Cat Question...sorry!

[Amber]

We just found out today that we have a cat at our shelter with Feline Leukemia. Does anyone know if there is a site out there for cats like this one? Thanks!

[Marne Benner]

I would suggest that you start "Googling". That's how I found doggie door, purely accidental. I'm sure there has to be something out there.
Poor Kitty. I hope it's doing ok.

[Summer Magic]

Yes there is Amber. I use it for my kitties.

http://www.catforum.com/index.php

Hope everything goes well with the kitty.

[TimberWolf]

BLASPHEMY! You are asking kitty questions on a dog forum!?! HOW DARE YOU!!!! ;)

just teasing. I hope that kitty is ok. When I worked at the animal shelter, kitty leukemia came up quite often. or at least Iheard about the cats coming in with verious diseases and a few of them had leukemia. It seems to be common for shelter cats because if someone finds their pet is sick, often they don't want to take care of it. The shelter I worked at had a rule if someone returned their pet due to something like a cold or somethign that is not fatal, they often would be denied a new pet. If the pet they adopted contracted a fatal disease but was not discovered until after the adoption, they would be allowed to exchange for a new pet. However, if the animal was being treated for a fatal disease before getting adopted, the person who adopted the pet cannot return the pet due to it's illness. Many people got denied the exchange while I was there. Boy were they pissed off! But when returning a cat because the color of it's fur no longer matches the furniture, they deserve to get DENIED!

Sorry...going off on a tangeant aren't I.... I'm familier with the name but I'm unaware of exactly what the feline leukemia actually does for the cat. I dont' know if it's fatal, or just somethign that needs to be controlled so the cat can have a normal long and happy life.

[Daniela Jantzen]

Amber,
how old is the cat?
Has this been the first blood test coming up with positive results or has the cat been turned in with the infection already known?
If the first is the case, you might have to test again in about 6-8 weeks - sometimes the test come up with a false result.
75% of all grown up cats have a immune system strong enough to resist the virus or al least kill it atfer the first infection.
There are several types of FelV possible, do you know which one we are talking about?

Danny

[Amber]

Danny--
He's a little under a year old. He wasn't turned in really. He was a pet of one of our volunteers and her and her family left him and their dog at home during the storm. A tree came down and broke the window and the cat found his way to our shelter. The dog stayed in the house. I'm assuming the dog's alright. When the volunteer and her family came back, the shelter owner told her mom that she wasn't getting the cat back because they had the means to take the animals, they just didn't feel like it. Her mom never has taken good care of the animals in the first place, so this was one way to get at least one of them out of the situation.

Anyway, he had a blood test, not the saliva test (ELISA). From what I have read already, the ELISA is the one that can give false positives. I took a pamphlet about FeLv from the vet's office and the kitty has all the symptoms. He went from a healthy weight to almost skin and bones (with a distended stomach and yellow skin) within half a week. It was scary. The family that had him before he found his way to the shelter had him as a primarily outside cat with a little bit of inside time, so I'm assuming this is how he got it. I also read that cats can habor the disease and not be infected with it, but bouts of stress can bring it out. He didn't show symptoms until after the hurricane, so I'm thinking this is why he got skinny so quickly.

Like I tell everyone around here, my speciality is dogs. I know very little about cats. Nothing I have read up to this point has noted that there are more than one type of FeLv. Are there really multiple types?

Judy--
Thanks for the link! I tried Googling and got SO many results. It's hard to find reliable sources, like this site.

[Daniela Jantzen]

Danny--
Nothing I have read up to this point has noted that there are more than one type of FeLv. Are there really multiple types?


There are three types of viruses responsible for feline leukemia: FelA, FelB and FelC.
Type B and C alone are not infectious, only in combination with FelA (which is common).
Type A and B usually cause a form of FelV leading to tumours, type A and C usually cause anaemia.

FelV is usually a threat to young cats under the age of 3, cats with chronical diseases, weakened or elderly cats and those without vaccination.
Unfortunately, FelV is one of the main causes for death in most feline populations.
Typical symptoms are usually anaemie, tumors, permanent diarrhea, troubles with the teeth, eye infections etc.
So the case of "your" littel cat seems a bit odd to me as I have never heard of such a quick regress in the state of health. But then I have not seen too many FelV cats, fortunately. We only had a couple in the shelter. :)

As the cat is still very young, it might be wise to keep him separated from the others and test him again in about 6-8 weeks. It might very well be that this was the first infection and he will be able to beat the virus with his immune system.

I know that one of the cats in the shelter I had worked for was being treated with holistic stuff. Maybe there is a chance you can help that little fellow like this as well (although holistic medicine alone won't beat the virus, it can only suppert the treatment)?

Danny

[Amber]

Today I walked in and Ranger was asleep, face down with paws on either side of his head. He also had labored breathing and his belly looks like it is more distended than before. Of course, it could be that he isn't eating as much as he used to also. The shelter owner is seriously thinking of putting him to sleep, just because his condition is slipping SO fast! Ranger won't eat even if I try to hand feed him.

[Jesse Cruz]

Hi,
I just came about his thread and felt bad for the kitty. Was wondering what has happened since the last posting.

[Amber]

About a week after posting my original question, Ranger passed away. Like I said in my last posting, his condition was slipping so fast that there wasn't much we could do for him but keep him comfortable and clean.

[Jesse Cruz]

ahh i'm sorry. sounds like you did your best to make Ranger comfortable and have a little love in his short life.

[Luciann]

I am sorry to hear that Ranger has passed, and i am glad that he had someone that cared for him in the end if nothing else but to make him comfortable.

[Laura Redhawk]

I'm thrilled for Ranger to be free of sickness and to be in the loving care I believe our beloved companions run to when they have to leave us. But I'm so sorry that your little cat friend is no longer here to receive the love and special care so willingly given by all of you.

It matters not that many of us believe a better place awaits across the Rainbow bridge...we are greedy and I've never said good-bye without both great joy and great sorrow.

About a week after posting my original question, Ranger passed away. Like I said in my last posting, his condition was slipping so fast that there wasn't much we could do for him but keep him comfortable and clean.