Re: Kitten potentially exposed to FeLV

[Gloria B. Lane]

Just wanted to say I totally agree about FELV not being as contagious  
as one might think.   In your situation, I'd think it's so very  
unlikely that that kitten picked up FELV from breathing the air for a  
short time with a couple of FELV cats.


In our rescue program, we routinely do Elisa tests on our cats.
I've heard that the Elisa is very accurate in detecting if the cat is  
positive, and any error would most likely be for a cat shown to be  
positive but is actually negative. Also, what I've heard is that the  
primary cause of error with the Elisa test is in the handling by the  
person who does the test.  We've never had problems, and we do  
routine phone checks on all our cats once they go to homes.


However, in checking at "Dr Mike's" web site at http:// 
www.vetinfo4cats.com/, he says  - "A positive ELISA (the usual "in  
house" test run at vet clinics) is approximately 50% accurate when a  
cat tests positive and appears to be healthy. It is much more  
accurate in cats who appear ill. It would be best to have the FeLV  
test repeated using a more specific test procedure, either an IFA  
test or a Western Blot test. These usually have to be done by  
commercial labs."   Yo - I've never heard that before, something to  
really think about.


Not that we have to believe it all (I get used to questioning  
everything re FELV) - but it's of real interest!   He also says, re  
contagion, "It is hard to get a really firm estimate of how much risk  
of feline leukemia infection is present for an adult cat living in a  
household with an FeLV positive cat. This has been studied in a small  
number of studies and it looks like the risk is about 11% for  
infection over the course of the life of the cat but the studies were  
done in multiple cat households (greater than 5 cats in most cases)  
so the risk may be less or more when only two cats are present."


Some on this list, btw, do routinely mix our FELV and non-FELV cats  
with no problem, but some of course would never do that.


Best of luck,

Gloria


On Sep 17, 2007, at 11:51 AM, Maryanne Velard wrote:


Hi Diane -
Thank you for the advice. I will be having the kitten tested this  
Wednesday with the ELISA in the doctor's office test, it has not  
yet been tested. Should I ask then for the IFA test if comes back  
negative? I'm not sure the sequence of what to ask for when. I was  
just wondering if the exposure this little guy had to the indoor  
FeLV+ cats in the man's home could show up later in life and  
negative now.


Thanks again -
MaryAnne

"Rosenfeldt, Diane" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hi, Maryanne --

You'll get some great advice from this bunch, but just a couple  
things:


1.FeLV isn't as drastically contagious as is often thought.   
The virus doesn't live long in air, and is mostly transmitted  
through exchange of bodily fluids, so if the kitten hasn't been  
eating or fighting with the indoor cats, chances are the kitten is  
OK, at least as far as contracting it from them; there is still a  
chance, of course, that it had an FeLV+ mother.


2.I am assuming that you had the IFA test done on the kitten on  
Wednesday, since you don't yet know the results; the ELISA tests  
are done in-office so you know right away, but they are much less  
accurate.  Please know that even if positive you should have the  
kitten retested in 90 days, since sometimes (this is mostly in  
cases where it was exposed via its mother) kits will test positive  
but "throw" the virus later as their immune systems develop.  I  
believe there have been cases of false negatives (but especially in  
the case of the ELISA tests, far more false positives).


I'm sorry for the loss of your old kitty.  It's very hard watching  
them be ill and not being able to help.


Diane R.

From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:felvtalk- 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Maryanne Velard

Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 11:18 AM
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: Kitten potentially exposed to FeLV

Hi, I'm new to this site, and have a question. This past weekend, I  
answered an ad in the paper for a kitten found in backyard of  
someone's house. I went to the house, and the man there told me the  
kitten showed up at his doorstep about 1 month ago. They he had  
been feeding him, and I saw the food/water bowls outside. He told  
me he had 2 indoor cats. I saw one of them while I was there. He  
brought the kitten I adopted inside (it was very friendly,  
obviously not ferrel) for me to see. I ended up taking the kitten  
home. He looks like he's about 10-12 weeks old.


The next day he called me and told me his 2 indoor cats were FeLV+  
and that he lost another cat this past July to FeLV. I asked him if  
the kitten I took was exposed to his cats, and he said they  
remained outdoors and separted all the time. However, he did allow  
the kitten inside when I was there visiting, so I'm not certain I  
believe him 100%.


