[Felvtalk] new to the list and to FeLV (litter eating)
Hello I've just joined your list and have what might be an odd, maybe even really odd, question. I looked through the archives a bit but couldn't find a similar thread, so I apologize if there has been and I missed it. I work for a program that provides support (food pantry, vet vouchers, pet wellness clinics, education and in-home care) to folks living with HIV and AIDS to allow them to keep their pets at home with them when the financial and physical constraints of their illness might not otherwise allow them to. A number of our people have FeLV and FIV+ cats and while I'm somewhat familiar with FIV, having a FIV+ cat myself, I know nothing about FeLV and I'd like to learn from the list how to help my members better care for their + cats. I received a call from a client who is concerned about her FeLV cat - Precious has been somewhat more lethargic than usual but, most disturbingly to my client is that she has started, out of the blue, to eat cat litter. She wonders if this is something that FeLV cats do when there is a specific issue going on - is she looking for nutrients she isn't getting? Is she trying to calm some GI, oral, other upset? My first thought with positive cats is to bring them to the vet, but, in this case, my client does not have the resources personally and she has exhausted her benefits through our program. I am working all the places I can think of to try to find her some financial support ultimately, but in the meantime, I wonder if nayone out there has seen this sort of behavior and what it might mean? Thanks for any thoughts you might have. Best, d Diane 518-527-5739 ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] new to the list and to FeLV (litter eating)
Diane, eating litter is a classic sign of anemia. Here is the link to a Yahoo Anemia group. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline_Anemia/ Anemia is common with FeLV+ kitties. Your client could try adding some Super B Complex, B12 and folic acid to the kitty's food. Sharyl --- On Sat, 4/17/10, Diane dianeem...@aol.com wrote: From: Diane dianeem...@aol.com Subject: [Felvtalk] new to the list and to FeLV (litter eating) To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Saturday, April 17, 2010, 12:13 PM Hello I've just joined your list and have what might be an odd, maybe even really odd, question. I looked through the archives a bit but couldn't find a similar thread, so I apologize if there has been and I missed it. I work for a program that provides support (food pantry, vet vouchers, pet wellness clinics, education and in-home care) to folks living with HIV and AIDS to allow them to keep their pets at home with them when the financial and physical constraints of their illness might not otherwise allow them to. A number of our people have FeLV and FIV+ cats and while I'm somewhat familiar with FIV, having a FIV+ cat myself, I know nothing about FeLV and I'd like to learn from the list how to help my members better care for their + cats. I received a call from a client who is concerned about her FeLV cat - Precious has been somewhat more lethargic than usual but, most disturbingly to my client is that she has started, out of the blue, to eat cat litter. She wonders if this is something that FeLV cats do when there is a specific issue going on - is she looking for nutrients she isn't getting? Is she trying to calm some GI, oral, other upset? My first thought with positive cats is to bring them to the vet, but, in this case, my client does not have the resources personally and she has exhausted her benefits through our program. I am working all the places I can think of to try to find her some financial support ultimately, but in the meantime, I wonder if nayone out there has seen this sort of behavior and what it might mean? Thanks for any thoughts you might have. Best, d Diane 518-527-5739 ___ 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] new to the list and to FeLV (litter eating)
The cat is eating litter because it's anemic. A cat I rescued used to eat litter too. He would also lick the ground a lot. Then one day he just stopped eating and wouldn't move. I took him to the vet and found out that he was severely anemic and felv+. --- On Sat, 4/17/10, Diane dianeem...@aol.com wrote: From: Diane dianeem...