Stray cat tested positive

I have been feeding a stray cat all summer. I have just recently been able to pet him. I took him to the vet and he tested positive for leukemia and FIV. Is that common to be positive for both? I have cats and no where to keep him separated, but I can't leave him outside. He seems healthy right now. I plan to get him retested even though the vet said it can't be a false positive.

Any advice, stories, or support is welcome.

I'm so sorry!  I don't think I've known of any cats with both, but FIV is only transmitted through a deep bite wound and FeLV can be transmitted several ways, including a bite, so he could have gotten both at the same time.

FIV is not very worrisome because it's not easy for other cats to catch and cats often live to old age before FIV symptoms start. But FeLV is tougher, because it can be spread relatively easily between cats who live together. You could get your cats vaccinated against it, but I'm not sure that the vaccine protects against the virus 100% of the time, so it' still a risk. And FeLV does unfortunately dramatically shorten a cat's lifespan. If you could find a rescue or an individual who is equipped to care for him, I think that would be your best option. There are places that specialize in special needs rescues, although they are admittedly not plentiful.

I don't have very much experience with feline leukemia kitties, but hopefully someone will else will come along soon to offer more experience and support.

I know someone on here said that if a cat has been vaccinated for FIV, they will test positive.  Could the same be true for FeLV?

Alicia88 said:

 
I know someone on here said that if a cat has been vaccinated for FIV, they will test positive.  Could the same be true for FeLV?

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No, according to Cornell's website:

 FeLV vaccines will not cause cats to receive false positive results on ELISA, IFA, or any other available FeLV tests.

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Could you possible try the test that vets send away the blood sample instead of the instant read SNAP test?  My vet refuses to use the SNAP test because of all the false positives.  The results take a bit to get back, but they are much more accurate. 

I am going to take him to another vet and request the other test. I believe it was a faint line on the leukemia. The vet said that he couldn't have a false positive, but I know of someone that has had that happen. I'm told he has been outside for a long time and has scabs on him him from fights. I just want to be sure before making any decisions.

I am going to contact some rescues. I found a shelter that takes positive cats. I don't think that's the best thing for a cat with a weakened immune system, but may be the best I can do for him.

Should I get him retested right away or wait a few weeks?

I believe the recommended procedure is to do the IFA blood test, and then repeat it in a month. If the 1st test is negative, then either he doesn't have it or he was just recently infected, and then a second negative result will confirm that he does not have it (http://fixnation.org/2010/03/feline-leukemia-fiv-testing-part-1-of-2/).

Apparently if he is infected with the first stage of the disease, he might still manage to fight it off and be free from it for the rest of his life, and adult cats have a good chance of doing that. Feeding him well and keeping him healthy will improve his odds. If there's any way at all you can keep him inside and separate while you wait for test results, even if you have to keep him in a bathroom, that would be wonderful. 

Although FIV tests can also be false positives if they've been vaccinated before, it sounds highly likely that this guy does indeed have FIV given his history. If it turns out that he's negative for FeLV, though, he can definitely live safely with your other cats once he is neutered. The hormones are what drive cats to get in fights intense enough that they make deep enough bites to transmit the disease, so there is very little risk of it spreading in a household of fixed cats. I have an FIV positive kitty, and while we don't have any other cats just because she prefers to be the only feline in the house, health-wise she is doing wonderfully.

I'm really hoping everything works out for the best for you and this kitty.

Thanks for the replies. I'm not too worried about the FIV. He seems to be a pretty mellow cat. Is there anything I can give him to help boost his immune system? How do positive cats do with vaccinations? He will have to be vaccinated to be neutered. He has a wound by his ear that seemed to be healing, but has been scratched open again. I put some ointment on it and the vet did not seem concerned. She just asked if he was scratching his ears and that he may have ear mites, but I don't know that that would result in a wound behind his ear.


Gavin