Re: To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA was positive need help a.s.a.p.

2006-09-09 Thread Marylyn



On that note: The Royal Princess Kitty Katt 
was diagnosed with cancer that was so invasive I was told she would live maybe 2 
months without chemo. We optedout of the chemo because of what she 
told me and several ACs I know and quality of life issues openly and honestly 
discussed with my vets. She lived almost 15 months and all but the last 
week was very high quality. She spent the last week or so saying goodbye 
to her first person. We can never be sure when they are leaving and we can 
not be sure when we are leaving. Worrying about it takes the life out of 
what life we have. The Royal Princess Kitty was the picture of health when 
she was diagnosed. She was being seen for something entirely different 
when the cancer was discovered. I learned so much from her and I miss her 
awfully but she is totally happy with her first man now and I envy her that 
happiness and peace. She did her job on earth wonderfully. Now she 
can rest with him. 






 
If you have men who will exclude any of God's 
creatures 
from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who 
 
will deal likewise with their fellow 
man. 
St. Francis

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  Pam 
  Norman 
  To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org 
  
  Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 10:28 
  PM
  Subject: Re: To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA 
  was positive need help a.s.a.p.
  
  Leslie,
  
  A wonderful tribute to Sushi  what you  
  she learned together. All of us should remember it, whether it is FeLV we are 
  dealing with or any of the other kitty ills that can so easily reduce us to 
  helpless fear. I was told that Ambrose, my first CRF kitty, who was 
  diagnosed in 1997, would be gone in 6 months. He lived for 3 happy healthy 
  years before dying of heart disease. Troika, who was diagnosed with 
  fibrosarcoma in 2000, was given 9 months,  lived for 6 more years 
  cancer-free. Vets are good  vets are jackasses. We should be 
  careful about their pronouncements, regardless of which they are. After all, 
  it's our kitty  we know them better than anyone  it's we who are 
  committed to that kitty's life, be it for years or months. And that life 
  can  should be joyous, regardless of what the numbers say.
  
  Pam
  
- Original Message - 
From: 
Leslie 
To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org 

Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 1:09 
PM
Subject: Re: To Leslie: Re: crackers 
IFA was positive need help a.s.a.p.
Thank you, Wendy! 

Message: 
  10Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 07:06:09 -0700 (PDT)From: wendy  [EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: 
  To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA was positive need help a.s.a.p.To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgMessage-ID: 
   
  [EMAIL PROTECTED]Content-Type: 
  text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1Leslie-I loved this 
  post.You are one cool cat.:)Wendy--- 
  Leslie  [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  wrote:Kayte, My first FeLV+ cat was also 
  the first cat that I ever owned on my own.I'd 
  grown up with all sorts of critters, but it took a few years after 
   graduating college to finally get in a situation where I 
  could own my first "all mine" pet.I'd been wanting 
  this cat forever. I found Sushi at a shelter, she was 2 
  years old and  demanded that I take her home that very 
  instant.I L-O-V-E-D that cat.The shelter 
  had tested for leukemia and FIV before I adopted her and 
  she'd tested negative.One month after having 
  her home, she was very lethargic.I  ran with her in a 
  carrier to a vet that I'd seen near my apartment, but I'd 
  never met.This was New York City (Queens), so not 
  having a car, and not wanting to subject a cat to a subway 
  ride, I was pretty limited in my vet choices.The vet 
  was an ass. He had no bedside 
  manner.Hemade me feel like the whole 
  situation was my fault.He'd HAVE to rehydrate, he'd 
  HAVE to do  bloodwork, he'd HAVE to keep her during the 
  day - like I wasn't going to be paying him for his 
  efforts. I was in tears, which didn't make him respect me 
  any more.Quite frankly, he scared the hell out 
  of me, and as it's all of our deepest fears that it really 
  IS our fault, I was a mess.He retested her for FeLV+ 
  (she'd been rescued from a house full of cats, so may have been 
   exposed close to rescue and the first 
  testing).I took her home as she'd perked back up, the 
  fluids really helped, and she rebounded 
  fully.Despite this, when he called to tell me 
  that she was positive and anemic and had  "maybe" a month to 
  live, told me to expect to see rapid deterioration, blah, 
  blah, blah, I was again distraught.The next week, 
  against the back drop of her romping around and  talking 
  to herself, chasing bits of dust, knocking things over (her 
  favorite was to knock my glass of water onto me at night), 
  trying

Re: To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA was positive need help a.s.a.p.

