Question about FIV/FELV

Hi all, as most of you know I will be going to pick up a 2 year old cat tomorrow. This cat has never been to the vets or anything so I'm just wondering how I can keep my guys safe and him safe at the same time.

He is not fixed so I'm worried about him straying a little so I was thinking would be it cruel to keep him in a cage that I have until I know for sure if he is FIV/FELV positive? I will be taking him to the vets Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. to find out if he is positive and if he's not he will probably be staying at the vets that night till he has his surgery (neutered) and then he will either continue to stay there or come home with me till Jenn can come and get him.

I'm just wondering how worried should I be if my cats accidentally go in the bathroom and etc. should I be changing my clothes every time I hold Tigger or anything? What about washing my hands between touching cats?

I just want to be prepared and get my husband prepared with what we should or shouldn't do.

Thank all,
Melissa

I don't know a whole lot about FIV but I know a bit about FeLV. FeLV cannot survive long outside the body. The biggest risk of transmission of FeLV is through shared water/food, litterboxes and intergrooming. It is transmitted through the saliva, fecal, urine and body fluids. If your cats are over 1 year old it is highly probable they have built up an immunity to it. 60% of all cats over 1 year old are naturally immune to FeLV. Out of the 40% remaining that are not naturally immune 90% of those will take to the vaccine leaving 10% of the 40% who are not naturally immune that the vaccine does not work on.
The stats came from my vet in Canada if you are wondering.

As for FIV this is transmitted through blood and sexual contact I BELIEVE . So if he were to bite one of your cats it is possible that they could become infected. Jenn knows a ton more about FIV though as do a few others like Lizzie.

I would release him in the bathroom but be super careful about knowing where your cats are when you go in and out and always have your hands ready to grab one or the other. I think seeing it is only a couple of days he wouldn't want to venture out so soon. But I am sure you will get lots of advice and opinions.

Good Luck and you are doing a wonderful thing for Tigger. :D

Michelle

I've always just taken the newbie in for the test right away. The vet techs do it, no appt needed where I go. I don't even want ME to get attached if the cat can't stay.

FIV + the cat can stay and mix with the other cats. FLV+ is a bit trickier and many people feel they should be segregated or only mix with other FLV+ cats. I have one FIV+ in my mix.

Thats What I Did With Tubster I Took Him In Right Away To My Vets And Had The Tests Done, Thank God They Were Negative. If There Were Positive That Would Be A Tough Thing To Deal With As He Would Live In The Cellar/outside.

I wish I could but none of the vets are opened late enough on Saturday to get him to a vets.

I may end up caging him just because I don't want him to spray either in my house since he's not neuter.

Melissa

One thing you should do... pass on the names of these people to other shelters and rescues in their area so that they DO NOT adopt again!!!

Also, with the FIV... I only had one cat that was very sick, and got everything that came into the shelter. That was the reason I took him in to my home. I couldn't bear to see him so snotty and stuffy and just miserable. It's also hit or miss with the people who medicate the cats at the shelter. Too many times we heard "oh, they were in the loft and we couldn't get to them." You can't guarantee that the ones who needed it got the meds.

My other FIV boys haven't been sick. I've been very lucky. I also make sure that if they've gotten sick, they get treatment right away. It can take them longer to recover, so you want to make sure you get to them ASAP.

I've never personally dealt with FeLV... I just know that we have a room at the shelter with an FeLV litter in it (now over a year old) and their mom and "aunts" and there is plexiglass covering the screens so they can't pass it to the other cats. My friend Gina had a cat that was FeLV+ as well, and Grayzie never seemed sick, and we wouldn't have known she was positive except that when she first got her she was pregnant and the vet tested her immediately. The kittens were aborted, and Gina had Grayzie for about 3 years. That's when she started dating this jerk who decided he hated cats and tormented Grayzie so I found a home for her with a woman who took in only FeLV+ cats. This was about 7-8 years ago though, and when I asked the shelter I found her through if they still kept in touch with her, they didn't remember who she was. I feel bad, because I would love to know if she's still going strong or if something happened to her. :o :( She was such a pretty cat. Gina and I had friendship issues after that, and we had some strong words (mine being "You shouldn't even own a fish" and other things like that). She just said that she never had pets growing up, so she just didn't think that she bonded with Grayzie (for 3 years?!) so it was different for her than it would have been for someone like me. Whatever... excuses!! She ended up dumping the guy anyway after about a year. :mad: