Advice for a girl at work please!

A woman I work with took her cat into to get fixed and declawed, (I didn't know that her cat wasn't fixed and I didn't know that she wanted to have her cat declawed or I would have talked to her about it and let her know what really happens like so many of you have taught me!) Anyways, she took her cat in and had both surgery's done at the same time. Over the last few day's her can't hasn't gotten any better, she has been sick, throwing up, and so on. So she took the cat back to the vet to find out what was wrong with it. She found out the her cat has FIV, she can't afford the treatment for her cat, she says her cat is suffering so she wants to have it put to sleep.

I talked to her a little bit today while I was working. She said that the cat never showed any signs of being sick except that she was a very thin cat. Which she never thought twice about it. The vet also told her that the surgery may have caused the cat to get sicker faster. I tried to give her some advice which I have almost none to give her. I also told her to take all of her cat's in to have them tested as well. She will not take them in. I told her the test is about 20$ but she still refuses, she said she just got done spending 200$ on this cat to have it fixed and declawed and she doesn't want to spend anymore on any of her cats.

I also explained to her that, that is a very STUPID idea. Is this something that can be passed on to other cats? And how to I talk her into taking her cats in to be checked?

By the way all of her cats are strays that she has found, some were starving to death, some were very sick, and some were at a healthy weight. The cat that I am asking about she got a year ago, and this cat has helped her daughter through out the last year. Her daughter has dibeties (sp?) She does take care of them at least feeding them and stuff like that, but anything medical she doesn't.

I also tried to explain to her how important it is to get every one of her cats fixed. She also refuses. I also tried asking her if it was her child would she come up with the money and why not for her daughters cat? Nothing has worked so far. Please give me some advice to give to her tomorrow.

Thank you in advance.

Katie
Sorry this is so long, and I hope it isn't to hard to understand.

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She does take care of them at least feeding them and stuff like that, but anything medical she doesn't.

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I would report your concerns to your local RSCPA Animal Protection Group

Not testing an animal for Aids is not a crime but not providing necessary vet care is :mad:

The best thing you can do is let the professionals go and assess the health & lifestyle of that person's pets.

FIV is HIGHLY contagious !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You might want to print out some articles for her to read about it herself. It sounds like she may not listen to people, but maybe if she sees it in writing, it will help.

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/Public/FHC/fiv.html

http://www.vetinfo.com/cfiv.html

Is there any low-cost or govenrment-subsidised vet care available in your area? Do any local shelters have arrangements with vets to do the tests or spay/neuter a lower price?

In South Africa we have the PDSA (Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals) - it's a vet service for people with low incomes etc.

Although that will not realy help if it is a LACK OF UNDERSTANDING / KNOWLEDGE and not a FINANCIAL PROBLEM.

We have problems with well-meaning people here who feed colonies of feral cats, but do not provide any vet care and do not TNR. They dont realise that they are making the problem worse, and not helping! They feed these strays, which are then healthy enough to deliver and nurse large litters,,,,,, and so it continues. Without either TNR or natures "survival of the fittest"to keep numbers down the problem is exploding here.

If she is feeding all these animals that show up at her house the surely her heart is in the right place. I hope you can pass on the info in such a way that she will accept your advice and do something about the rest of her cats!

My advice tell your coworker not to have pets.

I'm probably the wrong person to ask about this issue since I just lost Butterscotch to Feline Leukemia. I'm on pins and needles with Skinny and Thumper watching their every move, watching for protential signs and symptoms. I'm having them retested at great expense (2 office visits, 2 tests) but it's a responsbility of being a pet owner.

Guess I'm little crazest about this issue.

I just printed off those articles that Aly posted for me.

I spoke with her some today, she has changed her mind, next week she will be taking all of her cats in to get checked and tested for FeLV! After I explained to her that all of her cats may have it and that it is worth finding out for sure just for peace of mind. She already knows that her one cat will die from it. After we talked she told me that she would like to pervent it from happening again. I explained to her that she can't pervent it she can only get tests done to find out if they have it. I also explained to her how a cat gets it. She has also gave me her word that all of her cats will be going into the vets office for a full check up if nothing else. I gave her my vet's number, because it sounds like her vet isn't a very good one. And the prices are outrages for some of the stuff she had done. She can't afford the blood tranfusions and she doesn't want to put her cat through that kind of treatment. The vet explained to her that if she has that done that the cat might be weak after it. :confused:

I honestly believe that she will keep her word. She has always kept her word when ever she tells me she is going to do something.

