tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920101949387852618.post7729405888709880053..comments2023-06-25T06:00:00.316-04:00Comments on Whiskers In the Window: The Facts and Nothing But the Facts (and Where the Facts Get Murky)Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08770791685503482106noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920101949387852618.post-42132809836615578502013-02-13T11:49:23.907-05:002013-02-13T11:49:23.907-05:00This is a great post! FIV is such a touchy topic!!...This is a great post! FIV is such a touchy topic!!<br />first, i must say.. in our group (Forgotten Felines, Huntsville, AL), wr call Ruby a "torbi". A Tabby cat with Tortie spots! By CFA standard, she is a brown patched tabby<br /> Meaning a tabby with orange spots!<br />Secondly, FIV kittens that test positive even withib a month or two of retest will most USUALLY test negative upon retest. I have never had a kitten test positive upon retest. Also, be VERY WARY of vaccinating your non positive cats for FIV. Once vaccinated, even if only ever vaccinated once for FIV, a cat will ALWAYS test positive for Fiv Afterwards. The SNAP test cannot discern from the viral strain and the vaccination strain and if your cat is inside/outside or gets out and someone finds it....well let's just say not all vets believe in saving FIV+ cts. Also, we have a large foster room with a mix of FIV+ cats and Leuk+ cats and nob positive cats. We retest the cats who.have not been adopted evrry few years and so far, no one has converted. Granted, the non positives ARE vaccinated for leukemia, of course. <br />Interestingly, this is the first I've heard (not.to say it's wronf) that cats can spread FIV via saliva to blood. Our vet says only blood to blood and the cat has to be actively shedding the virus. <br />Sorry, didn't mean to hijack as well!! darlingchatter123https://www.blogger.com/profile/04060571922251726802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920101949387852618.post-35179127577522701602013-02-13T11:48:45.141-05:002013-02-13T11:48:45.141-05:00This is a great post! FIV is such a touchy topic!!...This is a great post! FIV is such a touchy topic!!<br />first, i must say.. in our group (Forgotten Felines, Huntsville, AL), wr call Ruby a "torbi". A Tabby cat with Tortie spots! By CFA standard, she is a brown patched tabby<br /> Meaning a tabby with orange spots!<br />Secondly, FIV kittens that test positive even withib a month or two of retest will most USUALLY test negative upon retest. I have never had a kitten test positive upon retest. Also, be VERY WARY of vaccinating your non positive cats for FIV. Once vaccinated, even if only ever vaccinated once for FIV, a cat will ALWAYS test positive for Fiv Afterwards. The SNAP test cannot discern from the viral strain and the vaccination strain and if your cat is inside/outside or gets out and someone finds it....well let's just say not all vets believe in saving FIV+ cts. Also, we have a large foster room with a mix of FIV+ cats and Leuk+ cats and nob positive cats. We retest the cats who.have not been adopted evrry few years and so far, no one has converted. Granted, the non positives ARE vaccinated for leukemia, of course. <br />Interestingly, this is the first I've heard (not.to say it's wronf) that cats can spread FIV via saliva to blood. Our vet says only blood to blood and the cat has to be actively shedding the virus. <br />Sorry, didn't mean to hijack as well!! darlingchatter123https://www.blogger.com/profile/04060571922251726802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920101949387852618.post-72421332504515681132013-02-12T13:43:26.306-05:002013-02-12T13:43:26.306-05:00My vet says that another good source of info is ve...My vet says that another good source of info is veterinarypartner.com.Teughcatsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920101949387852618.post-84237112156945341592013-02-12T13:07:52.352-05:002013-02-12T13:07:52.352-05:00More answers on the way. Perhaps they're not t...More answers on the way. Perhaps they're not the absolute scientific answers, but I prefer the answers of those who have been in the trenches with it.<br /><br />I'm not worried about getting these guys adopted. I'm more concerned about getting them taken care of right (if that makes sense)Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08770791685503482106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920101949387852618.post-29201031834181309182013-02-12T13:06:27.005-05:002013-02-12T13:06:27.005-05:00Hugs right back. Answers are coming (sooner than l...Hugs right back. Answers are coming (sooner than later). I tend to believe the conventional wisdom and anecdotal evidence of those who have actually been there. I think we're going to be okay here.Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08770791685503482106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920101949387852618.post-87928838849898155182013-02-12T13:04:51.458-05:002013-02-12T13:04:51.458-05:00Absolutely. The easiest way is that you should be ...Absolutely. The easiest way is that you should be able to send me a message through the Whiskers Facebook page. Look underneath the cover photo for the message button. If it's missing, feel free to friend me on Facebook (you'll recognize the photo for Kelly Botkin). Actually, you can all feel free to do that last part anyway ;-)<br /><br />Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08770791685503482106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920101949387852618.post-64351289435963481402013-02-12T12:12:16.479-05:002013-02-12T12:12:16.479-05:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpGZUQFF5yA
