Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia
Some will disagree but, if you can, keeping Lucky inside will help keep him healthy at his age even w/o the FeLV issue. There are some ferals who hang out at Mom's that are in that age group and I worry about them. They can't be touched but are very wonderful cats. I live trapped them to s/n but they would totally stress out in a house. Lucky has settled down into a house routine as some other ferals of mine have. Don't tempt fate by letting him out again. (MHO) On Sep 16, 2010, at 11:01 PM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: Thanks, Tanya, that is helpful information. Lucky is between 11 and 13 yrs. My other cats are: 14, 9 and 7. I keep my cats _strictly_ indoors. Lucky would have to adapt to that life, or show me he will stay only in my yard (which, at his age, he might do). Thanks for the info on IFA -- I will request that. My main fears are(1) food and water dish sharing, and (2) litter box sharing. I keep one box per cat, but that does not mean each cat uses its own box. So I suspect there is box sharing. And I know that they eat indiscriminately from the dishes. - Original Message - From: TANYA NOE sashacatgodd...@yahoo.com To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia How old are your other cats? Cats develop some natural immunity with age. After the age of 1-3 they become less likely to develop FeLV. If vaccinated and over 3 the risk is there but small. How old is the cat that tested positive? If under a year there is a good chance the cats body can rid itself of the virus. I would wait 6 weeks and retest the cat again regardless of age and see if it still shows positive. You can also do an IFA which tests to see if the virus has settled into the bone marrow. Once in the marrow it cannot be eliminated from the body. I have a 14 year old negative cat and a 2 year old positive cat. I do not separate them, there is still a small risk allowing them together but I vaccinate the negative one and cross my fingers. I don't know if I have ever seen anyone on here post that a neg turned pos from mixing, again though still a risk. Hope this helps, Tanya --- On Thu, 9/16/10, Natalie at...@optonline.net wrote: From: Natalie at...@optonline.net Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thursday, September 16, 2010, 2:55 PM All vaccines are only about 80% effectiveI really don't have much experience with this because I have two very healthy FeLV+ cats, living separately from others. But I would think that if retested, being only a weak positive, maybe the cat will be negative! It seems to have been really run down, the immune system was definitely compromised, fighting an infection, fleasGood luck! Natalie -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Debbie Bates Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 1:23 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia Bonnie, it got through! Hang in there for just a bitthere are many extremely well informed members who will have any and all information you need! I am not dealing with any felv cats, but come here often so that I stay informed Debbie We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them. - Kahlil Gibran From: ho...@sonic.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 09:32:46 -0700 Subject: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia This e-mail got bounced back to meam trying one more time. - Original Message - From: Bonnie Hogue To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 9:37 PM Subject: New to Feline Leukemia It's a long story, but I'll shorten it... My mom has a heart cat named Lucky. She's disabled and no longer living at home. Her sister was caring for Lucky, but herself is unwell and struggling. I went over to feed the cats during her hospitalization and Lucky did not look good. I took him to the vet: bad fleas, possible infected eye and nose, and tested weak positive for feline leukemia. This makes my plan of integrating him into my 3-cat household a real challenge. The vet said I could get my three cats vaccinated providing 80% protection... Meanwhile, Lucky is sequestered in the spare bedroom, taking antibiotics (what a good cat!) and healing. I'm trying to figure out how to make this work, longer term. Ideas??? Thank you! ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list
Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia
I would advise the same...do not tempt fate by letting him out again. Use some Feliway spray or plug-in to de-stress their/his environment! Re: feral cats - 90% of the cats that I trap are feral! I don't release them; all of them adapt perfectly to living indoors - some have absolutely no desire to use their outdoor enclosure, they must be so happy to have a roof over their heads! Most become tame and are adopted, for some it happens too late and they're too old for anyone wanting them - couch potatoes, nonetheless!.Natalie -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Cougar Clan Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 8:38 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia Importance: High Some will disagree but, if you can, keeping Lucky inside will help keep him healthy at his age even w/o the FeLV issue. There are some ferals who hang out at Mom's that are in that age group and I worry about them. They can't be touched but are very wonderful cats. I live trapped them to s/n but they would totally stress out in a house. Lucky has settled down into a house routine as some other ferals of mine have. Don't tempt fate by letting him out again. (MHO) On Sep 16, 2010, at 11:01 PM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: Thanks, Tanya, that is helpful information. Lucky is between 11 and 13 yrs. My other cats are: 14, 9 and 7. I keep my cats _strictly_ indoors. Lucky would have to adapt to that life, or show me he will stay only in my yard (which, at his age, he might do). Thanks for the info on IFA -- I will request that. My main fears are(1) food and water dish sharing, and (2) litter box sharing. I keep one box per cat, but that does not mean each cat uses its own box. So I suspect there is box sharing. And I know that they eat indiscriminately from the dishes. - Original Message - From: TANYA NOE sashacatgodd...@yahoo.com To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia How old are your other cats? Cats develop some natural immunity with age. After the age of 1-3 they become less likely to develop FeLV. If vaccinated and over 3 the risk is there but small. How old is the cat that tested positive? If under a year there is a good chance the cats body can rid itself of the virus. I would wait 6 weeks and retest the cat again regardless of age and see if it still shows positive. You can also do an IFA which tests to see if the virus has settled into the bone marrow. Once in the marrow it cannot be eliminated from the body. I have a 14 year old negative cat and a 2 year old positive cat. I do not separate them, there is still a small risk allowing them together but I vaccinate the negative one and cross my fingers. I don't know if I have ever seen anyone on here post that a neg turned pos from mixing, again though still a risk. Hope this helps, Tanya --- On Thu, 9/16/10, Natalie at...@optonline.net wrote: From: Natalie at...@optonline.net Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thursday, September 16, 2010, 2:55 PM All vaccines are only about 80% effectiveI really don't have much experience with this because I have two very healthy FeLV+ cats, living separately from others. But I would think that if retested, being only a weak positive, maybe the cat will be negative! It seems to have been really run down, the immune system was definitely compromised, fighting an infection, fleasGood luck! Natalie -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Debbie Bates Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 1:23 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia Bonnie, it got through! Hang in there for just a bitthere are many extremely well informed members who will have any and all information you need! I am not dealing with any felv cats, but come here often so that I stay informed Debbie We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them. - Kahlil Gibran From: ho...@sonic.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 09:32:46 -0700 Subject: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia This e-mail got bounced back to meam trying one more time. - Original Message - From: Bonnie Hogue To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 9:37 PM Subject: New to Feline Leukemia It's a long story, but I'll shorten it... My mom has a heart cat named Lucky. She's disabled and no longer living at home. Her sister was caring for Lucky, but herself is unwell and struggling. I went over to feed the cats during her hospitalization and Lucky did not look
Re: [Felvtalk] New to Feline Leukemia
I've had 2 FELV+ cats--one was an adult stray that I was feeding who I found out was pos when I brought him in. He was an older cat who had not had an easy life but he lived several more years in peace comfort before he succumbed to lymphoma last fall. But my Tucson was diagnosed several years after I got her as a kitten. She had tested neg on snap test. When my long time vet noticed something that made him retest then find out that she had likely been pos all her life, he told me he had no experience w. FELV made some suggestions about other vet facilities that might have. I spoke to the director of my local shelter who suggested I talk to a local woman who would take FELV+ cats from them when she had room. That woman gave me the name of the vet she uses--turned out he was a vet that a friend had recommended. He was very helpful in easing my mind, was not real concerned about mixing, and made some good suggestions about food nutritutional supplements. Bottom line, it helps if your vet has had some experience with FELV or at least is willing to educate himself. Maybe there's a rescue near you that works with FELV+ that could give you some ideas. I'm surprised that your vet didn't suggest the IFA test--it is costlier than the in office snap test but would tell you more conclusively if Lucky is in fact pos. Also, you might want to think about having a full blood panel. Might give you a head start on any other issues he might have and would give you a baseline reading for the future. Finances are ALWAYS a big issue--but making a little investment now might prevent more problems in the future. Basically, no matter whether he's really pos or neg, you're doing the very best things you can do for Lucky (and it sure sounds like he knows it!) Christiane Biagi ti...@mindspring.com -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Bonnie Hogue Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 11:57 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] New to Feline Leukemia Yeah, I don't know this vet all that wellHe's young (which can be good -- maybe up on the latest technology) and I don't really have a read on him. Maybe he's just a little bit in a hurry. I'm thinking of taking Lucky to someone more experienced. Frankly -- and I hate to say it -- but finances are a big consideration. But if it is a matter of his quality of life, we'll have to find a way. ~B. - Original Message - From: Cougar Clan maima...@duo-county.com To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 3:47 PM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] New to Feline Leukemia I am very sure he does. The drooling is a sign of contentment as is the purring and kneading. He sounds like a wonderful little guy. How confident are you in your vet? If the answer is not 110%, consider a consultation with another vet. On Sep 16, 2010, at 5:12 PM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: Thanks, Cougar Clan. I am looking up a holistic vet here in Sonoma County. Lucky was living outside and not coming around for feeding. I knew I had to do something when I spotted him just after sunset one evening on the neighbor's roof, looking out on the world. It was the saddest, most forlorn sight I'd ever seen. I knew then that this little guy was feeling abandoned and wondering what to do and where to go. My next act was to open a can of tuna to lure him in. It worked. Two days of feeding canned food and I nabbed him. I think he was relieved. He is adjusting well (smartest cat I ever met). I went in an laid on the bed and he did all the things my mom used to tell me about: drooling while he purred, kneading, stretching out his full length next to me. What a special cat, indeed. I am committed to helping him and keeping him safe and healthy. I tell him, Lucky, maybe it's time you retire, you know? No more fights or catching rats -- just live the good life on easy street! Hope he agrees! - Original Message - From: Cougar Clan maima...@duo-county.com To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 12:16 PM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] New to Feline Leukemia Personally, I would read the information on the board about the testing procedures and have him retested. Meanwhile I would vaccinate my cats and keep Lucky safe until he is retested. Depending on what you decide to do about mixing (again this board has lots of information--I mixed after one cat (FELV-) was diagnosed with terminal cancer), you go forward the best way you can. A spare room is not a bad thing. Just make all your decisions with love for Lucky. Feed all of the cats the absolute best diet you can and keep them as stress free as possible. Lucky has gone through a lot and I cannot imagine the pain and stress of your mother's illness and their separation has caused both of them. I like to
Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia
Since my Tucson was not diagnosed until years after I brought her in, I opted to leave her mixed with my neg cats. I had the other 3 vaccinated (2 shots). They had all been sharing boxes, dishes, groomed each other, had the occasional spats, etc. and none were pos. I believe its much harder for adult cats to develop this condition--actually, it's the pos cat who's most at risk of getting sniffles, etc from the other cats. But if you keep them inside continue the good care, that wouldn't be a big issue. As for turning Lucky into an inside cat--I brought my Romeo in after he'd been out on the street for years. From the point that he discovered my bed, he never looked back. He wouldn't even sit at the window to look outside or run into my hallway like my others do. Its as though he said been there--done that and was now ready for the good life. I suspect that Lucky's at that point Christiane Biagi ti...@mindspring.com -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Bonnie Hogue Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 12:01 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia Importance: High Thanks, Tanya, that is helpful information. Lucky is between 11 and 13 yrs. My other cats are: 14, 9 and 7. I keep my cats _strictly_ indoors. Lucky would have to adapt to that life, or show me he will stay only in my yard (which, at his age, he might do). Thanks for the info on IFA -- I will request that. My main fears are(1) food and water dish sharing, and (2) litter box sharing. I keep one box per cat, but that does not mean each cat uses its own box. So I suspect there is box sharing. And I know that they eat indiscriminately from the dishes. - Original Message - From: TANYA NOE sashacatgodd...@yahoo.com To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia How old are your other cats? Cats develop some natural immunity with age. After the age of 1-3 they become less likely to develop FeLV. If vaccinated and over 3 the risk is there but small. How old is the cat that tested positive? If under a year there is a good chance the cats body can rid itself of the virus. I would wait 6 weeks and retest the cat again regardless of age and see if it still shows positive. You can also do an IFA which tests to see if the virus has settled into the bone marrow. Once in the marrow it cannot be eliminated from the body. I have a 14 year old negative cat and a 2 year old positive cat. I do not separate them, there is still a small risk allowing them together but I vaccinate the negative one and cross my fingers. I don't know if I have ever seen anyone on here post that a neg turned pos from mixing, again though still a risk. Hope this helps, Tanya --- On Thu, 9/16/10, Natalie at...@optonline.net wrote: From: Natalie at...@optonline.net Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thursday, September 16, 2010, 2:55 PM All vaccines are only about 80% effectiveI really don't have much experience with this because I have two very healthy FeLV+ cats, living separately from others. But I would think that if retested, being only a weak positive, maybe the cat will be negative! It seems to have been really run down, the immune system was definitely compromised, fighting an infection, fleasGood luck! Natalie -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Debbie Bates Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 1:23 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia Bonnie, it got through! Hang in there for just a bitthere are many extremely well informed members who will have any and all information you need! I am not dealing with any felv cats, but come here often so that I stay informed Debbie We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them. - Kahlil Gibran From: ho...@sonic.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 09:32:46 -0700 Subject: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia This e-mail got bounced back to meam trying one more time. - Original Message - From: Bonnie Hogue To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 9:37 PM Subject: New to Feline Leukemia It's a long story, but I'll shorten it... My mom has a heart cat named Lucky. She's disabled and no longer living at home. Her sister was caring for Lucky, but herself is unwell and struggling. I went over to feed the cats during her hospitalization and Lucky did not look good. I took him to the vet: bad fleas, possible infected eye and nose, and tested weak positive for feline leukemia. This makes my plan of integrating him
Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia
Yes, Natalie. I have one little lady who is a rehabilitated feral. She raised a litter of kittens down by the creek. Some kind people trapped them and found homes for thekittens, but no one wanted mama cat. She's a lovely brushed coat calico. She is sweet as pie, and Never offers to run out the door. The look she gives is, Been there, done that, don't want it! She has her quirks (who doesn't?) but is a very loving companion. - Original Message - From: Natalie at...@optonline.