I will be having the kitten tested 

RE: Kitten potentially exposed to FeLV

[Rosenfeldt, Diane]

I thought you had already had the kitty tested, sorry.  You might not
even want to bother with the ELISA, actually, since it is not that
accurate either way.  I have limited experience but if it were me,
knowing what I do now, I'd go straight for the IFA, and then have
another IFA in 3 months or so, either way.  Sometimes the disease is
dormant in the bone marrow for many years, but if I recall correctly,
the IFA should show whether the kitten has it in his bone marrow at all.
 
Diane



From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Maryanne
Velard
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 11:51 AM
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: RE: Kitten potentially exposed to FeLV


Hi Diane -
Thank you for the advice. I will be having the kitten tested this
Wednesday with the ELISA in the doctor's office test, it has not yet
been tested. Should I ask then for the IFA test if comes back negative?
I'm not sure the sequence of what to ask for when. I was just wondering
if the exposure this little guy had to the indoor FeLV+ cats in the
man's home could show up later in life and negative now.
 
Thanks again -
MaryAnne

"Rosenfeldt, Diane" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

Hi, Maryanne --
 
You'll get some great advice from this bunch, but just a couple
things:  
 
1.FeLV isn't as drastically contagious as is often thought.
The virus doesn't live long in air, and is mostly transmitted through
exchange of bodily fluids, so if the kitten hasn't been eating or
fighting with the indoor cats, chances are the kitten is OK, at least as
far as contracting it from them; there is still a chance, of course,
that it had an FeLV+ mother.
 
2.I am assuming that you had the IFA test done on the kitten
on Wednesday, since you don't yet know the results; the ELISA tests are
done in-office so you know right away, but they are much less accurate.
Please know that even if positive you should have the kitten retested in
90 days, since sometimes (this is mostly in cases where it was exposed
via its mother) kits will test positive but "throw" the virus later as
their immune systems develop.  I believe there have been cases of false
negatives (but especially in the case of the ELISA tests, far more false
positives).  
 
I'm sorry for the loss of your old kitty.  It's very hard
watching them be ill and not being able to help.
 
Diane R.



From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Maryanne
Velard
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 11:18 AM
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: Kitten potentially exposed to FeLV


Hi, I'm new to this site, and have a question. This past
weekend, I answered an ad in the paper for a kitten found in backyard of
someone's house. I went to the house, and the man there told me the
kitten showed up at his doorstep about 1 month ago. They he had been
feeding him, and I saw the food/water bowls outside. He told me he had 2
indoor cats. I saw one of them while I was there. He brought the kitten
I adopted inside (it was very friendly, obviously not ferrel) for me to
see. I ended up taking the kitten home. He looks like he's about 10-12
weeks old.
 
The next day he called me and told me his 2 indoor cats were
FeLV+ and that he lost another cat this past July to FeLV. I asked him
if the kitten I took was exposed to his cats, and he said they remained
outdoors and separted all the time. However, he did allow the kitten
inside when I was there visiting, so I'm not certain I believe him 100%.
 
I will be having the kitten tested Wednesday for FeLV/FIV, and
if negative again in 90 days. This kitten is now in my home strictly
indoors, with no other animals. My question is this, if the combo tests
I have done show up negative, could the kitten still have FeLV lying
dormant until something stressful happens to him, or he gets sick with
something else? I've read some controversies on the Web, and would like
to know what the possibilities are.
 
I had a 19 year old cat that lived her last 4 years with Vaccine
Associated Sarcoma, and it was very emotionally draining. She died this
past July.  I'd like to be sure I start with a healthly kitten, not one
that could have this disease lying dormant.
 
Thank you for your time.
-MaryAnne


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RE: Kitten potentially exposed to FeLV

[Maryanne Velard]

Hi Diane -
  Thank you for the advice. I will be having the kitten tested this Wednesday 
with the ELISA in the doctor's office test, it has not yet been tested. Should 
I ask then for the IFA test if comes back negative? I'm not sure the sequence 
of what to ask for when. I was just wondering if the exposure this little guy 
had to the indoor FeLV+ cats in the man's home could show up later in life and 
negative now.
   
  Thanks again -
  MaryAnne

"Rosenfeldt, Diane" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
  Hi, Maryanne --
   
  You'll get some great advice from this bunch, but just a couple things:  
   
  1.FeLV isn't as drastically contagious as is often thought.  The virus 
doesn't live long in air, and is mostly transmitted through exchange of bodily 
fluids, so if the kitten hasn't been eating or fighting with the indoor cats, 
chances are the kitten is OK, at least as far as contracting it from them; 
there is still a chance, of course, that it had an FeLV+ mother.
   
