Fostering a stray, without putting my kiddos at risk...

Hi All!

My hubby and I recently moved to Ohio after living many years overseas. We currently have 4 of our own cats. Here is my dilemma...

There is a stray cat who started showing up at my house about a month ago. After asking some questions around the neighborhood, evidently this cat has been abandoned by its owners who foreclosed on their home and moved away. He is an absolute sweetheart!! I took him to the vet on Monday and had him tested for FeLV (he was negative) and got him vaccinated and treated for worms/mites/fleas. He is already neutered. I want to foster him until I can find him a home (I wish we could keep him, but I have 4 cats already and we are at our limit) but I am concerned because I never had my cats vaccinated for FeLV (they are strictly indoor cats), and even though this little guy has had his first booster and has tested negative, the vet has told me we are not in the clear until he has had his 2nd booster and tests negative again in a month or so, as he may have been exposed. Also, since he is still outside, he is still vulnerable to getting it from one of the numerous cats that are in the neighborhood.
I want to put this little guy in my (large) basement until I can find him a home, but is it a safe idea given my kiddos are not vaccinated? They will not be in contact with him, but there is still the chance he gets out to the house (or they get in the basement) and there could be contact through the bottom of the door. I am willing to get my cats vaccinated (and am going to do so now) but even still, they won't be "protected" (as much as the vaccination can protect) until they have had their 2nd booster as well. I fear if I take him to the shelter he will be put down as they are all over-populated with abandoned animals right now, and I cannot find a no-kill shelter that can take him. He is a precious little guy and deserves a chance, but I want to be rational and not expose my guys to anything. Any advice on those who have taken strays in who already had cats, and how to go about it the safe way?

Thanks!

Im perhaps not the best to answer, but I think your plan with the basement should be just fine.
Most rescuers dont have basement, they have to content with their own bathroom or so.

If they happen to go into wrong place, in itself it is not SO dangerous. Felv isnt very contagious. They say it spreads usually by bites. Ie, if they get into fight, quite common among free living cats, esp toms.
And mating. (again, mostly esp if the tom is violent).

Although I wouldnt chance they eating from the same plate, me either.

So your problem isnt really if they happen to pass through the same room, Or even be in the same room. But IF they meet, will they fight? The newcomer, if neutered, is usually submissive to residents. So the risk for fights isnt that great.

This quarantine you skiss should be enough. Besides, you see him every day, you see if he is in good health, or is visibly getting sick or going down...
As long as he is in good shape, chances are on your side.

IF you want to be double safe, do have also a big cage down there. To let him be in the cage if you need to say, change the door... As a extra precution, MAY be handy.

And of course, wash your hands between basements and your living area with residents.
Changing clothes is perhaps overkill. Felv isnt as contagious as for example distemper.
But if you feel safer with changing clothes, do so.


Tx for caring, and
Good Luck!

HI . I have brought in feral's (in a separate room) that have tested negative to FeLK/FIV and never tested them a second time. Sometimes kittens can have a false negative, but as far as I know, not adults. FeLK is extremely contagious and deadly. FIV is not easily contracted other than by a deep tissue bite. I think when you bring this cat in to the basement, have him tested again the day you bring him in and I think you should be fine. I would not vaccinate your four other cat's against FeLK. Especially if they are indoor only. Not necessary IMO.

How wonderful of you to take in this cat. Best of luck to you in finding him a new home

Originally Posted by StefanZ

IF you want to be double safe, do have also a big cage down there. To let him be in the cage if you need to say, change the door... As a extra precution, MAY be handy.

And of course, wash your hands between basements and your living area with residents.

Click to expand...

Good advice. I would consider a cage/crate too if you need to leave the basement door open for whatever reasons or short durations.

I wouldn't worry as long as you keep the cats separated. FIV and FeLV is not airborne and it does not spread in the environment. Neither disease is actually that easy to catch. It spreads through blood and saliva so it usually spreads through bites and mating. There is also a risk, although small, that it can spread through water bowls and food bowls and mutual grooming. If the cats have no direct contact it's pretty much impossible to spread either disease. Even if they would end up in the same room for a little while it would not be spread. Just keep an eye on the cats to make sure they have no direct contact and keep their bowls separated. You should be fine. If you do this your cats would be no more at risk of catching FIV or FeLV than they are now with the stray outside. It can't be spread through you.
I've fostered countless cats that I've kept in a spare room at first and none of my cats have ever picked up anything from them. All are negative for FIV/FeLV.
Also keep in mind that FIV and FeLV is very rare. In the stray population only 2-4% are infected depending on the area.

