I do think kittens are a different story. Their immune system is not fully
developed yet.
For that reason I think I would keep them separate until at least 6 or 8
months. If for other reason than they would drive older cats crazy with all
their energy. I know when I first got Harley and Dee at 3 months, Annie and
Homey avoided them as much as possible. Harley is the only one who goes
outside every day (unless it is snowing or raining like it has been here for
the last 3 - 4 weeks) I am up on a bluff so I don't have to worry about
flooding, but I don't want to let them get wet and maybe get a cold. Harley
patrols his territory around the house and does go across our dirt road about
100 yards and comes back to lie on the deck and take a nape. Got to have
vitamin D. Dee goes on the deck or if I am outside, she will trail along with
me, and then back to the deck for a nap. Annie will go on the deck and snooze.
Homey is the one that surprises me. She was feral and up until 1 year ago,
would go out every day. Now she won't go past the door. She acts like she
wants out, runs to the door and then puts on the brakes. The only reason I
can think of is Clyde, our neighborhood mountain lion showed up about a year
ago and she can smell him and her feral background says stay inside where it is
safe. But then, he has never come closer than a distance from my house to 2
electric poles away. He is on a deer crossing. First saw him when I went out
for the mail and I thought he was a golden retriever so said hi to him. Then
his tail was down, not up and when he turned he gave me a one sided snarl
telling me I was a stupid old lady, sat down for a minute and then mosied on
across the road. We have run into each other on walks in the woods since then
but he usually just looks at me and goes on his way. Plus, he does not scare
Harley. Also, I am in the middle of the woods and there are lots of critters
out there for him to dine on. So for all the above, I don't get any shots
anymore. The trauma of crating them and listening to their
NoS all the way (20 miles) and sulking on the way home is a bit much
for them and me. This has been 4 years now and everyone is healthy and happy.
I could see if you were in a city where they could contact many other cats and
dogs that shots may be necessary unless they stayed in all the time. Even
then, vets say get shots every year. I think in many cases it is an easy money
maker. They are getting like human doctors. By the way, flea and tick control
is as easy as a few catnip plants. Have to watch them as they do spread, but
for 4 years now, I noticed that my cats never have fleas or ticks. Then one
day found out anything in the mint family is a repellent for bugs. So that is
one more expense and exposure to toxins that I can avoid.
Lorrie felineres...@frontier.com wrote:
I have wondered exactly the same thing. I've had two FelV+ cats with
my other 8 neg. cats for over 5 years. They neg. cats were vaccinated
only once, and none have ever gotten sick. Of the 2 FelV + cats,
one lived to the age of 7 and suddenly died with no prior illness.
The other 7 year old cat (her sister) is still fine. One of my vets
told me it was very difficult for a grown cat to get FelV, but a
kitten born with it from a positive mother almost always dies.
I had a litter of 4 pos. kittens and all of them died during the
first year of their lives. It was terribly heart breaking.
Lorrie
On 07-01, dlg...@windstream.net wrote:
I am beginning to wonder if FELV is as contagious and the vets
claim. My cats are all ferals, dump cats and I have had 2 who were
declared FELV positive. One did pass in 2 years of something else.
Annie has been with me over 4 years now and at first, I vacinnated
all the others . 2 years ago, I stopped that and everyone is
healthy, bright eyed and happy. I am convinced that Annie really
is not positive, just a tremendeous amount of stress that happened
just before I got her. She has never shown any signs or symptoms
of any disease. The rest of the cats are healthy.
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