  2.I am assuming that you had the IFA test done on the kitten on 
Wednesday, since you don't yet know the results; the ELISA tests are done 
in-office so you know right away, but they are much less accurate.  Please know 
that even if positive you should have the kitten retested in 90 days, since 
sometimes (this is mostly in cases where it was exposed via its mother) kits 
will test positive but "throw" the virus later as their immune systems develop. 
 I believe there have been cases of false negatives (but especially in the case 
of the ELISA tests, far more false positives).  
   
  I'm sorry for the loss of your old kitty.  It's very hard watching them be 
ill and not being able to help.
   
  Diane R.
  


-
  From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Maryanne Velard
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 11:18 AM
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: Kitten potentially exposed to FeLV


  
  Hi, I'm new to this site, and have a question. This past weekend, I answered 
an ad in the paper for a kitten found in backyard of someone's house. I went to 
the house, and the man there told me the kitten showed up at his doorstep about 
1 month ago. They he had been feeding him, and I saw the food/water bowls 
outside. He told me he had 2 indoor cats. I saw one of them while I was there. 
He brought the kitten I adopted inside (it was very friendly, obviously not 
ferrel) for me to see. I ended up taking the kitten home. He looks like he's 
about 10-12 weeks old.
   
  The next day he called me and told me his 2 indoor cats were FeLV+ and that 
he lost another cat this past July to FeLV. I asked him if the kitten I took 
was exposed to his cats, and he said they remained outdoors and separted all 
the time. However, he did allow the kitten inside when I was there visiting, so 
I'm not certain I believe him 100%.
   
  I will be having the kitten tested Wednesday for FeLV/FIV, and if negative 
again in 90 days. This kitten is now in my home strictly indoors, with no other 
animals. My question is this, if the combo tests I have done show up negative, 
could the kitten still have FeLV lying dormant until something stressful 
happens to him, or he gets sick with something else? I've read some 
controversies on the Web, and would like to know what the possibilities are.
   
  I had a 19 year old cat that lived her last 4 years with Vaccine Associated 
Sarcoma, and it was very emotionally draining. She died this past July.  I'd 
like to be sure I start with a healthly kitten, not one that could have this 
disease lying dormant.
   
  Thank you for your time.
  -MaryAnne

-
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RE: Kitten potentially exposed to FeLV

[Rosenfeldt, Diane]

Hi, Maryanne --
 
You'll get some great advice from this bunch, but just a couple things:

 
1.FeLV isn't as drastically contagious as is often thought.  The
virus doesn't live long in air, and is mostly transmitted through
exchange of bodily fluids, so if the kitten hasn't been eating or
fighting with the indoor cats, chances are the kitten is OK, at least as
far as contracting it from them; there is still a chance, of course,
that it had an FeLV+ mother.
 
2.I am assuming that you had the IFA test done on the kitten on
Wednesday, since you don't yet know the results; the ELISA tests are
done in-office so you know right away, but they are much less accurate.
Please know that even if positive you should have the kitten retested in
90 days, since sometimes (this is mostly in cases where it was exposed
via its mother) kits will test positive but "throw" the virus later as
their immune systems develop.  I believe there have been cases of false
negatives (but especially in the case of the ELISA tests, far more false
positives).  
 
I'm sorry for the loss of your old kitty.  It's very hard watching them
be ill and not being able to help.
 
Diane R.



From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Maryanne
Velard
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 11:18 AM
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: Kitten potentially exposed to FeLV


Hi, I'm new to this site, and have a question. This past weekend, I
answered an ad in the paper for a kitten found in backyard of someone's
house. I went to the house, and the man there told me the kitten showed
up at his doorstep about 1 month ago. They he had been feeding him, and
I saw the food/water bowls outside. He told me he had 2 indoor cats. I
saw one of them while I was there. He brought the kitten I adopted
inside (it was very friendly, obviously not ferrel) for me to see. I
ended up taking the kitten home. He looks like he's about 10-12 weeks
old.
 
The next day he called me and told me his 2 indoor cats were FeLV+ and
that he lost another cat this past July to FeLV. I asked him if the
kitten I took was exposed to his cats, and he said they remained
outdoors and separted all the time. However, he did allow the kitten
inside when I was there visiting, so I'm not certain I believe him 100%.
 
