FIV/FeLv+ years after original TNR

I'm looking for people's opinions on feral cats in colonies testing positive for FIV/FeLV after original TNR and the steps you do or would take afterwards

I've been on here before and you've always been so helpful so now I'm back for more ;-)

My "B"  colony was a mess when I first showed up late Winter of 2014.  Dead cat, skeletal remains of cats, kittens, trash, females in heat, you name it, it was there.  Three cats were had already been TNR.  I don't know who did or when or even if it was done at the colony or another colony and then the cats settled at "B"

A local rescue was going to foot the bill on all the remaining cats at the colony provided they were tested and euthanized accordingly if positive.  Although I am not in the habit of testing unless the animal is ill or going for adoption, I agreed to the terms only to have one of the long time feeders become upset and claim she "would miss them too much if they were euthanized"  I and the rescue explained at length the consequences of positive cats and the pros and cons of testing so she could have an informed opinion.  Since the cats were all healthy looking and she had been "caring" for them longer I didn't take the rescue up on their offer which made them really irritated with me.  I was subsequently left with trapping, transporting, vetting, and paying for the remaining cats as said feeder didn't seem too interested in doing it and now wanted to "let them flourish"  Nice.  Lesson learned, sort of.  Only two momma cats were ever tested, negative for both virus, due to their kittens going into another rescue.

Fast forward.  All the cats are vetted.  In the event a new cat shows up they are trapped and taken care of.  The place is clean.  I along with some help from friends and family members worked hard to make the colony inconspicuous and a nice place for the cats to live despite their status in society.  Months later after the mass TNR, one of the boy cats I vetted became ill.  His gums started bleeding too and I knew it was bad.  He was captured, tested positive for FeLV and was humanely euthanized not because I felt he was defective but because he was sick and did not belong outside.  Feral cats don't really belong inside either so options were limited to me.

I made the decision not to retrap any of the remaining cats that had already been TNRed months prior because they appeared to be healthy and I just couldn't afford it.  I continued to take care of them and monitor their health.  Would any of you have done the same or would you have done differently?  Yet another cat became ill a few weeks ago.  It took 5 days for me to get her so she was in pretty bad shape with some severe complications from not eating.  I did not test but did humanely euthanize her.  She was one of the cats that had already been TNRed by someone else.

Fast forward again to now.  One of the male cats that had been TNRed sometime before I showed up on the scene started losing weight despite eating like a pig.  In his case this guy isn't actually feral.  He can be pet and picked up.  He might have been born outside but he has definitely had plenty of human contact.  It was decided by me and another feeder (same one from above) that he should see a doctor to find out what is going on.  She volunteered to take on that task which made me very happy since she doesn't do anything else.  Again I explain FIV/FeLV and encourage her to have him tested because of the positive testing several months back but she was all la la la la.  His blood work was normal but he tested positive for FeLV.  Again more la la la la from her and how every animal gets sick and it's okay he is a part of her every day anyhow so she will take care of him despite his test results.  I'm wanting to give this woman a medal for her understanding and then the other shoe drops.

24 hours after having him at her home she tells me he escaped, outside.  He is still hanging around in her yard.  Has been all night and day to my knowledge.  He is eating and she says of course she will bring him in.  Yeah well I think past behavior is a good indicator of future behavior and I wish I didn't make myself learn that the hard way but sometimes I can be foolish.  In any case she is now talking about euthanizing him which is a complete turn around from her previous viewpoint but since I now consider him her responsibility I will let her decide his fate provided it doesn't involve her dumping him back at the colony.  I really hope she wouldn't do that but she has proven unreliable and unreliable is worse than being a mean cat hater.

So I have that dilemma, a confirmed FeLV+ outside in a strange environment where there could be other cats with an "owner" that doesn't seem to eager to bring him back inside and has a history of not getting her hands dirty so to speak.

I also have the issue that two cats have now tested positive at my "B" colony.  I have several cats left and they all look very healthy.  I don't want to go through the stress and expense of catching them and testing them but I also don't want to leave any potentially positive cats outside to infect other cats.  If any of you found yourself in my situation what would you do or think would be the right decision?  I'm really curious to get other people perspectives before I decide what to do.

Thank you!!!

I've never faced this, so I have no idea what you might do.  But I am here to say "thank you" and "God bless you" whatever decision you make.

Hi Alice,

Thank you for trying to take care of these cats.

I have a few questions for you. First about the FeLV male cat who was recently tested. Do you know if he is Stage 1 or 2? Stage 1 cats can recover. He will need to be kept indoors or crated so that he doesn't pass the virus on to other cats and so that he stands a better chance of recovering. Stage 2 is more serious, he won't be able to recover from this and will remain positive for the virus, but that doesn't mean he can't live a healthy life for many more years. In either case his future depends on whether you are able to keep him indoors or crated. It sounds as if the other feeder is just making the situation worse, if I were you I wouldn't bother asking her to help any more.