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 5:54 AM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia I would advise the same...do not tempt fate by letting him out again. Use some Feliway spray or plug-in to de-stress their/his environment! Re: feral cats - 90% of the cats that I trap are feral! I don't release them; all of them adapt perfectly to living indoors - some have absolutely no desire to use their outdoor enclosure, they must be so happy to have a roof over their heads! Most become tame and are adopted, for some it happens too late and they're too old for anyone wanting them - couch potatoes, nonetheless!.Natalie -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Cougar Clan Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 8:38 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia Importance: High Some will disagree but, if you can, keeping Lucky inside will help keep him healthy at his age even w/o the FeLV issue. There are some ferals who hang out at Mom's that are in that age group and I worry about them. They can't be touched but are very wonderful cats. I live trapped them to s/n but they would totally stress out in a house. Lucky has settled down into a house routine as some other ferals of mine have. Don't tempt fate by letting him out again. (MHO) On Sep 16, 2010, at 11:01 PM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: Thanks, Tanya, that is helpful information. Lucky is between 11 and 13 yrs. My other cats are: 14, 9 and 7. I keep my cats _strictly_ indoors. Lucky would have to adapt to that life, or show me he will stay only in my yard (which, at his age, he might do). Thanks for the info on IFA -- I will request that. My main fears are(1) food and water dish sharing, and (2) litter box sharing. I keep one box per cat, but that does not mean each cat uses its own box. So I suspect there is box sharing. And I know that they eat indiscriminately from the dishes. - Original Message - From: TANYA NOE sashacatgodd...@yahoo.com To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia How old are your other cats? Cats develop some natural immunity with age. After the age of 1-3 they become less likely to develop FeLV. If vaccinated and over 3 the risk is there but small. How old is the cat that tested positive? If under a year there is a good chance the cats body can rid itself of the virus. I would wait 6 weeks and retest the cat again regardless of age and see if it still shows positive. You can also do an IFA which tests to see if the virus has settled into the bone marrow. Once in the marrow it cannot be eliminated from the body. I have a 14 year old negative cat and a 2 year old positive cat. I do not separate them, there is still a small risk allowing them together but I vaccinate the negative one and cross my fingers. I don't know if I have ever seen anyone on here post that a neg turned pos from mixing, again though still a risk. Hope this helps, Tanya --- On Thu, 9/16/10, Natalie at...@optonline.net wrote: From: Natalie at...@optonline.net Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thursday, September 16, 2010, 2:55 PM All vaccines are only about 80% effectiveI really don't have much experience with this because I have two very healthy FeLV+ cats, living separately from others. But I would think that if retested, being only a weak positive, maybe the cat will be negative! It seems to have been really run down, the immune system was definitely compromised, fighting an infection, fleasGood luck! Natalie -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Debbie Bates Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 1:23 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia Bonnie, it got through! Hang in there for just a bitthere are many extremely well informed members who will have any and all information you need! I am not dealing with any felv cats, but come here often so that I stay informed Debbie We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them. - Kahlil Gibran From: ho...@sonic.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 09:32:46 -0700 Subject: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia
Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia
Hello all, I haven't really posted much and I've never actually shared my story. I will be brief now and say that I have a 15 month young kitty who is FeLV positive and receiving Chemo for mediastinal lymphoma. The problem is, she doesn't know that she is supposed to be sick. At this time there are no outward signs of illness. She was allowed outside for a couple of hours at a time, never overnight and always staying close to home. Now, I try to limit her to outside time with close supervision. However, she has started to push the boundaries and is running and hiding from me. I know she is trying to play with me and alleviate some of her boredom. She spends the day begging to go out, crying meee u, all day long. She races us to the door and bites at our ankles to try to get out. I'm faced with the decision of just letting her go because her quality of life seems to depend on it. She is otherwise quite content. I am leaning toward giving her more outside time and dealing with the consequences. Her chances at a long life are very limited anyway and I feel that I should try to make her happy. Am I wrong to feel this way? Melinda and Fuji On Sep 18, 2010, at 2:52 AM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: Yes, Natalie. I have one little lady who is a rehabilitated feral. She raised a litter of kittens down by the creek. Some kind people trapped them and found homes for thekittens, but no one wanted mama cat. She's a lovely brushed coat calico. She is sweet as pie, and Never offers to run out the door. The look she gives is, Been there, done that, don't want it! She has her quirks (who doesn't?) but is a very loving companion. - Original Message - From: Natalie at...@optonline.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 5:54 AM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia I would advise the same...do not tempt fate by letting him out again. Use some Feliway spray or plug-in to de-stress their/his environment! Re: feral cats - 90% of the cats that I trap are feral! I don't release them; all of them adapt perfectly to living indoors - some have absolutely no desire to use their outdoor enclosure, they must be so happy to have a roof over their heads! Most become tame and are adopted, for some it happens too late and they're too old for anyone wanting them - couch potatoes, nonetheless!.Natalie -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Cougar Clan Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 8:38 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia Importance: High Some will disagree but, if you can, keeping Lucky inside will help keep him healthy at his age even w/o the FeLV issue. There are some ferals who hang out at Mom's that are in that age group and I worry about them. They can't be touched but are very wonderful cats. I live trapped them to s/n but they would totally stress out in a house. Lucky has settled down into a house routine as some other ferals of mine have. Don't tempt fate by letting him out again. (MHO) On Sep 16, 2010, at 11:01 PM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: Thanks, Tanya, that is helpful information. Lucky is between 11 and 13 yrs. My other cats are: 14, 9 and 7. I keep my cats _strictly_ indoors. Lucky would have to adapt to that life, or show me he will stay only in my yard (which, at his age, he might do). Thanks for the info on IFA -- I will request that. My main fears are(1) food and water dish sharing, and (2) litter box sharing. I keep one box per cat, but that does not mean each cat uses its own box. So I suspect there is box sharing. And I know that they eat indiscriminately from the dishes. - Original Message - From: TANYA NOE sashacatgodd...