I will be having the kitten tested Wednesday for FeLV/FIV, and if
negative again in 90 days. This kitten is now in my home strictly
indoors, with no other animals. My question is this, if the combo tests
I have done show up negative, could the kitten still have FeLV lying
dormant until something stressful happens to him, or he gets sick with
something else? I've read some controversies on the Web, and would like
to know what the possibilities are.
 
I had a 19 year old cat that lived her last 4 years with Vaccine
Associated Sarcoma, and it was very emotionally draining. She died this
past July.  I'd like to be sure I start with a healthly kitten, not one
that could have this disease lying dormant.
 
Thank you for your time.
-MaryAnne



Be a better Heartthrob. Get better relationship answers
 from
someone who knows.
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This electronic mail transmission and any attachments are confidential and may 
be privileged.  
They should be read or retained only by the intended recipient.  If you have 
received this 
transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the 
transmission from 
your system.  In addition, in order to comply with Treasury Circular 230, we 
are required to 
inform you that unless we have specifically stated to the contrary in writing, 
any advice we 
provide in this email or any attachment concerning federal tax issues or 
submissions is not 
intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, to avoid federal tax 
penalties.

RE: Kitten potentially exposed to FeLV

[Melissa Lind]

MaryAnne,

 

Welcome to this list! I do not currently have an FeLV cat, but from what
I've learned, it is rather difficult to transfer. The kitten would need to
have come in contact with saliva from those cats or been bitten by them,
etc. I would compare it to the difficulty in transferring AIDS from casual
contact. Also, most people believe that the virus cannot stay alive very
long. What I mean: once the saliva is dry, the virus is dead and
non-transferable. I hope that the man is telling the truth when he says that
the cats were separated.

 

As for vaccinations, I never vaccinate my cats against FeLV for the very
reason you've listed: Vaccine Associated Sarcoma. I'm so sorry you had to go
through this! I am terrified that my cats will get that, so I vaccinate as
little as possible, and definitely not for FeLV since my cats do not go
outside or come in contact with positive cats.

 

As for testing, I think that if your cat tests negative on the IFA (the test
the vet's office sends out for) twice, then you should be fine, but I'm not
sure. I know that with kittens, they need to be of a certain age before
testing is even accurate. Others on this site will know better than I.

 

As for your peace of mind, if your kitten appears healthy right now, I would
hope that all is okay. From what I've read on here, kittens with FeLV are
very symptomatic. However, I'm not as experienced, so I'm sure that you'll
get lots of good advice from others here.

 

What is most important is that you did a wonderful and compassionate thing
by taking this baby into your home. Thanks for helping the helpless!

 

Melissa

 

  _  

From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Maryanne Velard
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 11:18 AM
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: Kitten potentially exposed to FeLV

 

Hi, I'm new to this site, and have a question. This past weekend, I answered
an ad in the paper for a kitten found in backyard of someone's house. I went
to the house, and the man there told me the kitten showed up at his doorstep
about 1 month ago. They he had been feeding him, and I saw the food/water
bowls outside. He told me he had 2 indoor cats. I saw one of them while I
was there. He brought the kitten I adopted inside (it was very friendly,
obviously not ferrel) for me to see. I ended up taking the kitten home. He
looks like he's about 10-12 weeks old.

 

The next day he called me and told me his 2 indoor cats were FeLV+ and that
he lost another cat this past July to FeLV. I asked him if the kitten I took
was exposed to his cats, and he said they remained outdoors and separted all
the time. However, he did allow the kitten inside when I was there visiting,
so I'm not certain I believe him 100%.

 

I will be having the kitten tested Wednesday for FeLV/FIV, and if negative
again in 90 days. This kitten is now in my home strictly indoors, with no
other animals. My question is this, if the combo tests I have done show up
negative, could the kitten still have FeLV lying dormant until something
stressful happens to him, or he gets sick with something else? I've read
some controversies on the Web, and would like to know what the possibilities
are.

 

I had a 19 year old cat that lived her last 4 years with Vaccine Associated
Sarcoma, and it was very emotionally draining. She died this past July.  I'd
like to be sure I start with a healthly kitten, not one that could have this
disease lying dormant.

 

Thank you for your time.

-MaryAnne

  

  _  

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  better
relationship answers from someone who knows.
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