RE: 2 littermates - one pos/one neg
Hi, This might be a late mention to the email, but I just thought I would just say something. Coming from working in a shelter that has put down pos feluks I would seperate them, because it would give the kitten that is negative more of a chance to be adopted out. A lot of people out there do not want two kittens/cats let alone one positive. Of course I sound like a mean person to say this, but if you do find someone to take the both of them that would be great. I have heard of kits that happen to be one pos and one neg and stay that way. My second feluk was part of a pair he was the positive and his sister was negative. They were kept together for 3 weeks after coming to the shelter to see if he would test negative, but he never did (they were four months old). At home I had a positive already and decided to take the positive home and found someone to take the negative girl home. It has been four months and he is still positive and she was tested about a week ago and still negative. It is a double edge sword really or a catch 22-don't seperate them and maybe he will turn negative. Don't seperate them and he could still be positive and the other one negative and stay that way, or she could become positive. Or seperate them and put the neg up for adoption when it is ready and see if the other one turns negative. I don't know there are so many variables that is it hard to say. Since having two postives at home I wouldn't take in a negative, but that is how I am. I wish you luck and hope I didn't cause more confuse or problems. Jeni Hillman Waller and Nookie the feral From:"Hideyo Yamamoto" [EMAIL PROTECTED]Reply-To:felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgTo:felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgSubject:RE: 2 littermates - one pos/one negDate:Wed, 14 Jun 2006 14:13:19 -0600I agree with everyone --- I try not to let the test result completelydetermine how their life is going to be if it may not make sense to do..they are gifted to this world as litter mates for a reason...and thatmeans they should be raised together..-Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED][mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of NinaSent: Wednesday, June 14, 2006 1:56 PMTo: felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgSubject: Re: 2 littermates - one pos/one negJanine,I agree with Belinda and Rachel.I would keep them together, for boththeir sakes.Poor little lambs have been through so much already.Haveyou been reading the posts lately?We just had a kitten on the listapparently turn out to be a false pos.I know it's less likely in yourcase, given that other members of the colony are testing pos too, butyour little boy is only 7 weeks and may very well be testing pos becauseof his mother's antibodies still.Whatever you decide, I know that youhave their best interest at heart.Still, I'm praying that they can bekept together and adopted out to someone that cares as much as we do fortheir quality of life.Thanks for all you do,Ninajanine paton wrote:Hi all,Two brothers, 7 weeks today tested one positive, onenegative for leukemia.The mom is feral, and has notbeen tested yet, but her sister tested positive.Themom had been trapped by someone trying to do the rightthing, but the kittens were born beforre she could gether to the vet.All have been living together cratedin this person's home.As an organization, we had a pair of littermatestesting the same as these 2, and we let them staytogether.The positive cat died at around 3 yrs, thenegative cat is still negative (and has recently beenadopted!) so it's not entirely new to me but what'sthe best thing to do?Try to adopt them out as apair?Separate them now?Or it doesn't matter atthis point, even if the negative kitten is so young?The test was Elysa and we are re-running both.Thanks!Janine
Re: 2 littermates - one pos/one neg
Janine, I don't know. That's a judgement call to make for sure and depends on your ultimate goal. If the goal is adoption, I think at such a young age, they are probably not so attached just yet and separating them might give the negative a better chance at being adopted. Just my two cents. :) Wendy __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: 2 littermates - one pos/one neg
Separating may be good as far as getting the negative adopted but it may stress the positive enough to set the virus off. I personally would try adopting them out together as hard as that is going to be (or keep them). -- 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: 2 littermates - one pos/one neg
I didn't catch the beginning of this thread, but have a recent experience I thought I'd share regarding pos/neg littermates. We've been knee deep in a hoarder situation involving a high percentage of their cats being FeLV+. One of the females who had a litter of 5 tested negative on both ELISA and IFA. When I had her 12 week old litter tested, 3 were positive and 2 were negative. We didn't get the mother pulled before she got pregnant yet again, but she is now in foster care. I vaccinated the 2 negatives with the FeLV vaccine and allowed them to housed together, though separate from the rest of the foster population at my home for space reasons. I didn't have another area to separate the 3 positives and refuse to cage healthy active kittens. The 3 positives found a wonderful home together and I just recently adopted out the 2 negatives at 16 weeks. I tested on IFA the 2 negatives again prior to adoption since they had been with their positive littermates since the virus was contracted.They again tested negative. If only we could pinpoint what gives some cats such amazing immunity? The mother and the 2 negatives seem to just have it. The mother cat was in the home for 4 years with symptomatic positive cats, many whom died from the disease. There is no doubt in my mind that even unvaccinated she will never contract the disease due to her strong immunity. I have to agree with Belinda, and would keep them together for their emotional health, which we all know plays a huge part in immune strength. I would as a precaution vaccinate the negative though. Best of luck! Rachel Operation Foster Felix www.operationfosterfelix.org Sharing Our Hearts, Homes Litter Boxes On 6/14/06, Belinda [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Separating may be good as far as getting the negative adopted but itmay stress the positive enough to set the virus off.I personally would try adopting them out together as hard as that is going to be (or keepthem).