@yahoo.com To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia How old are your other cats? Cats develop some natural immunity with age. After the age of 1-3 they become less likely to develop FeLV. If vaccinated and over 3 the risk is there but small. How old is the cat that tested positive? If under a year there is a good chance the cats body can rid itself of the virus. I would wait 6 weeks and retest the cat again regardless of age and see if it still shows positive. You can also do an IFA which tests to see if the virus has settled into the bone marrow. Once in the marrow it cannot be eliminated from the body. I have a 14 year old negative cat and a 2 year old positive cat. I do not separate them, there is still a small risk allowing them together but I vaccinate the negative one and cross my fingers. I don't know if I have ever seen anyone on here post that a neg turned pos from mixing, again though still a risk. Hope this helps, Tanya --- On Thu, 9/16/10, Natalie
Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia
Suggestion: Fix her a secure kennel outside. I put up a 12x12x6 foot kennel with a topper (anything, including a tarp, will work. I used left over chain link). Daddy had a piece of ductwork fixed so Ebony and Mi Tu could go to a window in a bath, go through a pet door, walk out in the ductwork and down a ramp into a kennel fitted with plastic milk crates and other toys. Both cats were FeLV-, healthy and wonderful. Ebony had been a street cat until about age 3 +. He became a yard cat then an inside outside cat then he and I moved and he needed to be an inside cat with a play area. The cost was less than $300 and I rested secure in the knowledge that Ebony (who was getting older) and Mi Tu (who had never lived inside) had a safe place to go. If you just let her go you are endangering other cats she may come into contact with. You may be subjecting her to a painful death too. If she becomes sick, other animals will prey on her. I'll leave the details to you. I don't tell you this to scare you but to be sure you realize what you may be doing. Dixie was grown when she can into my life. She was FeLV+ and very alone. She became a garage cat then a house trailer cat then a two house cat who had everything. I thought about just letting her go but could not do that to the other cats that depended on me...nor could I face what might happen to her. We live in the country with dogs, coyotes, hawks and.well, you get the idea. With a lot of stress-reducers, your little one will adjust. Actually, getting a companion who is FELV+ may be the best answer. On Sep 17, 2010, at 4:33 PM, Melinda Kerr wrote: Hello all, I haven't really posted much and I've never actually shared my story. I will be brief now and say that I have a 15 month young kitty who is FeLV positive and receiving Chemo for mediastinal lymphoma. The problem is, she doesn't know that she is supposed to be sick. At this time there are no outward signs of illness. She was allowed outside for a couple of hours at a time, never overnight and always staying close to home. Now, I try to limit her to outside time with close supervision. However, she has started to push the boundaries and is running and hiding from me. I know she is trying to play with me and alleviate some of her boredom. She spends the day begging to go out, crying meee u, all day long. She races us to the door and bites at our ankles to try to get out. I'm faced with the decision of just letting her go because her quality of life seems to depend on it. She is otherwise quite content. I am leaning toward giving her more outside time and dealing with the consequences. Her chances at a long life are very limited anyway and I feel that I should try to make her happy. Am I wrong to feel this way? Melinda and Fuji On Sep 18, 2010, at 2:52 AM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: Yes, Natalie. I have one little lady who is a rehabilitated feral. She raised a litter of kittens down by the creek. Some kind people trapped them and found homes for thekittens, but no one wanted mama cat. She's a lovely brushed coat calico. She is sweet as pie, and Never offers to run out the door. The look she gives is, Been there, done that, don't want it! She has her quirks (who doesn't?) but is a very loving companion. - Original Message - From: Natalie at...@optonline.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 5:54 AM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia I would advise the same...do not tempt fate by letting him out again. Use some Feliway spray or plug-in to de-stress their/his environment! Re: feral cats - 90% of the cats that I trap are feral! I don't release them; all of them adapt perfectly to living indoors - some have absolutely no desire to use their outdoor enclosure, they must be so happy to have a roof over their heads! Most become tame and are adopted, for some it happens too late and they're too old for anyone wanting them - couch potatoes, nonetheless!.Natalie -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Cougar Clan Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 8:38 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia Importance: High Some will disagree but, if you can, keeping Lucky inside will help keep him healthy at his age even w/o the FeLV issue. There are some ferals who hang out at Mom's that are in that age group and I worry about them. They can't be touched but are very wonderful cats. I live trapped them to s/n but they would totally stress out in a house. Lucky has settled down into a house routine as some other ferals of mine have. Don't tempt fate by letting him out again. (MHO) On Sep 16, 2010, at 11:01 PM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: Thanks, Tanya, that is helpful information.
Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia
Melinda, I am new to this site. My kitty is also is the same age as your, is FeLV+ and had mediastinal lymphoma. Can you give me more info: when diagnosed, when started chemo, any other treatments? My cat was really sick and almost lost him several times in July and August, this month he is doing better. We are doing the WM chemo week # 7. He has been on Interferon since July and LCTI since 7/31. He has good days and bad days, but more good now. His chest kept filling up with fluid and had to get him tapped several times. Please give me more info. Dawn -- From: Melinda Kerr msk...@me.com Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 5:33 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia Hello all, I haven't really posted much and I've never actually shared my story. I will be brief now and say that I have a 15 month young kitty who is FeLV positive and receiving Chemo for mediastinal lymphoma. The problem is, she doesn't know that she is supposed to be sick. At this time there are no outward signs of illness. She was allowed outside for a couple of hours at a time, never overnight and always staying close to home. Now, I try to limit her to outside time with close supervision. However, she has started to push the boundaries and is running and hiding from me. I know she is trying to play with me and alleviate some of her boredom. She spends the day begging to go out, crying meee u, all day long. She races us to the door and bites at our ankles to try to get out. I'm faced with the decision of just letting her go because her quality of life seems to depend on it. She is otherwise quite content. I am leaning toward giving her more outside time and dealing with the consequences. Her chances at a long life are very limited anyway and I feel that I should try to make her happy. Am I wrong to feel this way? Melinda and Fuji On Sep 18, 2010, at 2:52 AM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: Yes, Natalie. I have one little lady who is a rehabilitated feral. She raised a litter of kittens down by the creek. Some kind people trapped them and found homes for thekittens, but no one wanted mama cat. She's a lovely brushed coat calico. She is sweet as pie, and Never offers to run out the door. The look she gives is, Been there, done that, don't want it! She has her quirks (who doesn't?) but is a very loving companion. - Original Message - From: Natalie at...@optonline.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 5:54 AM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia I would advise the same...do not tempt fate by letting him out again. Use some Feliway spray or plug-in to de-stress their/his environment! Re: feral cats - 90% of the cats that I trap are feral! I don't release them; all of them adapt perfectly to living indoors - some have absolutely no desire to use their outdoor enclosure, they must be so happy to have a roof over their heads! Most become tame and are adopted, for some it happens too late and they're too old for anyone wanting them - couch potatoes, nonetheless!.Natalie -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Cougar Clan Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 8:38 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia Importance: High Some will disagree but, if you can, keeping Lucky inside will help keep him healthy at his age even w/o the FeLV issue. There are some ferals who hang out at Mom's that are in that age group and I worry about them. They can't be touched but are very wonderful cats. I live trapped them to s/n but they would totally stress out in a house. Lucky has settled down into a house routine as some other ferals of mine have. Don't tempt fate by letting him out again. (MHO) On Sep 16, 2010, at 11:01 PM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: Thanks, Tanya, that is helpful information. Lucky is between 11 and 13 yrs. My other cats are: 14, 9 and 7. I keep my cats _strictly_ indoors. Lucky would have to adapt to that life, or show me he will stay only in my yard (which, at his age, he might do). Thanks for the info on IFA -- I will request that. My main fears are(1) food and water dish sharing, and (2) litter box sharing. I keep one box per cat, but that does not mean each cat uses its own box. So I suspect there is box sharing. And I know that they eat indiscriminately from the dishes. - Original Message - From: TANYA NOE sashacatgodd...@yahoo.com To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia How old are your other cats? Cats develop some natural immunity with age. After the age of 1-3 they become less likely to develop FeLV. If vaccinated and over 3 the risk is there but small. How old is the cat that tested
[Felvtalk] Murphy's check up
We seemed to have the anemia under control with the Procrit (epogen) and iron, doxy and cypro, but we got hit hard today. I told our vet that although he seems good with color in his mucous membranes, he looks to me to be breathing too fast. She checked and his lungs sounded raspy-the ultrasound showed that he has pockets of fluid and lymphoma. We are going to be giving lasix and pred for the short time he has left. This FeLV has ravaged our little family-soon Rosie will be the last kitty standing out of the 6 we began this awful journey with 2 years ago. I am sick and cannot think-this is too much to bear. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Murphy's check up
Alice, I lost two of five to this lousy disease, can't imagine going through it as many times as you have. Wishing you strength to see Murphy through his journey. They were a lucky litter to find you. Hugs, Beth ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Murphy's check up
I'm so sorry Alice. You have done so much for Murphy and Rosie. I'll keep all of you in my prayers. Sharyl --- On Fri, 9/17/10, Alice Flowers aliceflow...@sbcglobal.net wrote: From: Alice Flowers aliceflow...@sbcglobal.net Subject: [Felvtalk] Murphy's check up To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Friday, September 17, 2010, 8:03 PM We seemed to have the anemia under control with the Procrit (epogen) and iron, doxy and cypro, but we got hit hard today. I told our vet that although he seems good with color in his mucous membranes, he looks to me to be breathing too fast. She checked and his lungs sounded raspy-the ultrasound showed that he has pockets of fluid and lymphoma. We are going to be giving lasix and pred for the short time he has left. This FeLV has ravaged our little family-soon Rosie will be the last kitty standing out of the 6 we began this awful journey with 2 years ago. I am sick and cannot think-this is too much to bear. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Murphy's check up
