what to do with snowwhite?

princess purr

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snowwhite tested fiv postive. She is a VERY laid back cat around other cats (getting better with people). She doesn't bite at them and see really doesn't even interact much with them. She just likes to stay in the sunroom and look out the window. We have her seperated from the other cats now (all negitive and she nursed five of them) everyone has been fixed (except nimby, trinity and lola who go in shortly)
From what I have read it doesn't seem like i'm putting my cats at a big risk if I let her live her days in my house with her babies where she is happy. Lilly and ashton (her kids from the litter before the one we caught her with) tested negitive for fiv, i would love to test some of the other ferals but I have to trap them first. We have a vet appointment for lola on 10/2 so i will discuess this with him then, but am I just don't know what to do? She looks SO healthy, and came through her spay with no problem. She was the ONLY one that didn't get a cold when everyone else had one. I still can't beleave she tested postive. Just doesn't seem real. I just don't want to put the other cats in danger. But from what I read she would have to bite them for them to get it.
 

hissy

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You are correct, she would have to bite one of your other cats for them to get sick. She has probably had a bit of a hard road until coming to you. I would let her stay in the room by herself if it were me, but I wouldn't be bringing anymore cats inside the house. If you do that, then you could raise her stress level and she could become ill. As it is, if she does become sick, she is already compromised by her disease. Finding her another home will also raise her level, and most people do not want to adopt a sick cat. They can only *see* the disease and nothing else. I would keep your home status quo and if you trap anymore wild ones, keep them in the garage, get them spayed and neutered and then let them go. I would before all else get them tested first.
 

wellingtoncats

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Oh Val- How sad. I agree with Mary Anne keep her by herself, that's probably your best bet, It's not worth taking the risk of your other furbabies getting sick is it?

Hugs Sam.
 

ldg

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Cats with FIV can live long and happy lives. But they should not interact with any cats other than those that are already FIV positive. If she's happy in the sunroom, then I would keep her, play with her and love on her - but keep her isolated. As always, MA has great advice.

Val, I'm so sorry about this. But she's your baby, and that needn't change.

(((((Hugs)))))

Laurie
 
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princess purr

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Thanks guys!!!

Talked to my vet about snowwhite and he said that she could very well live a long full life
He said that it is very unlikly she will transmit it to other cats since she doesnot groom them, they don't groom her and she doesn't bite. She just keeps to herself in the sunroom. He said that if she seems the least bit sick to contact him ASAP and he will get her right in or atleast start her on meds. I think she is going to be okay
 

momofmany

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(((*****hugs****))) for the big scare you have gone thru. I read somewhere that before FIV was isolated, they estimated that a lot of housecats lived full healthy lives with the disease. Once it was isolated and they had a test for it, countless cats were put down from "fear" of the disease. You are great for giving Snowwhite this chance!
 

cassandra_starr

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Val, I'm so sorry about Snowwhite.. she's so beautiful and definitely a very great mother.


How many times did you have her tested? I know some tests can produce false positives. You said she nursed the babies and they don't have it. Could they have contracted it through nursing? If so then many the test was a false positive (keeping fingers crossed over here).


In any case.. I wish both you, Snowwhite, and the rest of your family the best.
 
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princess purr

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From what I have read there aren't false postives with FIV in older cats. Kittens can produce false postives, but all my babies tested negative (thank god) I really want to have her tested again, but when I asked the office morning respectionist she gave me a big speach about how fiv tests do not give false postives. My main concern is that it is really trinny that has FIV and not snowwhite because they tested them at the same time. When I take her in for another appointment I'm going to talk to the doc about getting her retested. His morning office staff is HORRIBLE! But his night staff is great.
 
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