremember). I say he might have it because sneezingand URI's are typical symptoms. Many cats haveherpes, so it's no big deal. The L-lysine helps agreat deal with keeping that in remission. It's kindof like cold sores for us. The lysine is greatbecause kitty won't be able to taste it. I just mixit in with the wet food. I leave out dry for mine,and feed wet in the morn and eve. I have a kitty
Re: To Marissa (MJ) Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
--- Marissa Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hey Marissa, I'm glad that Slinky is doing so well! I agree with you that it's a good idea to get him used to the car now. When my husband and I retire in 30 years or so, we're going to train a kitten or two to ride in a Winnebago so we can see the country! lol. I sent the manual to your email addy. Let me know if you don't get it. :) Wendy Hi Wendy. Thanks!! I would LOVE to see your sick cat manual!!! Thanks! Yes, Evo does seem to be just about the best thing out there. The pet food store owner said that with FeLV, raw diet could compromise his immune system, so I decided to go with the Evo. As I said in my last post, he does seem to be getting better about eating at least the dry. Will start adding canned soon. This weekend was interesting. My boyfriend lives 5.5 hours away from me (so when I got Slinky he had to ride up in the car with him, his sister, and his dog!). I go down there every other weekend to see him. I debated about what to do with Slink this weekend while I was gone, and finally decided to take him. I knew it would be stressful, but decided I wanted to teach him to adjust to different situations now while he's young and healthy. Then if he ends up getting sick, going to the vet or hospital or having someone care for him or something hopefully won't be so stressful. I have to say that he did pretty well! He doesn't really like his carrier and usually spends quite a bit of time meowing before he settles down. But by the time we got back last night, he had gotten pretty used to it. He even used the litter box in the car when I stopped for gas! He did fine at my boyfriend's house (kept him in the bedroom, mostly). My boyfriend and his sister each have sheepdogs. Slink and Sam (boyfriend's dog) do fine together - they mostly ignore each other and Sam is very mellow. But Milo (his sister's dog) is used to playing with cats and kept chasing Slinky around. But he found his hiding places and some new toys and seemed to do okay. So all in all I'm glad I took him. I didn't want to leave him for 2 days (would've missed him) and I think he did fine with adjusting, etc. He seemed to have tons of energy when we got back last night and was bounding around and playing with his new toys. So that's good. I think I'll always be a dog person, but now I'll be a cat person too! lol It is great having him around...and you can't beat having him curl up next to you in bed and purr you to sleep! lol Re: the name Slinky...I debated a long time about a name! But then when I first got him, I saw him going down the stairs in my apartment and he looked just like a slinky! And since he's gray, it seemed like a good fit. Now, of course, he's grown quite a bit and has no trouble going down the stairs. When we got home last night, he ran all the way down and then back up again...as if to say, Look what I can do mom! But mom isn't so happy about that because the only thing at the bottom of the stairs is the door, so now I have to watch to make sure he doesn't go outside. Hopefully he won't go down there too much, though, since there really isn't anything to interest him there. Anyway...this is getting very long! Thanks again for everyone's wonderful advice!! I'll have to try the chicken broth on him. So far the only kind of treats I've been able to get him to eat are chicken, so he'd probably love some cooked chicken and/or broth! I hope you are all doing well and I'll keep your kitties in my prayers! Marissa wendy [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Marissa, My name is Wendy. I've been on this list since last October and probably will never leave. The people here got me through one of the hardest times in my life when my baby Cricket was sick with anemia from the FeLV, and died after three weeks of trying to get him to turn around. Everyone here is so knowledgeable and helpful, and I stick around now to try to help new people just like you. Your vet is right. Many cats throw the virus off, and some just carry it around. And even if he does test positive, there are absolutely things you can do to prolong his life. The two most important things to keep in mind with FeLV positives is a stress free environment and immune boosting including food and supplements. A lot of people use the Evo. I think what Maggie and Kerry said about mixing the old food with the new and then slowly decreasing the old might work for your baby. It will take time. Mine are on the Evo, wet and dry, and it is great stuff. Probably the best on the market, in my opinion. Some do the raw diet. Whatever you end up feeding him, make sure it has no grains in it. As far as supplements go, there are several routes you can go. Vitamin C is supposed to be a great immune booster. Some people even