--Belindahappiness is being owned by cats ...Be-Mi-Kittieshttp://bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittenshttp://adopt.bemikitties.comFeLV Candlelight Servicehttp://bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting web design]http://HostDesign4U.comBMK Designs [non-profit animals websites] http://bmk.bemikitties.com
Re: 2 littermates - one pos/one neg
Janine, I agree with Belinda and Rachel. I would keep them together, for both their sakes. Poor little lambs have been through so much already. Have you been reading the posts lately? We just had a kitten on the list apparently turn out to be a false pos. I know it's less likely in your case, given that other members of the colony are testing pos too, but your little boy is only 7 weeks and may very well be testing pos because of his mother's antibodies still. Whatever you decide, I know that you have their best interest at heart. Still, I'm praying that they can be kept together and adopted out to someone that cares as much as we do for their quality of life. Thanks for all you do, Nina janine paton wrote: Hi all, Two brothers, 7 weeks today tested one positive, one negative for leukemia. The mom is feral, and has not been tested yet, but her sister tested positive. The mom had been trapped by someone trying to do the right thing, but the kittens were born beforre she could get her to the vet. All have been living together crated in this person's home. As an organization, we had a pair of littermates testing the same as these 2, and we let them stay together. The positive cat died at around 3 yrs, the negative cat is still negative (and has recently been adopted!) so it's not entirely new to me but what's the best thing to do? Try to adopt them out as a pair? Separate them now? Or it doesn't matter at this point, even if the negative kitten is so young? The test was Elysa and we are re-running both. Thanks! Janine
RE: 2 littermates - one pos/one neg
I agree with everyone --- I try not to let the test result completely determine how their life is going to be if it may not make sense to do.. they are gifted to this world as litter mates for a reason...and that means they should be raised together.. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nina Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2006 1:56 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: 2 littermates - one pos/one neg Janine, I agree with Belinda and Rachel. I would keep them together, for both their sakes. Poor little lambs have been through so much already. Have you been reading the posts lately? We just had a kitten on the list apparently turn out to be a false pos. I know it's less likely in your case, given that other members of the colony are testing pos too, but your little boy is only 7 weeks and may very well be testing pos because of his mother's antibodies still. Whatever you decide, I know that you have their best interest at heart. Still, I'm praying that they can be kept together and adopted out to someone that cares as much as we do for their quality of life. Thanks for all you do, Nina janine paton wrote: Hi all, Two brothers, 7 weeks today tested one positive, one negative for leukemia. The mom is feral, and has not been tested yet, but her sister tested positive. The mom had been trapped by someone trying to do the right thing, but the kittens were born beforre she could get her to the vet. All have been living together crated in this person's home. As an organization, we had a pair of littermates testing the same as these 2, and we let them stay together. The positive cat died at around 3 yrs, the negative cat is still negative (and has recently been adopted!) so it's not entirely new to me but what's the best thing to do? Try to adopt them out as a pair? Separate them now? Or it doesn't matter at this point, even if the negative kitten is so young? The test was Elysa and we are re-running both. Thanks! Janine
Re: 2 littermates - one pos/one neg
Thank you all! I would prefer they stay together also and will try to talk the woman who trapped the mom into that. Our vet thinks we should separate the kittens from the mom now, but I am wondering if the negative kitten is immune anyway. How much more prolonged contact can you get than birth and motherhood in a crate??? BTW, the mom had 5 kittens - one stillborn, 2 died within a week. I suppose that could be leukemia but could have been the tremendous amount of stress that mom must have been under. --- Nina [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Janine, I agree with Belinda and Rachel. I would keep them together, for both their sakes. Poor little lambs have been through so much already. Have you been reading the posts lately? We just had a kitten on the list apparently turn out to be a false pos. I know it's less likely in your case, given that other members of the colony are testing pos too, but your little boy is only 7 weeks and may very well be testing pos because of his mother's antibodies still. Whatever you decide, I know that you have their best interest at heart. Still, I'm praying that they can be kept together and adopted out to someone that cares as much as we do for their quality of life. Thanks for all you do, Nina janine paton wrote: Hi all, Two brothers, 7 weeks today tested one positive, one negative for leukemia. The mom is feral, and has not been tested yet, but her sister tested positive. The mom had been trapped by someone trying to do the right thing, but the kittens were born beforre she could get her to the vet. All have been living together crated in this person's home. As an organization, we had a pair of littermates testing the same as these 2, and we let them stay together. The positive cat died at around 3 yrs, the negative cat is still negative (and has recently been adopted!) so it's not entirely new to me but what's the best thing to do? Try to adopt them out as a pair? Separate them now? Or it doesn't matter at this point, even if the negative kitten is so young? The test was Elysa and we are re-running both. Thanks! Janine