2006-09-09 Thread TenHouseCats
we never have any guarantees with any of the critters that share our lives--it used to make me nuts when people would bring FeLVs to the sanctuary, asymptomatic, and say they couldn't keep them, because they were going to die. well, we all are, folks i know of as many $1500 showcats (don't get me started) who have keeled over with no warning as i do sick cats--loving them while we have them is all that really matters, because, no matter HOW long that is, it will NEVER be long enough how dare i assume that a cat who might only have a few weeks deserves love and companionship less than one with years? arh..



On 9/9/06, Marylyn [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:



On that note: The Royal Princess Kitty Katt was diagnosed with cancer that was so invasive I was told she would live maybe 2 months without chemo. We optedout of the chemo because of what she told me and several ACs I know and quality of life issues openly and honestly discussed with my vets. She lived almost 15 months and all but the last week was very high quality. She spent the last week or so saying goodbye to her first person. We can never be sure when they are leaving and we can not be sure when we are leaving. Worrying about it takes the life out of what life we have. The Royal Princess Kitty was the picture of health when she was diagnosed. She was being seen for something entirely different when the cancer was discovered. I learned so much from her and I miss her awfully but she is totally happy with her first man now and I envy her that happiness and peace. She did her job on earth wonderfully. Now she can rest with him. 







 If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who 
 will deal likewise with their fellow man. St. Francis


- Original Message - 
From: Pam Norman
 
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
 

Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 10:28 PM
Subject: Re: To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA was positive need help a.s.a.p.

Leslie,

A wonderful tribute to Sushi  what you  she learned together. All of us should remember it, whether it is FeLV we are dealing with or any of the other kitty ills that can so easily reduce us to helpless fear. I was told that Ambrose, my first CRF kitty, who was diagnosed in 1997, would be gone in 6 months. He lived for 3 happy healthy years before dying of heart disease. Troika, who was diagnosed with fibrosarcoma in 2000, was given 9 months,  lived for 6 more years cancer-free. Vets are good  vets are jackasses. We should be careful about their pronouncements, regardless of which they are. After all, it's our kitty  we know them better than anyone  it's we who are committed to that kitty's life, be it for years or months. And that life can  should be joyous, regardless of what the numbers say.


Pam

- Original Message - 
From: Leslie 
To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
 
Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 1:09 PM
Subject: Re: To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA was positive need help a.s.a.p.
Thank you, Wendy! 

Message: 10Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 07:06:09 -0700 (PDT)From: wendy 
 [EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA was positive need help a.s.a.p.To: 
felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgMessage-ID:  [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1Leslie-I loved this post.You are one cool cat.:)Wendy--- Leslie 
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Kayte, My first FeLV+ cat was also the first cat that I ever owned on my own.I'd grown up with all sorts of critters, but it took a few years after 
 graduating college to finally get in a situation where I could own my first all mine pet.I'd been wanting this cat forever. I found Sushi at a shelter, she was 2 years old and 
 demanded that I take her home that very instant.I L-O-V-E-D that cat.The shelter had tested for leukemia and FIV before I adopted her and she'd tested negative.One month after having her home, she was very lethargic.I 
 ran with her in a carrier to a vet that I'd seen near my apartment, but I'd never met.This was New York City (Queens), so not having a car, and not wanting to subject a cat to
 a subway ride, I was pretty limited in my vet choices.The vet was an ass. He had no bedside manner.Hemade me feel like the whole situation was my fault.He'd HAVE to rehydrate, he'd HAVE to do 
 bloodwork, he'd HAVE to keep her during the day - like I wasn't going to be paying him for his efforts. I was in tears, which didn't make him respect me any more.Quite frankly,
 he scared the hell out of me, and as it's all of our deepest fears that it really IS our fault, I was a mess.He retested her for FeLV+ (she'd been rescued from a house full of cats, so may have been 
 exposed close to rescue and the first testing).I took her home as she'd perked back up, the fluids really helped, and she rebounded fully.Despite this, when he called to tell me that she was positive and anemic and had 
 maybe a month to live, told me to expect to see rapid deterioration, blah, blah

To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA was positive need help a.s.a.p.

2006-09-08 Thread wendy
Leslie-

I loved this post.  You are one cool cat.

:)
Wendy

--- Leslie [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

  Kayte,
 My first FeLV+ cat was also the first cat that I
 ever owned on my own.  I'd
 grown up with all sorts of critters, but it took a
 few years after
 graduating college to finally get in a situation
 where I could own my first
 all mine pet.  I'd been wanting this cat forever.
 