RE: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Title: Message Hiagain Marissa WhenI discovered in December 2003 that 5 of thecolony of 6 kitties I took in wereFeLVpositive,I had to go on a crash course, so to speak, in dealing with FeLV cats. My most precious references became this wonderful group and Anitra Frazier's The Natural Cat Book. As I said yesterday, 4 of my positives succumbed to the disease. But until that time, they enjoyed quality of life--a far too short life, to be sure. The remaining positive, Mickey,threw off the FeLV. The 6th cat, Momcat,never became positive. (I had them both re-tested 2 months ago, in May.)Momcat continued tolive with the others, sharing everything--I felt it would have been cruelto separate her, and pointless too, since she had already been fully exposed to the FeLV--and is walking testimony to the fact that FeLV is simply not as contagious as many, including vets, think. Here's a copy of what I've sent out in the past with the salient points: ~~Give only filtered water. ~~Buy the best pet food you can afford.Until I joined this group, I didn't even knowthere werehigher quality brands than those found in the chains--Petco, Petsmart etc.--i.e. brands without by-products, additives or preservatives,like Wellness, Innova, Petguard. These are found in the independent pet stores and stores like Wholefoods. ~~Add these supplements morning and evening tothe wet food, to boost the kitties' immune system: a 500mg L-Lysin pill (grind first), easily available from pharmacies/healthfood stores, 1/4 tsp feline enzymes, 1 teaspoon of 'Vita-Mineral Mix'(seedetailsbelow). Also, gradually, as I was able to obtain them (not difficult as it turned out, everything is available in health food stores or Internet) I added most of the remainder of the supplements Frazier recommends: 1 tablet bioplasma, crushed; extra 1/4 teaspoon of bonemeal (ie over and above the bonemeal in the Vita Min Mix below); 10 mg Co-Enzyme Q10; 1/8 teaspoon olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon cod liver oil; and 1 teaspoon chopped alfalfa sprouts And I gave them interferon. Got it thru Walgreen's (eventually) on my vet's prescription, and he made it up for me.Some members eg Nina and Michelle,have worked with their vet to get feline interferon from England. I know they will be more than happy to give you the details. Here's the Vita-Mineral Mix recipe (very easy to make up in bulk -- store in refrigerator) 1 1/2 cups yeast powder (brewer's yeast, nutritional yeast or tarula). (I use nutritional yeast.) 1/4 cup kelp powder or 1/4 cup mixed trace mineral powder (I found kelp first, so I use that) 1 cup lecithin granules 2 cups wheat bran 2 cups bonemeal, calcium lactate or calcium gluconate. (I have only been able to find bonemeal--the Solgar brand). Mix together and store in covered container. MUST be kept in refrigerator as some of these ingredients perish. Add 1 teaspoonful of Vita-Mineral Mix to each cat's meal (ie 2 teaspoonfuls per cat per day). Also recommended by Anitra Frazier: "Give a total of four doses of 250 units Vit C each day (use 1/16 teaspoon ascorbic acid crystals or sodium ascorbate powder). (I found the powder easily.) Vitamin C is not stored in the body well so is most effective given in several doses throughout the day. Always mix Vitamin C with a little High-Calcium Chicken Broth (I can send you the recipe if you like) or a teaspoon of a food the cat loves. Never give Vit C without a little food. Once a week give each cat 400 units Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol, not mixed tocopherols) and the contents of aVitamin AD capsule." You will get tons more advice and help from others on the list! Good luck,and hugs to you and Slinky. Bless you for loving and caring andlooking out for him.Kerry IRS CIRCULAR 230 NOTICE. Any advice expressed above as to tax matters was neither written nor intended by the sender or Mayer, Brown, Rowe Maw LLP to be used and cannot be used by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed under U.S. tax law. If any person uses or refers to any such tax advice in promoting, marketing or recommending a partnership or other entity, investment plan or arrangement to any taxpayer, then (i) the advice was written to support the promotion or marketing (by a person other than Mayer, Brown, Rowe Maw LLP) of that transaction or matter, and (ii) such taxpayer should seek advice based on the taxpayers particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor This email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail.