Rutin worked for the fluid build up in my kitty. You can get it at the health food store. It does take a couple of weeks to start working. I was getting him tapped all of the time. Now no new build of of fluid for 3 weeks. His breathing is good. I started with 250 mg and went up to 500 mg and it started to work. I gave him 125 4 times a day. I am have problems with anemia, RBC just under 4. Does the Procrit really work? I am sorry for your situation. I know this is so hard for all of us. Dawn -- From: Alice Flowers aliceflow...@sbcglobal.net Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 8:03 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] Murphy's check up We seemed to have the anemia under control with the Procrit (epogen) and iron, doxy and cypro, but we got hit hard today. I told our vet that although he seems good with color in his mucous membranes, he looks to me to be breathing too fast. She checked and his lungs sounded raspy-the ultrasound showed that he has pockets of fluid and lymphoma. We are going to be giving lasix and pred for the short time he has left. This FeLV has ravaged our little family-soon Rosie will be the last kitty standing out of the 6 we began this awful journey with 2 years ago. I am sick and cannot think-this is too much to bear. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia
What a wonderful kennel setup you have and I truly appreciate the detailed suggestion. We live on a military base in Japan and our whole yard isn't even the size of your kennel. I'm not even sure if chain link is something I could purchase here. Maybe if she hangs on until we move back to the states I will be able to use your suggestion. Thank you. On Sep 18, 2010, at 6:49 AM, Cougar Clan wrote: Suggestion: Fix her a secure kennel outside. I put up a 12x12x6 foot kennel with a topper (anything, including a tarp, will work. I used left over chain link). Daddy had a piece of ductwork fixed so Ebony and Mi Tu could go to a window in a bath, go through a pet door, walk out in the ductwork and down a ramp into a kennel fitted with plastic milk crates and other toys. Both cats were FeLV-, healthy and wonderful. Ebony had been a street cat until about age 3 +. He became a yard cat then an inside outside cat then he and I moved and he needed to be an inside cat with a play area. The cost was less than $300 and I rested secure in the knowledge that Ebony (who was getting older) and Mi Tu (who had never lived inside) had a safe place to go. If you just let her go you are endangering other cats she may come into contact with. You may be subjecting her to a painful death too. If she becomes sick, other animals will prey on her. I'll leave the details to you. I don't tell you this to scare you but to be sure you realize what you may be doing. Dixie was grown when she can into my life. She was FeLV+ and very alone. She became a garage cat then a house trailer cat then a two house cat who had everything. I thought about just letting her go but could not do that to the other cats that depended on me...nor could I face what might happen to her. We live in the country with dogs, coyotes, hawks and.well, you get the idea. With a lot of stress-reducers, your little one will adjust. Actually, getting a companion who is FELV+ may be the best answer. On Sep 17, 2010, at 4:33 PM, Melinda Kerr wrote: Hello all, I haven't really posted much and I've never actually shared my story. I will be brief now and say that I have a 15 month young kitty who is FeLV positive and receiving Chemo for mediastinal lymphoma. The problem is, she doesn't know that she is supposed to be sick. At this time there are no outward signs of illness. She was allowed outside for a couple of hours at a time, never overnight and always staying close to home. Now, I try to limit her to outside time with close supervision. However, she has started to push the boundaries and is running and hiding from me. I know she is trying to play with me and alleviate some of her boredom. She spends the day begging to go out, crying meee u, all day long. She races us to the door and bites at our ankles to try to get out. I'm faced with the decision of just letting her go because her quality of life seems to depend on it. She is otherwise quite content. I am leaning toward giving her more outside time and dealing with the consequences. Her chances at a long life are very limited anyway and I feel that I should try to make her happy. Am I wrong to feel this way? Melinda and Fuji On Sep 18, 2010, at 2:52 AM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: Yes, Natalie. I have one little lady who is a rehabilitated feral. She raised a litter of kittens down by the creek. Some kind people trapped them and found homes for thekittens, but no one wanted mama cat. She's a lovely brushed coat calico. She is sweet as pie, and Never offers to run out the door. The look she gives is, Been there, done that, don't want it! She has her quirks (who doesn't?) but is a very loving companion. - Original Message - From: Natalie at...@optonline.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 5:54 AM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia I would advise the same...do not tempt fate by letting him out again. Use some Feliway spray or plug-in to de-stress their/his environment! Re: feral cats - 90% of the cats that I trap are feral! I don't release them; all of them adapt perfectly to living indoors - some have absolutely no desire to use their outdoor enclosure, they must be so happy to have a roof over their heads! Most become tame and are adopted, for some it happens too late and they're too old for anyone wanting them - couch potatoes, nonetheless!.Natalie -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Cougar Clan Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 8:38 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia Importance: High Some will disagree but, if you can, keeping Lucky inside will help keep him healthy at his age even w/o the FeLV issue. There are some ferals who
Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia
I forgot to add that on our very small base there are no wild animals, most strays are caught almost immediately ( Fuji is collared and chipped) and the likelihood of Fuji coming across and getting into a confrontation with another cat are very slim. Most people who have cats brought them from the states and have already had them vaccinated. Again, very few are actually let out. The speed limit on most of the base is less than 40 kilometers per hour (about 25 mph.) I know there are a lot of things she can come across if she goes outside. I'll probably keep trying to sit out with her as I have done since she got sick. However, if she occasionally manages to escape my clutches, I won't worry too much! She stays pretty close and always comes home in a couple of hours. I really am trying to do my best to keep her healthy and happy. Thanks again for your input and concern. Melinda and Fuji On Sep 18, 2010, at 6:49 AM, Cougar Clan wrote: Suggestion: Fix her a secure kennel outside. I put up a 12x12x6 foot kennel with a topper (anything, including a tarp, will work. I used left over chain link). Daddy had a piece of ductwork fixed so Ebony and Mi Tu could go to a window in a bath, go through a pet door, walk out in the ductwork and down a ramp into a kennel fitted with plastic milk crates and other toys. Both cats were FeLV-, healthy and wonderful. Ebony had been a street cat until about age 3 +. He became a yard cat then an inside outside cat then he and I moved and he needed to be an inside cat with a play area. The cost was less than $300 and I rested secure in the knowledge that Ebony (who was getting older) and Mi Tu (who had never lived inside) had a safe place to go. If you just let her go you are endangering other cats she may come into contact with. You may be subjecting her to a painful death too. If she becomes sick, other animals will prey on her. I'll leave the details to you. I don't tell you this to scare you but to be sure you realize what you may be doing. Dixie was grown when she can into my life. She was FeLV+ and very alone. She became a garage cat then a house trailer cat then a two house cat who had everything. I thought about just letting her go but could not do that to the other cats that depended on me...nor could I face what might happen to her. We live in the country with dogs, coyotes, hawks and.well, you get the idea. With a lot of stress-reducers, your little one will adjust. Actually, getting a companion who is FELV+ may be the best answer. On Sep 17, 2010, at 4:33 PM, Melinda Kerr wrote: Hello all, I haven't really posted much and I've never actually shared my story. I will be brief now and say that I have a 15 month young kitty who is FeLV positive and receiving Chemo for mediastinal lymphoma. The problem is, she doesn't know that she is supposed to be sick. At this time there are no outward signs of illness. She was allowed outside for a couple of hours at a time, never overnight and always staying close to home. Now, I try to limit her to outside time with close supervision. However, she has started to push the boundaries and is running and hiding from me. I know she is trying to play with me and alleviate some of her boredom. She spends the day begging to go out, crying meee u, all day long. She races us to the door and bites at our ankles to try to get out. I'm faced with the decision of just letting her go because her quality of life seems to depend on it. She is otherwise quite content. I am leaning toward giving her more outside time and dealing with the consequences. Her chances at a long life are very limited anyway and I feel that I should try to make her happy. Am I wrong to feel this way? Melinda and Fuji On Sep 18, 2010, at 2:52 AM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: Yes, Natalie. I have one little lady who is a rehabilitated feral. She raised a litter of kittens down by the creek. Some kind people trapped them and found homes for thekittens, but no one wanted mama cat. She's a lovely brushed coat calico. She is sweet as pie, and Never offers to run out the door. The look she gives is, Been there, done that, don't want it! She has her quirks (who doesn't?) but is a very loving companion. - Original Message - From: Natalie at...@optonline.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 5:54 AM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia I would advise the same...do not tempt fate by letting him out again. Use some Feliway spray or plug-in to de-stress their/his environment! Re: feral cats - 90% of the cats that I trap are feral! I don't release them; all of them adapt perfectly to living indoors - some have absolutely no desire to use their outdoor enclosure, they must be so happy to have a roof over their heads! Most become tame and are
Re: [Felvtalk] Murphy's check up-Dawn / Procrit
I will go to the health food store tomorrow to see if I can find the Rutin! When we began with Murphy's anemia crash on 7/24 his RBC was 3.5, HGB 5.1, HCT 22 On 8/28 his RBC was 4.8, HGB 12.5, HCT was 33.9 I really think the combo of doxycycline (in case there was any parasites or other bacterial secondary junk) cyproheptadine because he had been sneezy and it helped with his appetite-the iron caps to help the anemia. The Procrit was only 21 units in an insulin syringe-easy to give at home sub q 3x a week. He had quit eating and drinking for a few days and I was using a syringe to feed him-he had lost almost 2 pounds-from 12 lbs to 10-today he was back up to 10 lbs 13 oz. I just feel like we crossed a big hurdle just to hit a brick wall. I am tired of losing my babies and crying. Whoda thunk it-I didn't even have a cat at all for over a decade before we trapped the feral babies-and I'd take a bullet for these guys-there has been so much loss, so quickly. This whole group has been on the same path with our sweet innocents. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Murphy's check up
Oh, Alice, I am so sorry. Hugs to you and your family, and an extra one to Murphy. Diane R. -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Alice Flowers Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 7:03 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] Murphy's check up We seemed to have the anemia under control with the Procrit (epogen) and iron, doxy and cypro, but we got hit hard today. I told our vet that although he seems good with color in his mucous membranes, he looks to me to be breathing too fast. She checked and his lungs sounded raspy-the ultrasound showed that he has pockets of fluid and lymphoma. We are going to be giving lasix and pred for the short time he has left. This FeLV has ravaged our little family-soon Rosie will be the last kitty standing out of the 6 we began this awful journey with 2 years ago. I am sick and cannot think-this is too much to bear. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