http:/...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpGZUQFF5yA<br /><br />http://www.amazon.com/Very-Healthy-Book-Wendell-Belfield/dp/0962994707<br /><br />unfortunately my only experience with FIV was the shelter put them down. This was in the early days of the foster program and they were still so overwhelmed with kittens. I also had recently lost one of them shortly before they were tested at six weeks so I don't disagree with the decision... I hated it, but I understood it. Now the shelter routinely puts them up for adoption. We even took in a bonded pair from across the country because they had no where else to go.<br /><br />Connie - Tails from the Foster Kittenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01127077337743262149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920101949387852618.post-46237861864437783002013-02-12T12:09:13.832-05:002013-02-12T12:09:13.832-05:00Kelly and Aidan-Thanks so much for those answers. ...Kelly and Aidan-Thanks so much for those answers. You *know* that whatever appears on the internet is *definitely* true. (snicker) But I wouldn't know the difference one way or another. Generally, if I see something more than once I tend to believe it. I also believe you and Robyn (of Love n Hisses). Btw, Bear always looks like such a hot mess in those pictures. Keep doing your thing with disseminating info and kisses!((hugs)) to Ruby also.Holly Waterfallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05470715265451350814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920101949387852618.post-8582275309560111222013-02-12T12:00:06.432-05:002013-02-12T12:00:06.432-05:00Kelly, is there a way I can message you privately?...Kelly, is there a way I can message you privately? Either through here or email or FB?Teughcatsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920101949387852618.post-81073918716120875082013-02-12T09:29:19.110-05:002013-02-12T09:29:19.110-05:00Exactly... if anything, this post shows the confus...Exactly... if anything, this post shows the confusion and misinformation that's out there about FIV. The foster community needs education so we can save these cats who vets sometimes believe cannot be saved.<br /><br />I should have more concrete information very very soon.Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08770791685503482106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920101949387852618.post-9028570350688807042013-02-12T09:27:22.262-05:002013-02-12T09:27:22.262-05:00Hijack away! Remember that I *asked* for these ans...Hijack away! Remember that I *asked* for these answers. The vets and my rescue are inexperienced enough with this that I'm doing most of the research on my own and running into so many contradictions that I often forget what to believe any more.<br /><br />One thing is certain... this family is so very sweet and I'm glad we plucked them from the shelter before they were tested... it gave them the chance they needed to survive. Now we'll make sure they live the good life.Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08770791685503482106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920101949387852618.post-12092589108099849302013-02-12T08:49:15.011-05:002013-02-12T08:49:15.011-05:00Yeah - Zelda tongue!!
We haven't fostered FIV...Yeah - Zelda tongue!!<br /><br />We haven't fostered FIV+ kittens. However, our friend Miss Kelly had an FIV+ cat that lived many years - and with other cats in her home. It is hard when you get SO much conflicting information. For years, shelters have seen a positive test and had the knee jerk "euthanize" reaction. Partly because the public isn't getting the right information and the adoption of these cats can be harder. We like this article from Best Friends: http://www.bestfriends.org/Resources/Pet-Care/Cats/Health-And-Care/Feline-Immunodeficiency-Virus-(FIV)/ The rescue that we work with has FIV+ cats. And if you want, we bet we could put you in contact with Miss Kelly and her vet. Miss Kelly got Murphy when he was over a year, but her vet got very good at working with him and keeping him very healthy. :) We think the biggest hurdle for these cats is the public perception of FIV. Thanks for getting this out there.....Random Felineshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02591546634183113556noreply@blogger.com