 I found Sushi at a shelter, she was 2 years old and
 demanded that I take her
 home that very instant.  I L-O-V-E-D that cat.  The
 shelter had tested for
 leukemia and FIV before I adopted her and she'd
 tested negative.  One month
 after having her home, she was very lethargic.  I
 ran with her in a carrier
 to a vet that I'd seen near my apartment, but I'd
 never met.  This was New
 York City (Queens), so not having a car, and not
 wanting to subject a cat to
 a subway ride, I was pretty limited in my vet
 choices.  The vet was an ass.
 He had no bedside manner.  He  made me feel like the
 whole situation was my
 fault.  He'd HAVE to rehydrate, he'd HAVE to do
 bloodwork, he'd HAVE to keep
 her during the day - like I wasn't going to be
 paying him for his efforts.
 I was in tears, which didn't make him respect me any
 more.  Quite frankly,
 he scared the hell out of me, and as it's all of our
 deepest fears that it
 really IS our fault, I was a mess.  He retested her
 for FeLV+ (she'd been
 rescued from a house full of cats, so may have been
 exposed close to rescue
 and the first testing).  I took her home as she'd
 perked back up, the fluids
 really helped, and she rebounded fully.  Despite
 this, when he called to
 tell me that she was positive and anemic and had
 maybe a month to live,
 told me to expect to see rapid deterioration, blah,
 blah, blah, I was again
 distraught.  The next week, against the back drop of
 her romping around and
 talking to herself, chasing bits of dust, knocking
 things over (her favorite
 was to knock my glass of water onto me at night),
 trying to escape, I called
 everyone that I knew hysterically telling them that
 my cat was dying.  The
 vet said so.
 
 Eventually, emotionally spent.  I hung up the phone,
 slumped down against
 the wall and lethargically, tearfully gazed over at
 her across the room.
 Making eye contact, she marched over and placed a
 World Cup worthy head butt
 against my pathetic forehead.  I giggled.
 
 And I realized that I was being a dumass.  Maybe she
 had this disease.
 Maybe she was dying, but who of us isn't?  She
 wasn't dead, and I was
 wasting time being a melodramatic human.  So instead
 of focusing on how she
 was going to die, I focused on how she was going to
 live.  I didn't have any
 support, but I found a raw feeding list and, though
 I didn't switch to raw
 for a while, I started researching the feline diet. 
 And I put her on a
 better food.  And I moved into the city and found a
 good vet.  I took her in
 for check-ups and loved the heck out of that cat
 until she passed two years
 after I'd adopted her of a heart attack (myocardial
 infarction).  Yes, my
 life infarcted at that point, and I still miss my
 sweet marshmallow-y
 friend, who would lay on my arm at night and purr,
 and gaze into my eyes
 like she was proud of me.  But she'd led me to
 another positive cat to
 adopt, Hepburn.  And Hepburn led me to Satchmo that
 I have today (also
 positive).  And Sushi, after all, after all that
 that jerk vet said, never
 did deterioriate.  Never did succomb to the
 leukemia.
 
 I owned Hep for 2 1/2 years, she did die of FIP,
 which was probably leukemia
 related, but I'd gotten her as an older kitten, so
 even there, she was on
 the high end of her life expectency and she, too,
 was an amazing, happy,
 healthy cat until the end.
 
 Satch I've had for two years now, I adopted him at 5
 years old, so we don't
 know when he was exposed to the virus, but he's the
 biggest, stompiest guy
 you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting, and other
 than being susceptible
 to URI's (which as long as I don't bring home sick
 kittens that already have
 URI's) hasn't been any problem.  I have high hopes
 for him going a very long
 time.  And I'm thinking of adopting him a friend -
 either a positive kitten
 or a negative adult cat - once he stops coughing.
 
 I know that this has been long, and work is piling
 up, but I just wanted to
 tell you my story.  Let you know that I understand
 what you're feeling, but
 take your cues from Crackers.  Is he laying around
 in dirty pajamas,
 watching Ricki Lake, stumbling amongst empty Chinese
 take out cartons,
 wondering why me?  This is a terrible illness, but
 not one that is
 powerful enough to take the good times away while
 they are here.
 
 Get a new vet.  Pinpoint when Crackers was exposed. 
 What happened to
 Pokemon?  Was she positive?  Put Crackers on a good
 diet - there are lots to
 choose from ranging from Max Cat to raw feeding -
 expensive doesn't always
 mean good, nor does the fact of it being sold out of

Re: To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA was positive need help a.s.a.p.