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
the only thing i've heard about mixing positives with possibly positives is that, if a cat is in the process of throwing the virus off, exposure to other positive cats (who might have a different strain of the virus) MAY make it more difficult for them to do so. other than that, definite positives live quite happily with other positives with no appreciable problems--we had close to 200 at one point at the sanctuary, and we have one wonderful family that adopts only positives from us, whenever one of theirs go to the bridge. actually, they come down from up north to get one new positive, and sometimes leave with as many as 5! hee hee boy, do we need more families like that! On 7/31/06, MacKenzie, Kerry N. [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hiagain Marissa WhenI discovered in December 2003 that 5 of thecolony of 6 kitties I took in wereFeLVpositive,I had to go on a crash course, so to speak, in dealing with FeLV cats . My most precious references became this wonderful group and Anitra Frazier's The Natural Cat Book. As I said yesterday, 4 of my positives succumbed to the disease. But until that time, they enjoyed quality of life--a far too short life, to be sure. The remaining positive, Mickey,threw off the FeLV. The 6th cat, Momcat,never became positive. (I had them both re-tested 2 months ago, in May.)Momcat continued tolive with the others, sharing everything--I felt it would have been cruelto separate her, and pointless too, since she had already been fully exposed to the FeLV--and is walking testimony to the fact that FeLV is simply not as contagious as many, including vets, think. Here's a copy of what I've sent out in the past with the salient points: ~~Give only filtered water. ~~Buy the best pet food you can afford.Until I joined this group, I didn't even knowthere werehigher quality brands than those found in the chains--Petco, Petsmart etc.--i.e. brands without by-products, additives or preservatives,like Wellness, Innova, Petguard. These are found in the independent pet stores and stores like Wholefoods. ~~Add these supplements morning and evening tothe wet food, to boost the kitties' immune system: a 500mg L-Lysin pill (grind first), easily available from pharmacies/healthfood stores, 1/4 tsp feline enzymes, 1 teaspoon of 'Vita-Mineral Mix' (seedetailsbelow). Also, gradually, as I was able to obtain them (not difficult as it turned out, everything is available in health food stores or Internet) I added most of the remainder of the supplements Frazier recommends: 1 tablet bioplasma, crushed; extra 1/4 teaspoon of bonemeal (ie over and above the bonemeal in the Vita Min Mix below) ; 10 mg Co-Enzyme Q10; 1/8 teaspoon olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon cod liver oil; and 1 teaspoon chopped alfalfa sprouts And I gave them interferon. Got it thru Walgreen's (eventually) on my vet's prescription, and he made it up for me.Some members eg Nina and Michelle,have worked with their vet to get feline interferon from England. I know they will be more than happy to give you the details. Here's the Vita-Mineral Mix recipe (very easy to make up in bulk -- store in refrigerator) 1 1/2 cups yeast powder (brewer's yeast, nutritional yeast or tarula). (I use nutritional yeast.) 1/4 cup kelp powder or 1/4 cup mixed trace mineral powder (I found kelp first, so I use that) 1 cup lecithin granules 2 cups wheat bran 2 cups bonemeal,calcium lactate or calcium gluconate. (I have only been able to find bonemeal--the Solgar brand). Mix together and store in covered container. MUST be kept in refrigerator as some of these ingredients perish. Add 1 teaspoonful of Vita-Mineral Mix to each cat's meal (ie 2 teaspoonfuls per cat per day). Also recommended by Anitra Frazier: Give a total of four doses of 250 units Vit C each day (use 1/16 teaspoon ascorbic acid crystals or sodium ascorbate powder). (I found the powder easily.) Vitamin C is not stored in the body well so is most effective given in several doses throughout the day. Always mix Vitamin C with a little High-Calcium Chicken Broth (I can send you the recipe if you like) or a teaspoon of a food the cat loves. Never give Vit C without a little food. Once a week give each cat 400 units Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol, not mixed tocopherols) and the contents of aVitamin AD capsule. You will get tons more advice and help from others on the list! Good luck,and hugs to you and Slinky. Bless you for loving and caring andlooking out for him.Kerry IRS CIRCULAR 230 NOTICE. Any advice expressed above as to tax matters was neither written nor intended by the sender or Mayer, Brown, Rowe Maw LLP to be used and cannot be used by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed under U.S. tax law. If any person uses or refers to any such tax advice in promoting, marketing or recommending a partnership or other entity, investment plan or arrangement to any taxpayer, then (i) the advice was written to support the promotion or marketing (by a person