If there is any way you can keep this boy separate from other cats then there is no need to have him PTS. Is there any chance of getting him into a shelter? I know a few shelters will take FIV/FeLV cats. 

You mention that two female cats have also tested positive. Do you mean for FIV or for FeLV? If the cats are all spayed and neutered there is very little chance of them passing FIV on to each other. 

How long has it been since the initial TNR, the two mothers testing negative and the two other cats becoming sick?

FeLV is passed on by mutual grooming or by sharing food and water bowls. If these cats have been living together as a colony the chances are that they've already come into contact with the virus. If you aren't in a position to trap and test all of the cats I'd say assume that they are all positive and then pay close attention to their health. Step in if any of them are sick or appear to be suffering and of course get any new comers blood tested when they are TNR'd.

I think any rescue group that you ask to help pay for testing is going to insist on having any cats that test positive PTS. Really it's up to you to decide if this colony is likely to pose a threat to other cats. If you live in an area with a lot of feral cats that move freely from one colony to another the chances of the virus spreading are high, but then if there have been FeLV positive cats in the colony for some time the damage is probably already done.

Ondine, best reply ever!  I feel good right now so thanks.  It's been a really long awful June.

Norachan, thanks for replying as well and offering great advice.  The boy who just tested positive for FeLV is about three years old and has been in the colony since a kitten according to the original feeder.  He is very active and playful with a good appetite BUT I did notice some soft light colored stool and he is very underweight, like 6 lbs if he is lucky.  His gums are a little on the pale side, but he is a ginger colored cat, no sores or too much tartar on his teeth but there is some red irritation at the gum line.  Eyes clear, coat nice, and I did apply Revolution to him 3 weeks ago.

The afternoon feeder who has him in her yard or house or who the hell knows at this point took him to a local shelter vet where he was examined and tested positive for FeLV.  It was relayed to me that the doctor said his lungs sounded a little off and then she recommended euthanasia.  Was it because she thought he was very ill or going outside I don't know and the feeder didn't disclose that to me.  He also had blood work, which I assume would be a CBC and basic chem profile.  The feeder told me the vet called and said his liver and kidney values were normal and then she recommended euthanasia again.

I have owned FIV positive cats, I have one now actually, one time I even had a double positive kitty for three years before dry FIP took him from me.  In my opinion I believe the cat in question is showing some signs of disease related to FeLV.  I also feel that with proper supportive care under the guidance of a competent vet, some good old fashioned common sense, and an inside home where he will not be exposed to other felines who are not infected with the virus would be in his best interest and shot at quality life for whatever time he may have left.  When I helped the feeder place him into the carrier for his vet appointment that is what I thought she was going to give him.  Unfortunately I am not in a position to take on another cat in my home even if said cat was healthy.  I was elated that she was willing to take on his care despite the fact that he appeared to have health issues.  She adopted one of the other nice colony cats that I TNRed and he is inside doing good so I thought it would be much of the same.   She assured me that she loved the FeLV+ cat and he was a part of her every day then 24 hours later she told me he was outside her house and didn't appear to be busting her butt to get him back inside.

Yes this feeder is making things worse as she always does.  I am trying to explain to her yet again the complicated and much debated issue of the FeLV virus but it doesn't seem to be sinking into her skull.  I'm really keeping my temper in check and it is hard but I would prefer to keep relations good because she still has the cat, somewhere, and she still leaves food for the colony cats although not at the frequency she claims.  It was a very foolish decision on my part to entrust her with the care of this cat.  I won't be every doing it again but for the moment we are connected because of this cat and I want him to be taken care of and not exposed to any other cats. 

The two momma cats tested negative for FIV and FeLV in March and May of 2014.  All the remaining cats were neutered by the end of May that same year.  Also there have been four cats that I have TNRed that went MIA in the past year (One boy just showed up yesterday after not seeing him for 7 months but he looks good so happy dance).  Three new healthy cats appeared this winter and were promptly TNRed but not tested as I didn't feel it necessary.  The first sick cat who tested positive for FeLV did so in December of 2014.  The second sick cat was a little girl and she passed late May of this year but was never tested.  So technically only two cats have actually tested positive for FeLV, one 12/2014 and 06/2015.  Lol, hope you got all that cause reading it back to myself it looks confusing ;-)

I'm with you on assuming that there must be other cats within the colony that are positive.  It would be impossible for them not to be.  I'm really leaning towards not doing anything but what I have been doing and that is taking care of them.  It's almost like spilled milk at this point.  I've eliminated some of the most common ways the virus can be spread (fighting/mating) by having them neutered.  I do have two sets of bowls (3 water, 3 dry, 10 wet) and they are washed every evening and replaced with the new set every morning which won't prevent the spread of any virus but might help.  They aren't exactly the love on each other type of cats either especially the girls who are mostly bratty dilute torties.  I don't know what's going to happen health wise or how long they will survive but I do know I would never allow them to suffer or go without anything.  I'll try to hang onto that thought to make myself feel better.