My adopted stray has FIV...

[CatFancy33]

I just took Mr. Raggs (the neighborhood stray my husband and I decided to adopt) to the vet this morning to get him tested, all his vaccines and to get him nuetered.
Well it turns out that he's allready nuetered, wich means someone abandoned him.
But he tested positive for the FIV virus, (negative for Feline Lukemia). I've had cats with Feline Lukemia before but never FIV. The vet told me some information on the disease but i'm still worried about the guy.
If anyone has had a cat with FIV, please let me know...I need some reassurance :)

Thanks.

[Lallypop11]

OH NO NOT MR. RAGGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What does that mean for him? Poor baby. :(

[cubby31682]

I don't have any advice for you but I hope things will get better for you and your new addition. Maybe others will be able to help you, for some reason I can not remember what FIV stands for.

Katie

P.S. Welcome to PT, there are alot of great people here who can help you.

[luckies4me]

FIV is Feline AIDS. It is almost always fatal, although some cats can live a long time with this. You need to decide if you are going to euthanize him, or take him inside to be an inside ONLY cat, or else he will just infect others, and help spread this terrible disease. Do you think you can take him inside? I am so sorry he tested positive. :(

[amoore]

I'm so sorry about that poor sweet kitty having FIV! I know that is bad.:(

[CatFancy33]

FIV simply put is the cat equivalent to HIV or Aids in humans.
I have three other kitties who are strictly indoor kitties...I don't want to bring him inside because they will definately fight, and FIV is transmitted from kitty to kitty through bites.
The vet said that most cats who have FIV can live just as long as a normal kitty, but are more likely to get sick easier.
:(

[catcrazylady]

I have heard of rescues and foster homes that take only FIV positive kitties. Maybe you could find one in your area and they could help Mr. Raggs. Then you wouldn't have to worry about others being infected or have him get sick because he is exposed to so much while he is outside. I'm sure there is a fountain of info on this subject from a lot of the members who deal with rescue groups. This sounds like the best alternative to me because he couldn't infect others and he could live a good life inside where his health could be easily monitered. I hope someone else has info on this and can be of help to you.
I hope you have a very long and happy life Mr. Raggs!! We will be praying for you!!http://petoftheday.com/talk/images/our_smilies/biggrin.gif

[luckies4me]

Originally posted by CatFancy33
FIV simply put is the cat equivalent to HIV or Aids in humans.
I have three other kitties who are strictly indoor kitties...I don't want to bring him inside because they will definately fight, and FIV is transmitted from kitty to kitty through bites.
The vet said that most cats who have FIV can live just as long as a normal kitty, but are more likely to get sick easier.
:(


Did you read my post?

[Kirsten]

Oh no, I'm so sorry... :( How scary!:(

I don't know much about it, except that it's the feline form of AIDS (feline immunodeficiency virus) and that a cat can live with it for years before it's showing any symptoms.

Here's a link: http://www.thecatsite.com/cat_health/health.php?a=fiv

Kirsten

[CatFancy33]

Thanks for the ideas everybody...I really appreciate all your thoughts on this.
I'll let you all know any updates when I go to pick him up tonight.

[PayItForward]

We had the same situation recently with Caramel, our nearly cat.

I had seen him around and feed him a few times and when we finally managed to catch him and get him to the vets it was bad news :(

He had full blown aids and tumors in his mouth that were cancerous. He was suffering and even with treatment would have continued to suffer, so we made the difficult decision to have him put to sleep :( *cries*

It upsets me to this day but I know we did the right thing for him.

I really feel for you to be in this difficult situation.

[Randy_K]

FIV does not mean your cat will die soon. He may live a long, healthy, happy life... but only as an indoor cat. An outdoor cat will infect others (NOT good and totally irresponsible) and will get hurt. The latter injuries may hasten an early death from infections that can't be controlled. If you can't commit to keeping him indoors, find a FIV shelter for him!