To Marissa (MJ) Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Hi Marissa, My name is Wendy. I've been on this list since last October and probably will never leave. The people here got me through one of the hardest times in my life when my baby Cricket was sick with anemia from the FeLV, and died after three weeks of trying to get him to turn around. Everyone here is so knowledgeable and helpful, and I stick around now to try to help new people just like you. Your vet is right. Many cats throw the virus off, and some just carry it around. And even if he does test positive, there are absolutely things you can do to prolong his life. The two most important things to keep in mind with FeLV positives is a stress free environment and immune boosting including food and supplements. A lot of people use the Evo. I think what Maggie and Kerry said about mixing the old food with the new and then slowly decreasing the old might work for your baby. It will take time. Mine are on the Evo, wet and dry, and it is great stuff. Probably the best on the market, in my opinion. Some do the raw diet. Whatever you end up feeding him, make sure it has no grains in it. As far as supplements go, there are several routes you can go. Vitamin C is supposed to be a great immune booster. Some people even claim that it can turn positives to negatives. L-lysine (WITHOUT) propylene glycol is also good for immune boosting, especially if he has feline herpes, which either can't be or isn't easy to be tested for (can't remember). I say he might have it because sneezing and URI's are typical symptoms. Many cats have herpes, so it's no big deal. The L-lysine helps a great deal with keeping that in remission. It's kind of like cold sores for us. The lysine is great because kitty won't be able to taste it. I just mix it in with the wet food. I leave out dry for mine, and feed wet in the morn and eve. I have a kitty with hyperthyroidism that gets chicken broth twice a day, which some kitties love, and cooked chicken at night. The chicken broth is just the byproduct of cooking the chicken in water. I always feed it to my sick kitties; not all eat it though. I have also compiled a sick kitty manual that has a lot of good info. in it. It's good even if your kitty is not sick. I took months of posts and info. from this site along with personal research and combined it to make the manual. It's in glossary form and cross-referenced in a Word document. Let me know if you'd like it and I'll send it to you directly as the list won't allow attachments. I always say people who are dog people have never been loved by a cat. We'll see what you have to say in a few months about that. LOL. I love the name Slinky, btw. If you have ANY questions, just ask. We're here to help. :) Wendy Dallas, Tx __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: To Marissa (MJ) Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Wendy,I'm not the person you were talking to, but would you mind sending me this info for Angel? Thanks, Karenwendy [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Marissa,My name is Wendy. I've been on this list since lastOctober and probably will never leave. The peoplehere got me through one of the hardest times in mylife when my baby Cricket was sick with anemia fromthe FeLV, and died after three weeks of trying to gethim to turn around. Everyone here is so knowledgeableand helpful, and I stick around now to try to help newpeople just like you.Your vet is right. Many cats throw the virus off, andsome just carry it around. And even if he does testpositive, there are absolutely things you can do toprolong his life.The two most important things to keep in mind withFeLV positives is a stress free environment and immuneboosting including food and supplements. A lot ofpeople use the Evo. I think what Maggie and Kerrysaid about mixing the old food with the new and thenslowly decreasing the old might work for your baby. It will take time. Mine are on the Evo, wet and dry,and it is great stuff. Probably the best on themarket, in my opinion. Some do the raw diet. Whatever you end up feeding him, make sure it has nograins in it. As far as supplements go, there areseveral routes you can go. Vitamin C is supposed tobe a great immune booster. Some people even claimthat it can turn positives to negatives. L-lysine(WITHOUT) propylene glycol is also good for immuneboosting, especially if he has feline herpes, whicheither can't be or isn't easy to be tested for (can'tremember). I say he might have it because sneezingand URI's are typical symptoms. Many cats haveherpes, so it's no big deal. The L-lysine helps agreat deal with keeping that in remission. It's kindof like cold sores for us. The lysine is greatbecause kitty won't be able to taste it. I just mixit in with the wet food. I leave out dry for mine,and feed wet in the morn and eve. I have a kitty withhyperthyroidism that gets chicken broth twice a day,which some kitties love, and cooked chicken at night. The chicken broth is just the byproduct of cooking thechicken in water. I always feed it to my sickkitties; not all eat it though.I have also compiled a sick kitty manual that has alot of good info. in it. It's good even if your kittyis not sick. I took months of posts and info. fromthis site along with personal research and combined itto make the manual. It's in glossary form andcross-referenced in a Word document. Let me know ifyou'd like it and I'll send it to you directly as thelist won't allow attachments.I always say people who are dog people have never beenloved by a cat. We'll see what you have to say in afew months about that. LOL. I love the name Slinky,btw.If you have ANY questions, just ask. We're here tohelp.:)WendyDallas, Tx__Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com Yahoo! Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs. Try it free.