2006-09-08 Thread Leslie
Thank you, Wendy! 

Message: 10Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 07:06:09 -0700 (PDT)From: wendy 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA was positive need help a.s.a.p.To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgMessage-ID: 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1Leslie-I loved this post.You are one cool cat.:)Wendy--- Leslie 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Kayte, My first FeLV+ cat was also the first cat that I ever owned on my own.I'd grown up with all sorts of critters, but it took a few years after
 graduating college to finally get in a situation where I could own my first all mine pet.I'd been wanting this cat forever. I found Sushi at a shelter, she was 2 years old and
 demanded that I take her home that very instant.I L-O-V-E-D that cat.The shelter had tested for leukemia and FIV before I adopted her and she'd tested negative.One month after having her home, she was very lethargic.I
 ran with her in a carrier to a vet that I'd seen near my apartment, but I'd never met.This was New York City (Queens), so not having a car, and not wanting to subject a cat to
 a subway ride, I was pretty limited in my vet choices.The vet was an ass. He had no bedside manner.Hemade me feel like the whole situation was my fault.He'd HAVE to rehydrate, he'd HAVE to do
 bloodwork, he'd HAVE to keep her during the day - like I wasn't going to be paying him for his efforts. I was in tears, which didn't make him respect me any more.Quite frankly,
 he scared the hell out of me, and as it's all of our deepest fears that it really IS our fault, I was a mess.He retested her for FeLV+ (she'd been rescued from a house full of cats, so may have been
 exposed close to rescue and the first testing).I took her home as she'd perked back up, the fluids really helped, and she rebounded fully.Despite this, when he called to tell me that she was positive and anemic and had
 maybe a month to live, told me to expect to see rapid deterioration, blah, blah, blah, I was again distraught.The next week, against the back drop of her romping around and
 talking to herself, chasing bits of dust, knocking things over (her favorite was to knock my glass of water onto me at night), trying to escape, I called everyone that I knew hysterically telling them that
 my cat was dying.The vet said so. Eventually, emotionally spent.I hung up the phone, slumped down against the wall and lethargically, tearfully gazed over at her across the room.
 Making eye contact, she marched over and placed a World Cup worthy head butt against my pathetic forehead.I giggled. And I realized that I was being a dumass.Maybe she had this disease.
 Maybe she was dying, but who of us isn't?She wasn't dead, and I was wasting time being a melodramatic human.So instead of focusing on how she was going to die, I focused on how she was going to
 live.I didn't have any support, but I found a raw feeding list and, though I didn't switch to raw for a while, I started researching the feline diet. And I put her on a better food.And I moved into the city and found a
 good vet.I took her in for check-ups and loved the heck out of that cat until she passed two years after I'd adopted her of a heart attack (myocardial infarction).Yes, my life infarcted at that point, and I still miss my
 sweet marshmallow-y friend, who would lay on my arm at night and purr, and gaze into my eyes like she was proud of me.But she'd led me to another positive cat to adopt, Hepburn.And Hepburn led me to Satchmo that
 I have today (also positive).And Sushi, after all, after all that that jerk vet said, never did deterioriate.Never did succomb to the leukemia. I owned Hep for 2 1/2 years, she did die of FIP,
 which was probably leukemia related, but I'd gotten her as an older kitten, so even there, she was on the high end of her life expectency and she, too, was an amazing, happy, healthy cat until the end.
 Satch I've had for two years now, I adopted him at 5 years old, so we don't know when he was exposed to the virus, but he's the biggest, stompiest guy you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting, and other
 than being susceptible to URI's (which as long as I don't bring home sick kittens that already have URI's) hasn't been any problem.I have high hopes for him going a very long
 time.And I'm thinking of adopting him a friend - either a positive kitten or a negative adult cat - once he stops coughing. I know that this has been long, and work is piling up, but I just wanted to
 tell you my story.Let you know that I understand what you're feeling, but take your cues from Crackers.Is he laying around in dirty pajamas, watching Ricki Lake, stumbling amongst empty Chinese
 take out cartons, wondering why me?This is a terrible illness, but not one that is powerful enough to take the good times away while they are here. Get a new vet.Pinpoint when Crackers was exposed.
 What happened to Pokemon?Was she positive?Put Crackers on a good diet - there are lots to choose from ranging from Max Cat to raw feeding - expensive 

Re: To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA was positive need help a.s.a.p.