[PayItForward]

CatFancy33....Any update ?

[jenluckenbach]

FIV is not a death sentence nor a reason to euthanise, but if your cats fight, there is a real danger. He should be allowed to go some where where he will be safe from fighting (and therefore infecting others). Can you contact rescues in your area? someone might take him in or in the least help to place him.

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
FIV is not a death sentence nor a reason to euthanise,
Jen is right, we have Caramel put to sleep because of the combinations of problems he had not just the Aids. Though in England very few shelters, take in positive cats. :(

[smokey the elder]

FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) is transmitted among cats in a similar way to HIV in humans.

FIV cats can live a long time, if they are kept indoors, well-fed and vet checked.

If there is a risk of fighting, FIV cats should only be with other FIV cats.

FIV cats can be quarantined from other cat; the virus is not airborne.

Here's a pic of one of Little Orphan Animals' FIV cats. He's eight years old.

Presenting: Rocky.

[CatFancy33]

Oh MY GOSH! That looks exactly like Mr. Raggs! Except that Mr. Raggs has lots of nics in his ears :(
The vet said that the FIV virus is transmitted through bites because it is in their saliva and one of the things we could do to make it much less of a risk of him transmitting it to other kitties is to shave down his kanines. His kanines were allready chipped so they had to do that anyway.
We are keeping Mr. Raggs...he is such a sweetheart, and I just couldn't imagine giving him away just because he has a disease. I hate it when pet owners do things like that...
We havn't taken much pictures, but here is the one I have. More to come soon.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid89/p524096c479cbeaa8641e339879cfbd00/fa777cfc.jpg

[K & L]

Here's a link to a rescue group for special needs cats:

http://www.felinerescue.net/RESCUES_BY_LOCATION/SPECIAL_NEEDS.htm

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by CatFancy33
The vet said that the FIV virus is transmitted through bites because it is in their saliva and one of the things we could do to make it much less of a risk of him transmitting it to other kitties is to shave down his kanines. His kanines were allready chipped so they had to do that anyway.
We are keeping Mr. Raggs...he is such a sweetheart, and I just couldn't imagine giving him away just because he has a disease. I hate it when pet owners do things like that...

This is your decision to make and I am just sticking my opinion in uninvited.

If this was my decision to make, I would look at K&L link for special needs kitties and get him rehomed with other FIV kitties.

For two reasons :-

:One. To ensure he has a good forever home with other FIV cats, whom he can safely play with for the rest of his life.

:Two. To safeguard the health of your existing cats.

I personally would not put my own cats at risk.

He will bite and scratch your cats, as cats will play together. Sooner or later he is very likely to infected one or more of your cats.

My pet siter had kindly took in a FIV cat and now several years later four of their existing cats have since died of FIV.

Are you willing to shorten your existing cats lives by letting them be infected by this disease ?

Personally I would be racked with guilt if this happened to one of mine.

Please think hard....not about what YOU want but about what is best for both your existing cats and the FIV stray.

Which in my opinion, is different homes.

PS. The exchange of salvia will happen whilst sharing water/food bowls and whilst grooming each other, shaving his teeth won't help in these areas.

[CatFancy33]

Actually FIV is not contracted through sharing of food, water bowls and the like. However, FIV–positive cats are frequently infected with other sicknesses, such as colds, which can get a FIV-negative cat sick, not with FIV but with whatever "secondary" sickness the FIV cat has. I talked a lot with my vet about it and have done some research...they actually have cats that live at the vet office who are FIV positive, and they reside with healthy cats and have no problem. This doesn't mean I am going to put my cats at risk. I am not bringing Mr. Raggs inside with my other cats. My husband and I will be getting a house soon and will keep him in a seperate room.
For now, we built him a little cardboard home out on the back porch with a bed, blankets and a heating pad.

[PayItForward]

Keep the Mr Raggs seperate from your cats is the right thing to do BUT is it fair on Mr Raggs to spend the rest of his life alone ?