New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Hi all. So I'm new to all of this! I recently took in a stray that was living under my boyfriend's house (his mom gave birth there and we found homes for all the kittens...one being mine. Mom still lives there and he feeds her).My family had cats when I was in high school but they were indoor/outdoor (we lived in the country) and I never bonded with them too much. They were mostly my step-mom's pets. I've generally been more of a dog person.But now i have this WONDERFUL, adorable little baby (about 14-15 weeks old) named Slinky. He's a gray and white DSH and the sweetest cat ever. And when I took him to the vet (last weekend...I just got him recently), he tested positive for FeLV. :(The vet said that he had about a 25% chance of "growing out of it" (or fighting it off or being a fals positive or whatever it is that causes cats to test positive as kittens and negative as adults), and about a 25% chance of having it his whole life and not being affected by it. The only "symptom" he's had is that he had an upper resperatory infection about 3 weeks ago. My boyfriend's sister took him to the vet (it was before I got him) and they gave him amoxicillan and eye drops and he seemed to recover pretty quickly. He still sneezes a fair amount, but that's it.So...I brought him home and I'm praying for the best. He was kind of lethargic and quiet for a couple days after the vet visit, but I assume that's probably from the trauma and the vaccinations (other than FeLV). He's been pretty much back to his normal self for a few days now. But his mom still has a TON of questions!!! My first thought was to wonder whether vitamin supplements or diet or something might help to boost his immune system and either help him fight off the virus or keep secondary infections at bay. The vet said as long as his diet is sufficient, he doesn't need them, but I'm not sure the vet is the best (I'm also new to the area, so trying to find a vet is a challenge!).I was giving him dry Purina kitten chow (it was all I knew to get) and the vet said that was as good as anything. I don't really believe him though. So I went toa natural pet food store and the owner gave me some canned food and some dry...all natural, no grains (innova evo). But he won't eat it. He won't touch the dry food at all! And the canned he'll only eat if it's the only option...and he won't really even eat it if I mix it with the purina. Ugh!I also bought a vitamin powder and something to help his digestive track (which he isn't too crazy about). But I'm a little leary of using those. Some articles I found online said that vitamin C would help him (esp. since he's only eating dry food right now), but others said too much could cause crystals in his urine, etc. Some articles/websites said to only give him canned, others say raw, others say a mixture. Everything contradicts itself What am I supposed to do???I love this little guy so much and I know he's totally dependent on me to make the best decisions for his care. But I don't know what those are!!! I'm doing my best to educate myself, but since so much of the information is contradictory, it's hard. Is there anything I can do to help prolong his life? They're going to retest him in about 6 months the vet said. Other than the upper resperatory infection, he's had ear mites (gone now) and he now has tape worm which they'll treat him for in 2 weeks when I go for his next round of vaccinations. But beyond that, he's healthy, energetic, playful, and seems to have a healthy appetite.Anyway...positive thoughts and prayers would be appreciated! But I could REALLY use some advice/perspectives/information to help me make the right decisions!!!Thanks in advance! I'll be praying for all your special kitties.Slinky's Mom (MJ)p.s. Sorry this is so long __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Welcome! You have definitely found the right place to ask questions! I am new myself, I started posting about a week and a half ago. Unlike your vet who seemed optimistic, my vet wanted me to have Angel euthanized. I was devastated, until I found this email group. KarenMarissa Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Hi all. So I'm new to all of this! I recently took in a stray that was living under my boyfriend's house (his mom gave birth there and we found homes for all the kittens...one being mine. Mom still lives there and he feeds her).My family had cats when I was in high school but they were indoor/outdoor (we lived in the country) and I never bonded with them too much. They were mostly my step-mom's pets. I've generally been more of a dog person.But now i have this WONDERFUL, adorable little baby (about 14-15 weeks old) named Slinky. He's a gray and white DSH and the sweetest cat ever. And when I took him to the vet (last weekend...I just got him recently), he tested positive for FeLV. :(The vet said that he had about a 25% chance of "growing out of it" (or fighting it off or being a fals positive or whatever it is that causes cats to test positive as kittens and negative as adults), and about a 25% chance of having it his whole life and not being affected by it. The only "symptom" he's had is that he had an upper resperatory infection about 3 weeks ago. My boyfriend's sister took him to the vet (it was before I got him) and they gave him amoxicillan and eye drops and he seemed to recover pretty quickly. He still sneezes a fair amount, but that's it.So...I brought him home and I'm praying for the best. He was kind of lethargic and quiet for a couple days after the vet visit, but I assume that's probably from the trauma and the vaccinations (other than FeLV). He's been pretty much back to his normal self for a few days now. But his mom still has a TON of questions!!! My first thought was to wonder whether vitamin supplements or diet or something might help to boost his immune system and either help him fight off the virus or keep secondary infections at bay. The vet said as long as his diet is sufficient, he doesn't need them, but I'm not sure the vet is the best (I'm also new to the area, so trying to find a vet is a challenge!).I was giving him dry Purina kitten chow (it was all I knew to get) and the vet said that was as good as anything. I don't really believe him though. So I went toa natural pet food store and the owner gave me some canned food and some dry...all natural, no grains (innova