RE: 2 littermates - one pos/one neg
That feels very right on a psycho-spiritual level. Many years ago I had two cousins who had been raised as siblings. When their surrogate mother passed away at almost 18 years of age my vet offered to do a free necropsy tofind out why her response to antibiotics had been so poor. She was both FIV+ and FeLV+ and she had actually produced milk and nursed these two cousins. Before we tested I had already descided that no matter the results I would not separate them. Both were negative and remains so throughout very long lives. So I never had to face some crisis of faith.Ah, but that story relates to my experience with my personal cats. I get the impression that the original poster is a rescue/foster person who may not be able or inclined to adopt these two siblings. If that is the case, as a rescue, I would seriously consider splitting them up and getting the negative kitten into a godd forever home. I've split up littermates and been very happy with the homes they got, and I have delayed breaking up what I considered to be a bonded pair often to the detriment of one of the kittens. (Today I listed an orange teenager for adoption. He's 9 months old and an absolute love. I had been listing him with his sister, a pretty yet still semi-feral calico, for the longest while. How long can I deny him access to his own home when I know his sister may never really tame up enough?)If you can keep both positive and negative kitten, great. But if these kittens need to be on track for adoption, list them for adoption separately and together. If they are meant to be together they will be adopted together. But we really can't assume that. Give them every option to find their own way.Hideyo Yamamoto [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I agree with everyone --- I try not to let the test result completelydetermine how their life is going to be if it may not make sense to do..they are gifted to this world as litter mates for a reason...and thatmeans they should be raised together..-Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED][mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of NinSent: Wednesday, June 14, 2006 1:56 PMTo: felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgSubject: Re: 2 littermates - one pos/one negJanine,I agree with Belinda and Rachel. I would keep them together, for both their sakes. Poor little lambs have been through so much already. Haveyou been reading the posts lately? We just had a kitten on the list apparently turn out to be a false pos. I know it's less likely in your case, given that other members of the colony are testing pos too, but your little boy is only 7 weeks and may very well be testing pos becauseof his mother's antibodies still. Whatever you decide, I know that you have their best interest at heart. Still, I'm praying that they can be kept together and adopted out to someone that cares as much as we do fortheir quality of life.Thanks for all you do,Ninajanine paton wrote:Hi all, Two brothers, 7 weeks today tested one positive, onenegative for leukemia. The mom is feral, and has notbeen tested yet, but her sister tested positive. Themom had been trapped by someone trying to do the rightthing, but the kittens were born beforre she could gether to the vet. All have been living together cratedin this person's home. As an organization, we had a pair of littermatestesting the same as these 2, and we let them staytogether. The positive cat died at around 3 yrs, thenegative cat is still negative (and has recently beenadopted!) so it's not entirely new to me but what'sthe best thing to do? Try to adopt them out as apair? Separate them now? Or it doesn't matter atthis point, even if the negative kitten is so young? The test was Elysa and we are re-running both. Thanks! Janine
Re: 2 littermates - one pos/one neg
It is tough when you are not in the position of being able to keep them yourself, (and who in rescue, besides Hideyo, can keep doing that?). We have a couple of foster Chow/Husky littermates at our house. I was determined to keep them together too. They are so bonded, (together they are outgoing and social, take one out without the other, and they are introverted and insecure). They've been with us for months and I finally told Bruce that we might have to consider separate homes for them. He looked at me and with a pout on his face as he said, They are home. I guess they are. As I just wrote earlier, I sent my little Chiu/Terrier rescue, (Pequita, all of 7lbs soaking wet) off this morning to her forever home. She was a nasty little cur when she showed up at my door and has turned into such a sweet, trusting girl, always doing her best to understand and please. It's so hard to part with any of them. Can you tell I bonded to her as much as she did to me? (BTW, Belinda, the EE did help me!). Something about these two kittens... The fact that they are only 7 weeks old and have come from a feral mom, have been crated together through what must have been a terrifying experience for them, I don't know... I understand the hard decisions that have to be made, but I'm still praying there is a way to keep them together. Maybe I don't belong in rescue, but I still can't help leading with my heart. Nina Susan Hoffman wrote: That feels very right on a psycho-spiritual level.