2006-09-08 Thread Evan Dee

Leslie - that was an inspired post - thank you for the reminder ~ Evan


--- Leslie [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

  

 Kayte,
My first FeLV+ cat was also the first cat that I
ever owned on my own.  I'd
grown up with all sorts of critters, but it took a
few years after
graduating college to finally get in a situation
where I could own my first
all mine pet.  I'd been wanting this cat forever.

I found Sushi at a shelter, she was 2 years old and
demanded that I take her
home that very instant.  I L-O-V-E-D that cat.  The
shelter had tested for
leukemia and FIV before I adopted her and she'd
tested negative.  One month
after having her home, she was very lethargic.  I
ran with her in a carrier
to a vet that I'd seen near my apartment, but I'd
never met.  This was New
York City (Queens), so not having a car, and not
wanting to subject a cat to
a subway ride, I was pretty limited in my vet
choices.  The vet was an ass.
He had no bedside manner.  He  made me feel like the
whole situation was my
fault.  He'd HAVE to rehydrate, he'd HAVE to do
bloodwork, he'd HAVE to keep
her during the day - like I wasn't going to be
paying him for his efforts.
I was in tears, which didn't make him respect me any
more.  Quite frankly,
he scared the hell out of me, and as it's all of our
deepest fears that it
really IS our fault, I was a mess.  He retested her
for FeLV+ (she'd been
rescued from a house full of cats, so may have been
exposed close to rescue
and the first testing).  I took her home as she'd
perked back up, the fluids
really helped, and she rebounded fully.  Despite
this, when he called to
tell me that she was positive and anemic and had
maybe a month to live,
told me to expect to see rapid deterioration, blah,
blah, blah, I was again
distraught.  The next week, against the back drop of
her romping around and
talking to herself, chasing bits of dust, knocking
things over (her favorite
was to knock my glass of water onto me at night),
trying to escape, I called
everyone that I knew hysterically telling them that
my cat was dying.  The
vet said so.

Eventually, emotionally spent.  I hung up the phone,
slumped down against
the wall and lethargically, tearfully gazed over at
her across the room.
Making eye contact, she marched over and placed a
World Cup worthy head butt
against my pathetic forehead.  I giggled.

And I realized that I was being a dumass.  Maybe she
had this disease.
Maybe she was dying, but who of us isn't?  She
wasn't dead, and I was
wasting time being a melodramatic human.  So instead
of focusing on how she
was going to die, I focused on how she was going to
live.  I didn't have any
support, but I found a raw feeding list and, though
I didn't switch to raw
for a while, I started researching the feline diet. 
And I put her on a

better food.  And I moved into the city and found a
good vet.  I took her in
for check-ups and loved the heck out of that cat
until she passed two years
after I'd adopted her of a heart attack (myocardial
infarction).  Yes, my
life infarcted at that point, and I still miss my
sweet marshmallow-y
friend, who would lay on my arm at night and purr,
and gaze into my eyes
like she was proud of me.  But she'd led me to
another positive cat to
adopt, Hepburn.  And Hepburn led me to Satchmo that
I have today (also
positive).  And Sushi, after all, after all that
that jerk vet said, never
did deterioriate.  Never did succomb to the
leukemia.

I owned Hep for 2 1/2 years, she did die of FIP,
which was probably leukemia
related, but I'd gotten her as an older kitten, so
even there, she was on
the high end of her life expectency and she, too,
was an amazing, happy,
healthy cat until the end.

Satch I've had for two years now, I adopted him at 5
years old, so we don't
know when he was exposed to the virus, but he's the
biggest, stompiest guy
you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting, and other
than being susceptible
to URI's (which as long as I don't bring home sick
kittens that already have
URI's) hasn't been any problem.  I have high hopes
for him going a very long
time.  And I'm thinking of adopting him a friend -
either a positive kitten
or a negative adult cat - once he stops coughing.

I know that this has been long, and work is piling
up, but I just wanted to
tell you my story.  Let you know that I understand
what you're feeling, but
take your cues from Crackers.  Is he laying around
in dirty pajamas,
watching Ricki Lake, stumbling amongst empty Chinese
take out cartons,
wondering why me?  This is a terrible illness, but
not one that is
powerful enough to take the good times away while
they are here.

Get a new vet.  Pinpoint when Crackers was exposed. 
What happened to

Pokemon?  Was she positive?  Put Crackers on a good
diet - there are lots to
choose from ranging from Max Cat to raw feeding -
expensive doesn't always
mean good, nor does the fact of it being sold out of
a vet's office.  Do
some reading about which ingredients should be there
and which shouldn't.  A
lot of people 

Re: To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA was positive need help a.s.a.p.