Katie

P.s Thanks for the great advice. I tried to reply last night but my internet cut out for a while. :rolleyes:

I'm glad to read your coworker has had a change of heart.

I have heard just the opposite regarding FIV being highly contagious! It is contagious IF a cat is a biter, which most altered cats are not unless highly stressed out. Aly...if you re-read the info from the links you posted, it clearly states "casual contact is NOT a form of transmission". That's why so many free roaming tom cats are affected with this virus as they fight with teeth to defend turf. I know many people who have FIV + cats in homes with non + cats and there's never any viral transmission. FeLV on the otherhand is much more contagious, and can be spread by casual contact. FIV is very similar to human AIDS in that casual contact does NOT spread the virus. Here's a place I'm sure many of us have heard about...Best Friends in Utah...here's a link on what they have to say about FIV positives. I have more, just not sure where. http://www.bestfriends.org/sanctuary/creature/FIV.htm FIV shouldn't be a death sentance!

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Originally posted by QueenScoopalot
I have heard just the opposite regarding FIV being highly contagious! It is contagious IF a cat is a biter, which most altered cats are not unless highly stressed out. Aly...if you re-read the info from the links you posted, it clearly states "casual contact is NOT a form of transmission". That's why so many free roaming tom cats are affected with this virus as they fight with teeth to defend turf.

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Well, I should say FIP is HIGHLY contagious... BUT FIV is also contagious!!!!! Would you really put your cat in the same room with an FIV+ cat??? I know I wouldn't.

I have read the links I posted countless times and do know a lot about FIV. I work in a shelter so I'm not ignorant to the facts. I have fought the staff who have been known to let FIV+ cats interact with FIV- cats. Its NOT right to even take the chance.

Even though the disease isn't airborne doesn't mean its not contagious.

I agree , that it doesnt make a lot of sense , working on a Cat , that is ill. That is the first thing that Animal Welfare checks , for ,with the Stray Cats!

One thing I did question about her vet is: he never did any tests on the cat or did any vacinitations on the cat before he went ahead and did the surgery. I know at my vet they will not do any surgery unless the cat has had all of it's test and all of it's shots. That is one huge problem I have with her vets office.

She told me today that she called her vet last night and set up appointments for all of her other cats to go in.

On the link that Aly posted it gave some signs to look out for, she told me after reading what I printed out for her she told me that all of her other cats have all the signs on the list. She felt horrible, I tried to explain to her that she didn't know, that she just thought she had a small cat. She also told me that when and if she ever gets another cat the first thing she is going to do is take it into the vets office to have all their shots and tests done the day she gets a cat or within the same week she gets one.

She isn't getting one right now or anytime soon. I wont see her for over a week now but I will try to get an update when she comes back to work in a week or so.

Katie

Katie -

I am sorry that your friend had to learn about this terrible disease the hard way. But I am glad to see she's changed her way of thinking and did indeed learn a lesson. It would be bad if she hadn't learned from this, but I'm glad she did.

It would appear that this girl started off with good intentions, helping sick and stray animals that would by now either have starved to death or died(keep that in mind Donna), and maybe it has got a little out of hand, and her purse is straining at the cost, each and everyone of us can only do our best.

However I am very glad to hear she has changed her mind, it would be irresponsible of her not to get her cats checked, let us hope the outcome is good, and please donot harshly judge this person, we donot know her, she appears to have done her best and has listened to advice and is acting on it, and that is what matters here.!!!!

Carole,

You're right. Sorry. I have since deleted my post.

I found out today that her vet is paying for the medical costs of the cat that was checked because he failed to ask the right questions and make sure that everything was taken care of. He feels quilty and is not paying for this one cat to stay at the vets office as long as it needs to stay there. He is paying for all the medication as well. The only thing she had to pay for was the first price to have her cat fixed and declawed, other than that her vet is paying for it. She will have to pay for her 3 others to be tested. If they are all positive, then she will let them live thier life as they were before.

I told her before she told me the cat is doing better that when she gets it home to feed it anything it wants give it anything it wants and so on. I am a firm believer that if the vet told me tomorrow morning that Cubby only had so many days left with me (which I hope that will never happen!) that they should get anything and everything they want. Cubby is on a certain diet, and that diet would be broken if I found out that I would be losing him soon. Of course I hope he lives forever!:D