evo). But he won't eat it. He won't touch the dry food at all! And the canned he'll only eat if it's the only option...and he won't really even eat it if I mix it with the purina. Ugh!I also bought a vitamin powder and something to help his digestive track (which he isn't too crazy about). But I'm a little leary of using those. Some articles I found online said that vitamin C would help him (esp. since he's only eating dry food right now), but others said too much could cause crystals in his urine, etc. Some articles/websites said to only give him canned, others say raw, others say a mixture. Everything contradicts itself What am I supposed to do???I love this little guy so much and I know he's totally dependent on me to make the best decisions for his care. But I don't know what those are!!! I'm doing my best to educate myself, but since so much of the information is contradictory, it's hard. Is there anything I can do to help prolong his life? They're going to retest him in about 6 months the vet said. Other than the upper resperatory infection, he's had ear mites (gone now) and he now has tape worm which they'll treat him for in 2 weeks when I go for his next round of vaccinations. But beyond that, he's healthy, energetic, playful, and seems to have a healthy appetite.Anyway...positive thoughts and prayers would be appreciated! But I could REALLY use some advice/perspectives/information to help me make the right decisions!!!Thanks in advance! I'll be praying for all your special kitties.Slinky's Mom (MJ)p.s. Sorry this is so long__Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com Do you Yahoo!? Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Thanks! Yes, it did seem that at least the vet was fairly positive. Told me to try not to worry about it too much. He said about 25% of the time, they "grow out of it", about 25% of the time, they have it all their lives with no affects, about 25% of the time they have it for several years before they start having symptoms, and about 25% of the time they start having symptoms fairly quickly. So I'm hoping for the first (or even second) 25%!!!Thanks for the welcome. I've been so confused and frustrated!!! I hope I'll get some good advice on the list.Thanks again and good luck with Angel!! Sending prayers and positive vibes your way.MJkandbz_ mom [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Welcome! You have definitely found the right place to ask questions! I am new myself, I started posting about a week and a half ago. Unlike your vet who seemed optimistic, my vet wanted me to have Angel euthanized. I was devastated, until I found this email group. KarenMarissa Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Hi all. So I'm new to all of this! I recently took in a stray that was living under my boyfriend's house (his mom gave birth there and we found homes for all the kittens...one being mine. Mom still lives there and he feeds her).My family had cats when I was in high school but they were indoor/outdoor (we lived in the country) and I never bonded with them too much. They were mostly my step-mom's pets. I've generally been more of a dog person.But now i have this WONDERFUL, adorable little baby (about 14-15 weeks old) named Slinky. He's a gray and white DSH and the sweetest cat ever. And when I took him to the vet (last weekend...I just got him recently), he tested positive for FeLV. :(The vet said that he had about a 25% chance of "growing out of it" (or fighting it off or being a fals positive or whatever it is that causes cats to test positive as kittens and negative as adults), and about a 25% chance of having it his whole life and not being affected by it. The only "symptom" he's had is that he had an upper resperatory infection about 3 weeks ago. My boyfriend's sister took him to the vet (it was before I got him) and they gave him amoxicillan and eye drops and he seemed to recover pretty quickly. He still sneezes a fair amount, but that's it.So...I brought him home and I'm praying for the best. He was kind of lethargic and quiet for a couple days after the vet visit, but I assume that's probably from the trauma and the vaccinations (other than FeLV). He's been pretty much back to his normal self for a few days now. But his mom still has a TON of questions!!! My first thought was to wonder whether vitamin supplements or diet or something might help to boost his immune system and either help him fight off the virus or keep secondary infections at bay. The vet said as long as his diet is sufficient, he doesn't need them, but I'm not sure the vet is the best (I'm also new to the area, so trying to find a vet is a challenge!).I was giving him dry Purina kitten chow (it was all I knew to get) and the vet said that was as good as anything. I don't really believe him though. So I went toa natural pet food store and the owner gave me some canned food and some dry...all natural, no grains (innova evo). But he won't eat it. He won't touch the dry food at all! And the canned he'll only eat if it's the only option...and he won't really even eat it if I mix it with the purina. Ugh!I also bought a vitamin powder and something to help his digestive track (which he isn't too crazy about). But I'm a little leary of using those. Some articles I found online said that vitamin C would help him (esp. since he's only eating dry food right now), but others said too much could cause crystals in his urine, etc. Some articles/websites said to only give him canned, others say raw, others say a mixture. Everything contradicts itself What am I supposed to do???I love this little guy so much and I know he's totally dependent on me to make the best decisions for his care. But I don't know what those are!!! I'm doing my best to educate myself, but since so much of the information is contradictory, it's hard. Is there anything I can do to help prolong his life? They're going to retest him in about 6 months the vet said. Other than the upper resperatory infection, he's had ear mites (gone now) and he now has tape worm which they'll treat him for in 2 weeks when I go for his next round of vaccinations. But beyond that, he's healthy, energetic, playful, and seems to have a healthy appetite.Anyway...positive thoughts and prayers would be appreciated! But I could REALLY use some advice/perspectives/information to help me make the right decisions!!!Thanks in advance! I'll be praying for all your special kitties.Slinky's Mom (MJ)p.s. Sorry this is so long __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Hi Marissa, I'm really glad you found this list. Everyone here is great. I joined when I had a kitten test positive, and she did test negative later. I just stayed because everyone is so very nice here. Others will chime in with more advice, but I wanted to say welcome.-- Vist the Austin Siamese Rescue store and save a kitty life!http://www.cafepress.com/austinsiamese
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Aw! Thanks!! I was so glad to find the list! My boyfriend's sister used to be a vet tech, and she's been a huge help. But it's hard to find anyone who's really well versed in FeLV and/or nutrition, medicine, etc!!! Thanks for the welcome! Glad your kitten tested negative!MJKelley Saveika [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Hi Marissa,I'm really glad you found this list. Everyone here is great.I joined when I had a kitten test positive, and she did test negative later. I just stayed because everyone is so very nice here.Others will chime in with more advice, but I wanted to say welcome.-- Vist the Austin Siamese Rescue store and save a kitty life!http://www.cafepress.com/austinsiamese Do you Yahoo!? Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Many of the people here will be able to answer your questions. This isa great board. After the vet walked up to me and told me that Angel tested positive, he said I may want to think about euthanizing her. I said, "Can't we wait and give her the second test?" He said "there probably isn't much point because when a kitten tests positive the results are not likely to change with the second testI consider her not only a carrier, but a spreader!"So, I am looking for a new vet...one that will feel comfortable treating her. Good luck to you and I'm sending prayers your way, also!Thanks,KarenMarissa Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Thanks! Yes, it did seem that at least the vet was fairly positive. Told me to try not to worry about it too much. He said about 25% of the time, they "grow out of it", about 25% of the time, they have it all their lives with no affects, about 25% of the time they have it for several years before they start having symptoms, and about 25% of the time they start having symptoms fairly quickly. So I'm hoping for the first (or even second) 25%!!!Thanks for the welcome. I've been so confused and frustrated!!! I hope I'll get some good advice on the list.Thanks again and good luck with Angel!! Sending prayers and positive vibes your way.MJkandbz_ mom [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Welcome! You have definitely found the right place to ask questions! I am new myself, I started posting about a week and a half ago. Unlike your vet who seemed optimistic, my vet wanted me to have Angel euthanized. I was devastated, until I found this email group. KarenMarissa Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Hi all. So I'm new to all of this! I recently took in a stray that was living under my boyfriend's house (his mom gave birth there and we found homes for all the kittens...one being mine. Mom still lives there and he feeds her).My family had cats when I was in high school but they were indoor/outdoor (we lived in the country) and I never bonded with them too much. They were mostly my step-mom's pets. I've generally been more of a dog person. But now i have this WONDERFUL, adorable little baby (about 14-15 weeks old) named Slinky. He's a gray and white DSH and the sweetest cat ever. And when I took him to the vet (last weekend...I just got him recently), he tested positive for FeLV. :(The vet said that he had about a 25% chance of "growing out of it" (or fighting it off or being a fals positive or whatever it is that causes cats to test positive as kittens and negative as adults), and about a 25% chance of having it his whole life and not being affected by it. The only "symptom" he's had is that he had an upper resperatory infection about 3 weeks ago. My boyfriend's sister took him to the vet (it was before I got him) and they gave him amoxicillan and eye drops and he seemed to recover pretty quickly. He still sneezes a fair amount, but that's it.So...I brought him home and I'm praying for the best. He was kind of lethargic and quiet for a couple days after the vet visit, but I assume that's probably from the trauma and the vaccinations (other than FeLV). He's been pretty much back to his normal self for a few days now. But his mom still has a TON of questions!!! My first thought was to wonder whether vitamin supplements or diet or something might help to boost his immune system and either help him fight off the virus or keep secondary infections at bay. The vet said as long as his diet is sufficient, he doesn't need them, but I'm not sure the vet is the best (I'm also new to the area, so trying to find a vet is a challenge!).I was giving him dry Purina kitten chow (it was all I knew to get) and the vet said that was as good as anything. I don't really believe him though. So I went toa natural pet food store and the owner gave me some canned food and some dry...all natural, no grains (innova evo). But he won't eat it. He won't touch the dry food at all! And the canned he'll only eat if it's the only option...and he won't really even eat it if I mix it with the purina. Ugh!I also bought a vitamin powder and something to help his digestive track (which he isn't too crazy about). But I'm a little leary of using those. Some articles I found online said that vitamin C would help him (esp. since he's only eating dry food right now), but others said too much could cause crystals in his urine, etc. Some articles/websites said to only give him canned, others say raw, others say a mixture. Everything contradicts itself What am I supposed to do???I love this little guy so much and I know he's totally dependent on me to make the best decisions for his care. But I don't know what those are!!! I'm doing my best to educate myself, but since so much of the information is contradictory, it's hard. Is there anything I can do to help prolong his life? They're going to retest him in about 6 months the vet said. Other than the upper resperatory