I would not get your cats vaccinated though. The vaccine is not very effective and once they have had it they may test positive for FeLV so you won't know if they have it or not. There are also adverse reactions linked to the vaccine. Most vets don't recommend it and many recommend against it. With your cats being indoor cats the risk is minute that they would catch FeLV so it would be unnecessary to take the risk. Isolating the new cat for a few weeks is all the protection they need, imo.
Once the new cat has been isolated for a few weeks you can introduce him to your cats so that he can live in the house and you can get an idea of how he functions and what kind of home he will need.

Hi Everyone!

Thanks so much for the advice! It makes me feel a whole lot better. Of the four cats I have, 3 are rescues and when I got them they were tested for FeLV and that was that...this is my first vet in the States and she kind of scared me when she said that even though the stray (Finley) tested negative, there is a window of time where he can test negative but be positive. We have him in the garage right now (but he can come and go outside) and are going to transfer him into the basement this week. Right now he stays in my garage or just outside of it. I will have him retested in about a month just to make sure he hasn't picked anything up this past week, and then I would like to slllooooowwwwwlllyyy integrate him into my crew so that he is socialized and he can be with us until we find him a home. I would love to keep him, and am still holding out hope that hubby changes his mind. He 100% supports me fostering him, though, so I am thrilled with that. I am also glad to get affirmation that I don't need to vaccinate my kiddos for FeLV...I really didn't want to, but the vet made it sound like I really should, so I got a little confused. I have always been against needless vaccination, so I am going to take this slow and stick to my guns.

Again, thank you so much! I always find the most helpful and supportive folks here!

~Sarah

Hi Sarah !!!!! that your hubby falls in love with Finley (what a cute name too ) and you end up keeping him. Finley is one lucky boy to have found you and it sounds as though you feel lucky too because he is a very, very sweet cat. Poor littlle man being abandoned like that and I am glad he found you When I work at the shelter, we test a cat ONCE for FeLk/FIV and if they test all clear then that is that. Some vets really do push vaccinating for everything and it is just not necessary for indoor only cats. If you get a chance, google Vaccinosis, very enlightening subject to say the least. Not to worry though, we are here to help and many people on the site have excellent knowledge, resources and experience so always just ask away !!!!!!!

Feralvr - You are spot on! I feel so lucky that this little guy found me.
I am going to have him retested because in the few days since we have sheltered him in the garage he has come back with a scratch to the face and we have a few strays in the neighborhood. I am just sick with worry that he has been exposed to something, but I am praying that everything is ok and he is healthy. I am locking him in the garage tonight and tomorrow I am moving him into the basement (I need to go out and purchase some Feliway diffuser refills and extra litter boxes.) He is one of the sweetest cats I have ever been around, and I want him to get the home he deserves. Yup, I am attached! Here's a picture of him so he can see this sweet boy. He had an injury to his left ear at one point which has left him with "cauliflower ear" but I think it just adds to his character!
Thanks so much for your support. I will keep you posted!

~S

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH WOW is he beautiful. Look at those yellow eyes. He has beautiful markings. OH FINLEY!! You are going to have a great life. I am glad you brought him in now for good. Keep him safe and sound. Just get him tested again in two weeks time. During that time, keep him separated. I am sure ALL will be fine and he didn't get anything new from the stray cats. Actually, I am sure the stray's he hangs with are the same one's that have been around before you had him tested last time. But better to be safe and have him tested again anyway.

The Feliway spray is a bit cheaper than the plug-ins and will last longer. You can just spritz it every twelve hours in his area and will help alot with him feeling safe. Also, good idea to spritz some by the basement door, for the benefit of your other cats . Try to put a tall vertical cat tree or something he can climb up onto. He will appreciate that . Keep us posted on Finley. I am so happy for you and your new boy

Oh Sarah he's gorgeous!!!!

It's so annoying when people just leave their cats like that. You left the UK back to the USA but took your cats with you, that is a responsible pet owner!

Thank you Feralvr and Susan! I am quite smitten with him...and he is SUCH a handsome boy in person. He is so cuddly, too...I can carry him around like a baby. Someone at some point was very kind to him. Makes what happened to him so sad to me. He is a warm boy with a full belly now!

Yeah, if they could only talk . He must have been loved by someone. But now he is yours and what a special gift he is