Why do you want to keep him so badly ?

What is best for Mr Raggs ?

: Living elsewhere with the run of a house, with other FIV kitties

: Living in your spare room on his own for years.

You need to stop thinking about what you want and start thinking about Mr Raggs. He could be a perfect companion for an already infected cat.

There are plenty of healthy cats you could adopt which could be mixed in with yours, if you are looking for another pet right now.

Alternatively you can wait until your current cats have crossed the bridge and fill your house with FIV kitties (Which would be a very loving & charitable deed)

But can you put your hand on your heart and say that living alone in one room for life is the best possible life for Mr Raggs.

PS. He is a very bonnie cat and I bet he could relatively be very easy to rehome.

[jenluckenbach]

Actually there is one other very good reason to find him an indoor home. He CAN AND WILL transmit this to other strays if and when he fights. And they will transmit it to still more cats and on and on forever. Isn't it better to give him a chance at a home where he will NOT infect others?

[CatFancy33]

How do you know what's good for him?
Believe me, I put his health and the health of my other cats way before what I feel and want, and I don't appreciate you assuming that I do.
I have looked at the opportunity of giving him away to a shelter with allready infected cats...this is harder than you think. Shelters are allready full and don't easily take infected cats.
Why do I want to keep him so badly? Because he deserves the same love, attention, affection and care that any of my cats do. I'm not going to give him away to somebody else so that they can worry about it.
He's allready been abandoned once.
Why does everybody so easily give away a cat with a disease? What ever happened to caring for it yourself?

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by CatFancy33
How do you know what's good for him?
Believe me, I put his health and the health of my other cats way before what I feel and want, and I don't appreciate you assuming that I do.
I have looked at the opportunity of giving him away to a shelter with allready infected cats...this is harder than you think. Shelters are allready full and don't easily take infected cats.
Why do I want to keep him so badly? Because he deserves the same love, attention, affection and care that any of my cats do. I'm not going to give him away to somebody else so that they can worry about it.
He's allready been abandoned once.
Why does everybody so easily give away a cat with a disease? What ever happened to caring for it yourself?
You have made your mind up, so there is no reason in discussing this further.

You are being selfish in (currently) keeping this cat outside to infect other strays and you will continue to be selfish when you bring him inside, to imprisioned him in one room for the rest of his natural life, this is very cruel.

You don't even want to TRY to find a more suitable place for him because YOU want him. You are fulfilling your own selfish desires instead of looking at what is best for the cat.

I pray that Mr Raggs has a reasonable life, isolated on his own in a spare room for the rest of his life. May he not suffer from lack of company and lack of space. I hope Mr Raggs life is as painless and happy as it can be, poor kitty. :(

I also pray that your cats never manage to slip into Mr Raggs room and become infected. :(

You idea of LOVE and CARE are new definations, I haven't previously heard of before :mad:

Before people diss me for being too angry. Just take a minute to think about this poor kitty living his entire life in one room with no company apart from when the 'owners' (or should that be 'jailers' visit him.)

PS. If you think about the situation without the 'I want' reasons to keep him and decide to rehome him. I would like to help towards the cost needed to transport him to a new FIV inside home or shelter.

[PayItForward]

This shelter takes FIV cats in your area.

Good Mews Animal Foundation
788 Sandtown Road
Marietta, GA 30060-3046
Phone: (770) 499-7370
[email protected]

[jenluckenbach]

Catfancy.............I was speaking only of the possibility that Mr Raggs living outdoors. I must admit to not properly reading the spare room idea. (I am sometimes a bit dyslexic). I will not actively say that life in a spare room is bad. It could be better than a shelter life especially if the shelter uses cages. But cats are extrememly curious about what is on the other side of closed doors (trust me on this, I KNOW). And he could slip out or they could slip in and if a fight occurs immediately, think of the worry you'd have to live with. But I stick by my statement that outdoors is NOT a good place for him as it is unfair to this and future generation of strays and ferals.
And I do not say your decision is easy, it is probably one of the hardest to have to face, but if you really love someone, you need to let go some times.