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Hello Marissa, Welcome to the group! You will find valuable information here and advice as well. I'm sorry you had to find us but glad your here. I have been on the list since 2001 I think. I don't have any positive kitties right now but that can change at any given time. I continue to stay on because this is the best group of caring people you will find on the internet. Some of us have met each other. Someday we plan on celebrating the cure for Felv together eating "Cheesecake" even though I don't like it but will eat it out of happiness and those that have passed on to the bridge. It sounds like you have a caring Vet and didn't suggest euthanization which I'm glad to hear. My Vets will not euthanized healthy Felv kitties either. So anyway welcome look forward to hearing more about you and your furbaby! Terrie Mohr-ForkerTAZZY'S ANIMAL TRANSPORTSSIAMESE COLLIE RESCUEOwner/DriverCheck sites for available Siameses for adoption!http://www.tazzys-siameses-collies.petfinder.org/Click Here to Join WASHINGTON SIAMESE RESCUE Yahoo Group!http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wasiameserescuehttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/SNOHOMISH_COUNTY_PETS_in_WAhttp://hometown.aol.com/tatorbunz/index.htmlhttp://hometown.aol.com/tatorbunz/myhomepage/petmemorial.htmlPetfinder.comAdopt a Homeless Pet!http://www.petfinder.com/http://www.felineleukemia.org/http://www.petloss.com/TAZZY'S ANIMAL TRANSPORTShttps://www.paypal.com/http://www.frappr.com/wasiameserescue
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
good time to remind everyone to post their vet's names/contact info for newbies needing to find medical care that goes beyond, euthanize!. www.adopt.bemikitties.com and everyone, add yourself to our frappr map, too!: http://www.frappr.com/felvtalk/ (i'm gonna make someone a great secretary someday) MC -- MaryChristineAIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCatsMSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]ICQ: 289856892
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Yep :) (i'm gonna make someone a great secretary someday) -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... Be-Mi-Kitties http://bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittens http://adopt.bemikitties.com FeLV Candlelight Service http://bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting web design] http://HostDesign4U.com BMK Designs [non-profit animals websites] http://bmk.bemikitties.com
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Welcome! I have two 8 month old kittens who are positive. I free feed them on Innova dry (different from evo) and for wet food they eat Wellness, when they were younger I fed them Nutra Kitten. If he won't eat a new food try mixing a little of the new food in with the old and then slowly start decreasing the amount of the old until it's just the new. Maggie
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
I know it's a long shot, but if anyone knows ofa good, felv friendly vet in Arizona, please let me know! I'm gonna start calling them out of the phone book!! TenHouseCats [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:good time to remind everyone to post their vet's names/contact info for newbies needing to find medical care that goes beyond, "euthanize!".www.adopt.bemikitties.comand everyone, add yourself to our frappr map, too!: http://www.frappr.com/felvtalk/(i'm gonna make someone a great secretary someday)MC -- MaryChristineAIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCatsMSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]ICQ: 289856892 Do you Yahoo!? Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
http://www.aafponline.org/find_results.php?name=city=Anystate=AZcountry=Anyzipcode=Submit=Submit that's from the American Assn of Feline Practitioners, and while there's no guarantee they're gonna be FeLV-friendly, there's probably a better chance than working with non-cat-specialists! On 7/28/06, kandbz_ mom [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I know it's a long shot, but if anyone knows ofa good, felv friendly vet in Arizona, please let me know! I'm gonna start calling them out of the phone book!! TenHouseCats [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: good time to remind everyone to post their vet's names/contact info for newbies needing to find medical care that goes beyond, euthanize!. www.adopt.bemikitties.com and everyone, add yourself to our frappr map, too!: http://www.frappr.com/felvtalk/ (i'm gonna make someone a great secretary someday) MC -- MaryChristineAIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCatsMSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]ICQ: 289856892 Do you Yahoo!?Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta. -- MaryChristineAIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCatsMSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]ICQ: 289856892
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Thank you for the link!!! There is one on the list that is not too far from me!! I am going to call them and go from there! Thanks again!KarenTenHouseCats [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:http://www.aafponline.org/find_results.php?name=city=Anystate=AZcountry=Anyzipcode=Submit=Submit that's from the American Assn of Feline Practitioners, and while there's no guarantee they're gonna be FeLV-friendly, there's probably a better chance than working with non-cat-specialists!On 7/28/06, kandbz_ mom [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I know it's a long shot, but if anyone knows ofa good, felv friendly vet in Arizona, please let me know! I'm gonna start calling them out of the phone book!! TenHouseCats [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: good time to remind everyone to post their vet's names/contact info for newbies needing to find medical care that goes beyond, "euthanize!".www.adopt.bemikitties.comand everyone, add yourself to our frappr map, too!: http://www.frappr.com/felvtalk/(i'm gonna make someone a great secretary someday)MC -- MaryChristineAIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCatsMSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]ICQ: 289856892 Do you Yahoo!?Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta. -- MaryChristineAIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCatsMSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]ICQ: 289856892 Do you Yahoo!? Next-gen email? Have it all with the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
