Felv/FIV testing and vaccinating for ferals

So I just realized that Hercules did not get tested or vaccinated for felv/fiv.   I looked up at Alleycats and saw that this is considered official policy unless the cat is visibly sick.    Still if later on I want to try to socialize him and have him with my indoor cats this will be a concern.   I wish I'd thought about this while in the middle of the tnr but I was pretty scattered and now it's too late.

Thoughts on this issue?

In general, no. For the reasons Alley Cat Allies points out. But, yeah, if you want to introduce him to the indoor cats, you should test him before doing that. Are you able to handle him? When will the introductions take place?

I don't have my ferals tested for FIV or FeLV, and I don't have them vaccinated for it. With the FIV vaccine, they'll always test positive for it after that, and FIV isn't such a risk for being passed along in a sterilized colony. I have an FIV+ kitty in the colony, actually, and an FIV+ rescue kitty as an inside-only pet. The only reason I know Baloo is FIV+ is because he was friendly, and we were going to have the foster network take him and find him a furever home. That's when we had him tested for FIV and FeLV. And as he's FIV+, they can't take him. So here he stays. :heart2:

...and unless you live in the Southern US, there's no point in vaccinating against FIV anyway. There are many different strains, and the vaccine is only effective against one of them, typically present in southern LA, AL, the panhandle of FL, and eastern TX.

The FeLV vaccine is only about 70% effective, and has the highest incidence of vaccine-related sarcoma. I only have the ferals get the rabies vaccination.

Our indoor pets only get the initial rabies vaccination and the initial round of distemper - that's it. I don't vaccinate after that. We're fortunate in that we live in a county where annual vaccinations are not required.

Here's a good discussion of vaccines overall (geared to indoor cats, not ferals, but still informational). http://www.thecatsite.com/t/245463/do-indoor-cats-really-need-vaccines

Thanks you guys that makes a lot of sense.   I can see why they don't offer the vaccines too given the issues around them and the cost too.  LDG, Baloo is a lucky fellow he has you guys!    Nothing like a big fine orange cat - I've got one too.    Willowy, I can't handle Hercules at all - before his trapping he would come at feeding time and make a lot of friendly eye contact but also stay 20-30 feet away.   His behavior in the trap gave me hope he could be socialized in the future though and I'll have to move within the next few months too so either indoor socializing or relocating will have to happen.  

what i have done is i have tested the two females that had kittens, as well as the two males that were sick when they arrived at my colony and only one of the healthy males.

out of those, one of the females was FIV+, one of the males was FIV+ but i am fairly certain that one did not infect the other as there was an over two year difference of their arrival . the other sick male was negative but eventually i discovered what was wrong, he had the wet form of FIP.

the reason that i did test the healthy male is that i just wanted to be sure that there had not been any transmission of FIV and of course there was not. i guess that i wanted something to shove in the face of those that would kill a FIV+ as opposed to return it.

the FIV+ male needed meds for a URI as well as an eye infection and as he regained his health he started to come around in a big way, sort of like he understood what was being done. so, he has been socialized and is living the good life. the FIV+ female is still part of my colony and is doing very well health wise. i actually can pet her and tickle her chin now which is sort of amazing since when she was trapped she was so wild that she thrashed around so hard in her trap that it nearly slid out of the back of the van.

You are quite the cat whisperer Whaler!    That's so wonderful you could give a good life to the FIV+ cats.   I remember seven years ago when I rescued a reverted feral they said if she tested positive she'd be euthanized right away - was quite worried.   It seems like thinking has evolved a lot since then which is great to see.   I just hope Herc stays out of trouble until I figure out what to do.

the FIV+ male that i mentioned was trapped in the early evening on a saturday this past june. being that he was obviously sick i took him to the local 24/7 hospital. once i got in to see a vet the vet asked what i planned on doing. i explained that i was the caretaker for an established colony and assuming he would be alright, tnr. she (the vet) went back to examine him and after a few she came back and said that she did the snap test and he was "wicked FIV+". i explained to her that i already have a FIV+ in my colony and that it would not be an issue. she then told me that it is the hospital policy not to return FIV+, she wanted me to have him killed. she almost looked a little shocked when i said to start treatment for the infections and that i would take him.

like i said, he is now living the good life out in the country with my parents. so very glad that i knew enough to not be forced into becoming a killer.


i am logging out now, so - HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and all the Friends of Ferals