@aol.com Subject: [Felvtalk] new to the list and to FeLV (litter eating) To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Saturday, April 17, 2010, 9:13 AM Hello I've just joined your list and have what might be an odd, maybe even really odd, question. I looked through the archives a bit but couldn't find a similar thread, so I apologize if there has been and I missed it. I work for a program that provides support (food pantry, vet vouchers, pet wellness clinics, education and in-home care) to folks living with HIV and AIDS to allow them to keep their pets at home with them when the financial and physical constraints of their illness might not otherwise allow them to. A number of our people have FeLV and FIV+ cats and while I'm somewhat familiar with FIV, having a FIV+ cat myself, I know nothing about FeLV and I'd like to learn from the list how to help my members better care for their + cats. I received a call from a client who is concerned about her FeLV cat - Precious has been somewhat more lethargic than usual but, most disturbingly to my client is that she has started, out of the blue, to eat cat litter. She wonders if this is something that FeLV cats do when there is a specific issue going on - is she looking for nutrients she isn't getting? Is she trying to calm some GI, oral, other upset? My first thought with positive cats is to bring them to the vet, but, in this case, my client does not have the resources personally and she has exhausted her benefits through our program. I am working all the places I can think of to try to find her some financial support ultimately, but in the meantime, I wonder if nayone out there has seen this sort of behavior and what it might mean? Thanks for any thoughts you might have. Best, d Diane 518-527-5739 ___ 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] new to the list and to FeLV (litter eating)
Good for you for being there to help those very lucky clients of yours! One of the things you might think about is the UAN Lifeline grants... they can't always help, but its always worth asking... http://www.uan.org/index.cfm?navid=161 There's also the AAHA Helping Pets Fund http://www.aahanet.org/OtherSites/helpingpets.aspx And if you're near vet school, sometimes they have low cost services available.. Christiane Biagi -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Diane Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2010 12:14 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] new to the list and to FeLV (litter eating) Hello I've just joined your list and have what might be an odd, maybe even really odd, question. I looked through the archives a bit but couldn't find a similar thread, so I apologize if there has been and I missed it. I work for a program that provides support (food pantry, vet vouchers, pet wellness clinics, education and in-home care) to folks living with HIV and AIDS to allow them to keep their pets at home with them when the financial and physical constraints of their illness might not otherwise allow them to. A number of our people have FeLV and FIV+ cats and while I'm somewhat familiar with FIV, having a FIV+ cat myself, I know nothing about FeLV and I'd like to learn from the list how to help my members better care for their + cats. I received a call from a client who is concerned about her FeLV cat - Precious has been somewhat more lethargic than usual but, most disturbingly to my client is that she has started, out of the blue, to eat cat litter. She wonders if this is something that FeLV cats do when there is a specific issue going on - is she looking for nutrients she isn't getting? Is she trying to calm some GI, oral, other upset? My first thought with positive cats is to bring them to the vet, but, in this case, my client does not have the resources personally and she has exhausted her benefits through our program. I am working all the places I can think of to try to find her some financial support ultimately, but in the meantime, I wonder if nayone out there has seen this sort of behavior and what it might mean? Thanks for any thoughts you might have. Best, d Diane 518-527-5739 ___ 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] new to the list and to FeLV (litter eating)
Almost all cats I know that do this are anemic. She should get her to the vet and have blood work done specifically looking for anemia and hemobartonella a virus positives are very prone to get, it comes from fleas and even if the test is negative I would start the cat on doxocycline and prednisolone. It is very, very, very hard to find the parasites on a slide, I know of cats that have been tested 5 or 6 times before they actually found the parasite, thankfully their vets put them on the doxy and pred or they may very well have died. Hemobartonella is fatal if not treated. -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... http://bemikitties.com http://BelindaSauro.com ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] new to the list and to FeLV (litter eating)
Yes that should be added along with iron, all of these can be found in Nutrived: http://www.calvetsupply.com/product/Nutrived_B_Complex_4oz/Veterinary_Nutritional_Supplements this is the best palce I have found to buy this. BUT if the anemia is because of hemobatonella this will not help, you need to have the cat on doxy or some other tetrocycline family antibiotic and prednisolone. Diane, eating litter is a classic sign of anemia. Here is the link to a Yahoo Anemia group. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline_Anemia/ Anemia is common with FeLV+ kitties. Your client could try adding some Super B Complex, B12 and folic acid to the kitty's food. Sharyl -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... http://bemikitties.com http://BelindaSauro.com ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