Re: 2 littermates - one pos/one neg
Stillborn kitties are common in FeLV+ mothers. :) Wendy --- janine paton [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Thank you all! I would prefer they stay together also and will try to talk the woman who trapped the mom into that. Our vet thinks we should separate the kittens from the mom now, but I am wondering if the negative kitten is immune anyway. How much more prolonged contact can you get than birth and motherhood in a crate??? BTW, the mom had 5 kittens - one stillborn, 2 died within a week. I suppose that could be leukemia but could have been the tremendous amount of stress that mom must have been under. --- Nina [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Janine, I agree with Belinda and Rachel. I would keep them together, for both their sakes. Poor little lambs have been through so much already. Have you been reading the posts lately? We just had a kitten on the list apparently turn out to be a false pos. I know it's less likely in your case, given that other members of the colony are testing pos too, but your little boy is only 7 weeks and may very well be testing pos because of his mother's antibodies still. Whatever you decide, I know that you have their best interest at heart. Still, I'm praying that they can be kept together and adopted out to someone that cares as much as we do for their quality of life. Thanks for all you do, Nina janine paton wrote: Hi all, Two brothers, 7 weeks today tested one positive, one negative for leukemia. The mom is feral, and has not been tested yet, but her sister tested positive. The mom had been trapped by someone trying to do the right thing, but the kittens were born beforre she could get her to the vet. All have been living together crated in this person's home. As an organization, we had a pair of littermates testing the same as these 2, and we let them stay together. The positive cat died at around 3 yrs, the negative cat is still negative (and has recently been adopted!) so it's not entirely new to me but what's the best thing to do? Try to adopt them out as a pair? Separate them now? Or it doesn't matter at this point, even if the negative kitten is so young? The test was Elysa and we are re-running both. Thanks! Janine __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
RE: 2 littermates - one pos/one neg
It's a difficult decision.. cats are a lot more complicated than dogs due to all the virus related illness.. there are lot of more things to consider whether we need to keep them together or separate which you really won't have to worry about at all for medical reasons most of the time... I am speaking of psycho-spiritual level totally.. I have two felk kitties who are asymptomatic and I am so grateful.. and I have CRF kitty whom I am trying to do everything I can to take care of... you just don't know with kitties.. positive may become negative and negative becomes positive.. I am experiencing this all the time with FIV virus.. and I just stopped putting the test result at the top of the priority.. negative does not guarantee anything as feline have so many complicated other illness.. and positive also does not mean death sentence --- for the same reason, you will not separate kitties who have lived together for years if you just find out if one is positive.. I would not separate these two.. they need each other.. again, that's me --- I have done some things totally based on the test result one time.. and I ended up regretting for the rest of my life.. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nina Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2006 3:47 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: 2 littermates - one pos/one neg It is tough when you are not in the position of being able to keep them yourself, (and who in rescue, besides Hideyo, can keep doing that?). We have a couple of foster Chow/Husky littermates at our house. I was determined to keep them together too. They are so bonded, (together they are outgoing and social, take one out without the other, and they are introverted and insecure). They've been with us for months and I finally told Bruce that we might have to consider separate homes for them. He looked at me and with a pout on his face as he said, They are home. I guess they are. As I just wrote earlier, I sent my little Chiu/Terrier rescue, (Pequita, all of 7lbs soaking wet) off this morning to her forever home. She was a nasty little cur when she showed up at my door and has turned into such a sweet, trusting girl, always doing her best to understand and please. It's so hard to part with any of them. Can you tell I bonded to her as much as she did to me? (BTW, Belinda, the EE did help me!). Something about these two kittens... The fact that they are only 7 weeks old and have come from a feral mom, have been crated together through what must have been a terrifying experience for them, I don't know... I understand the hard decisions that have to be made, but I'm still praying there is a way to keep them together. Maybe I don't belong in rescue, but I still can't help leading with my heart. Nina Susan Hoffman wrote: That feels very right on a psycho-spiritual level.
