First thread here: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/292017/adopting-abandoned-kittens
So I went and picked up the kittens today. I drove 2 hours to pick them up, and when I got there the lady said "There's been a major oversight..." She pulled out the ELISA test and both kittens tested positive for FeLV on 1/5/2015. She said the shelter hasn't had a positive for years and she read the results wrong. The kittens seem very healthy and friendly and are showing NO SYMPTOMS almost a month after testing.
She said that the positive results may have been due to blood samples sitting out too long, or other causes. She said she can either retest them next week and I could drive the 4 hour round trip again, or I could take them home and have my vet test them (a different kind of FeLV test) and the rescue would pay for the test. If the test was positive, I could return them to the shelter. I opted to bring them home.
So I have questions for you all.
What are the chances of this test being wrong?
Could they have tested positive (mother was a carrier) and is there a chance the next test will be negative?
Can they fight off the FeLV virus?
From what I understand, FeLV is basically a death sentence, is this correct?
I'm getting them tested next week, is there anything I should bring up with the vet? Questions I should ask?
Another surprise, they're both boys! I went up to adopt a brother and a sister, and took a peek under the sister, and DEFINITELY A BOY! So I'm getting a couple of surprises. And they're much friendlier than I thought they would be. And they are the biggest cuddlers! The whole drive home, they were just doing all these different cuddle positions in their carrier. They like have to be touching one another all the time.
I'm falling in love fast, but if all the test do come out positive for FeLV, I will be taking the cats back to the shelter. Please don't think I'm horrible, but I can't get attached and put a bunch of money into cats that I'm going to have to say goodbye to in a couple years. It just hurts too much.
Pictures coming soon. They're currently in their cat room, hiding in their carrier. I'm leaving them alone to get out and explore...
So I went and picked up the kittens today. I drove 2 hours to pick them up, and when I got there the lady said "There's been a major oversight..." She pulled out the ELISA test and both kittens tested positive for FeLV on 1/5/2015. She said the shelter hasn't had a positive for years and she read the results wrong. The kittens seem very healthy and friendly and are showing NO SYMPTOMS almost a month after testing.
She said that the positive results may have been due to blood samples sitting out too long, or other causes. She said she can either retest them next week and I could drive the 4 hour round trip again, or I could take them home and have my vet test them (a different kind of FeLV test) and the rescue would pay for the test. If the test was positive, I could return them to the shelter. I opted to bring them home.
So I have questions for you all.
What are the chances of this test being wrong?
Could they have tested positive (mother was a carrier) and is there a chance the next test will be negative?
Can they fight off the FeLV virus?
From what I understand, FeLV is basically a death sentence, is this correct?
I'm getting them tested next week, is there anything I should bring up with the vet? Questions I should ask?
Another surprise, they're both boys! I went up to adopt a brother and a sister, and took a peek under the sister, and DEFINITELY A BOY! So I'm getting a couple of surprises. And they're much friendlier than I thought they would be. And they are the biggest cuddlers! The whole drive home, they were just doing all these different cuddle positions in their carrier. They like have to be touching one another all the time.
I'm falling in love fast, but if all the test do come out positive for FeLV, I will be taking the cats back to the shelter. Please don't think I'm horrible, but I can't get attached and put a bunch of money into cats that I'm going to have to say goodbye to in a couple years. It just hurts too much.
Pictures coming soon. They're currently in their cat room, hiding in their carrier. I'm leaving them alone to get out and explore...
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