[CatFancy33]

Well, I think everyone here can agree with me when I say that it's rather hard to convey the emotion, attitude, and personality of our cats on these boards. To assume such would make one ignorant. To assume, then to judge, would make one foolishly rude and ignorant. I didn't post this situation on these boards for someone to call me "selfish" or "cruel". I posted it for help or suggestions.

"I don't even want to try to find a home for him"? Hrmm, this is a rather interesting comment. I don't remember you living in my home and knowing the efforts in which I have gone through to find him a home in the first place.

If you want I can post a 4 month discrption of my entire life. Including my feelings and personal anguish concerning this. Point is this. I don't mean to quote guests on Jerry Springer but. "You don't know me!" LOL. You don't know the ENTIRE situation. Don't presume to know the entire situation. Best to just take what I say for face value and not probe deep into the mental world of my psyche.

I"m done with the thread. Sorry I came here for some help and understanding, not for abuse or flaming. I feel sad that such promising topic turned sour and many others, aside from myself, cannot benefit from the knowledge some can muster.

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by CatFancy33
Well, I think everyone here can agree with me when I say that it's rather hard to convey the emotion, attitude, and personality of our cats on these boards. To assume such would make one ignorant. To assume, then to judge, would make one foolishly rude and ignorant. I didn't post this situation on these boards for someone to call me "selfish" or "cruel". I posted it for help or suggestions.

"I don't even want to try to find a home for him"? Hrmm, this is a rather interesting comment. I don't remember you living in my home and knowing the efforts in which I have gone through to find him a home in the first place.

If you want I can post a 4 month discrption of my entire life. Including my feelings and personal anguish concerning this. Point is this. I don't mean to quote guests on Jerry Springer but. "You don't know me!" LOL. You don't know the ENTIRE situation. Don't presume to know the entire situation. Best to just take what I say for face value and not probe deep into the mental world of my psyche.

I"m done with the thread. Sorry I came here for some help and understanding, not for abuse or flaming. I feel sad that such promising topic turned sour and many others, aside from myself, cannot benefit from the knowledge some can muster.
Help = I have offered to help with the cost, transporting Mr Raggs.
Suggestons = Don't endanger your current cats. Let Mr Raggs have a proper life.

I have been thought this situation myself, I understand how quick & easy it is, to get attached and to love a stray cat BUT we are adults and have to think, first for our current pets, second for the stray cat and lastly about ourselves.

I have been strong and very to the point in my posts but not abusive or flaming.

It is easier for strangers to see the big picture, you just see a cat you want to help.

We want you to help Mr Ragg so he has the best possible life, not to be locked away for life, that is no life for any cat. :(

Your thread is full of compassion and emotion, you sound like a good person but you need to be more logical in your approach to Mr Ragg. OK

If you want any other links or help for Mr Raggs, just post.

Goodnight

[IttyBittyKitty]

That must be hard - my ex-house mate lost on of his furbabies to FIV then the other to feline leukaemia. He couldn't bring himself to get another cat for three years.

I can understand that your decision would be a difficult one. If one of my babies had FIV, it would be a very difficult decision. I understand that you would be worried that if you let the kitty go, that he won't receive the loving care that you want to give him.

Is there any way to divide the house up more evenly so he has a good run? At a couple of my old homes, the house divided up quite neatly by putting a door on the beginning of the hallway? It shouldn't be too expensive. Could you possibly build an outside enclosure that linked to the room that he will be in so that it will extend his area. Or could you enclose your verandah/patio for him?

Conversely, please do consider the other options. I know that you feel bad for abandoning your kitty, but no one is ever going to accuse you of being a bad person! If you are worried about mistreatment, meet the people that kitty will be going to live with and select someone close by who doesn't mind you coming and visiting your kitty.

Best of luck.......