2006-09-08 Thread Pam Norman



Leslie,

A wonderful tribute to Sushi  what you  
she learned together. All of us should remember it, whether it is FeLV we are 
dealing with or any of the other kitty ills that can so easily reduce us to 
helpless fear. I was told that Ambrose, my first CRF kitty, who was 
diagnosed in 1997, would be gone in 6 months. He lived for 3 happy healthy years 
before dying of heart disease. Troika, who was diagnosed with fibrosarcoma in 
2000, was given 9 months,  lived for 6 more years cancer-free. Vets 
are good  vets are jackasses. We should be careful about their 
pronouncements, regardless of which they are. After all, it's our kitty  we 
know them better than anyone  it's we who are committed to that kitty's 
life, be it for years or months. And that life can  should be joyous, 
regardless of what the numbers say.

Pam

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  Leslie 
  To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org 
  
  Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 1:09 
  PM
  Subject: Re: To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA 
  was positive need help a.s.a.p.
  Thank you, Wendy! 
  
  Message: 
10Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 07:06:09 -0700 (PDT)From: wendy  [EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: 
To Leslie: Re: crackers IFA was positive need help a.s.a.p.To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgMessage-ID: 
 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]Content-Type: 
text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1Leslie-I loved this 
post.You are one cool cat.:)Wendy--- Leslie 
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
wrote:Kayte, My first FeLV+ cat was also the 
first cat that I ever owned on my own.I'd grown 
up with all sorts of critters, but it took a few years after 
 graduating college to finally get in a situation where I 
could own my first "all mine" pet.I'd been wanting this 
cat forever. I found Sushi at a shelter, she was 2 years old 
and  demanded that I take her home that very 
instant.I L-O-V-E-D that cat.The shelter had 
tested for leukemia and FIV before I adopted her and she'd 
tested negative.One month after having her home, she was 
very lethargic.I  ran with her in a carrier to a 
vet that I'd seen near my apartment, but I'd never 
met.This was New York City (Queens), so not having a 
car, and not wanting to subject a cat to a subway ride, I 
was pretty limited in my vet choices.The vet was an 
ass. He had no bedside manner.Hemade me feel 
like the whole situation was my fault.He'd HAVE 
to rehydrate, he'd HAVE to do  bloodwork, he'd HAVE to keep 
her during the day - like I wasn't going to be paying him for his 
efforts. I was in tears, which didn't make him respect me 
any more.Quite frankly, he scared the hell out 
of me, and as it's all of our deepest fears that it really 
IS our fault, I was a mess.He retested her for FeLV+ 
(she'd been rescued from a house full of cats, so may have been 
 exposed close to rescue and the first 
testing).I took her home as she'd perked back up, the 
fluids really helped, and she rebounded 
fully.Despite this, when he called to tell me 
that she was positive and anemic and had  "maybe" a month to 
live, told me to expect to see rapid deterioration, blah, 
blah, blah, I was again distraught.The next week, 
against the back drop of her romping around and  talking to 
herself, chasing bits of dust, knocking things over (her 
favorite was to knock my glass of water onto me at night), 
trying to escape, I called everyone that I knew hysterically telling 
them that  my cat was dying.The vet said 
so. Eventually, emotionally spent.I hung up the 
phone, slumped down against the wall and lethargically, 
tearfully gazed over at her across the room.  Making eye 
contact, she marched over and placed a World Cup worthy head 
butt against my pathetic forehead.I 
giggled. And I realized that I was being a 
dumass.Maybe she had this disease.  Maybe she 
was dying, but who of us isn't?She wasn't dead, and I 
was wasting time being a melodramatic human.So 
instead of focusing on how she was going to die, I focused 
on how she was going to  live.I didn't have any 
support, but I found a raw feeding list and, though I didn't switch 
to raw for a while, I started researching the feline diet. 
And I put her on a better food.And I moved into the city 
and found a  good vet.I took her in for 
check-ups and loved the heck out of that cat until she passed two 
years after I'd adopted her of a heart attack (myocardial 
infarction).Yes, my life infarcted at that point, and I 
still miss my  sweet marshmallow-y friend, who would lay on 
my arm at night and purr, and gaze into my eyes like she was 
proud of me.But she'd led me to another positive cat 
to adopt, Hepburn.And Hepburn led me to Satchmo that 
 I have today (also positive).And Sushi, after 
all, after all that that jerk vet said, never did 
deterioria