Coronavirus

[veronica00]

I've posted about my newly adopted cat Milo in regards to FIV/FELV which was negative. We also did a fecal test (flotation) and had it sent out for PCR testing as well. This tests for lots of things including coronavirus which he tested positive for.

Has anyone introduced a new cat to existing cats and done this testing and had a positive result. I am at a loss for what to do. I've read a lot of cats carry the coronavirus so maybe I should have my existing 2 cats tested and see if they have it. Any advice/experience would be helpful.

 

[pushylady]

My understanding was that a lot of cats carry the coronavirus, and it's usually not something to worry about/can do much about. The concern of course is that it can turn into FIP. Is that right?

 

[veronica00]

I'm fairly certain most people do not test for this. It is a PCR test on a fecal sample, not the usual float test. I know in my 5 years and 3 cats I have never done such a test, even when testing for parasites. It's newer and more expensive.

I am going to have my 2 cats tested at 3:30 today. If they are negative, I will bring Milo back to the shelter. And no, I do not want to do that. I have already become attached and will worry for him with yet another abrupt change but I have to protect Charlie.

Has anyone here ever specifically tested their cat for coronavirus? I wasn't testing for that specifically but it was part of the PCR panel.

 

[Blakeney Green]

Coronavirus testing is essentially meaningless, honestly. Most cats who have ever been around any other cats will be positive for it, and there is no way for testing to distinguish whether a particular cat's coronavirus will mutate into FIP because they still don't know exactly why that happens. (Preliminary research regarding littermates suggests a genetic component.)

I wouldn't test for coronavirus, personally. It's pretty much pointless unless the research evolves to the point where they can distinguish whether it will result in FIP, which won't be anytime soon. Coronavirus is just so common in the cat population.

I'm sure if I did test, all of mine would come back positive because they were all either from shelters or stray.

If coronavirus is a huge concern for you, I would recommend that you just avoid shelter animals period because it's pretty much guaranteed.

 

[veronica00]

It wasn't something I asked them to test for and honestly I have been worried about it since I read it is common. I don't think I will ever adopt again. The past 2 weeks has been horrible having responsibility for Milo and worrying about Charlie's health after losing Petey 6 weeks ago. I was never this worried adopting my second and third cat.. never even knew what tests were run including FIV and FELV. Sometimes I think too much information is actually harmful.

I am heading to the vet now with Charlie and Lulu. I'm not sure what I'm hoping for but if they are positive for corona then I'm guessing we can keep Milo. If not I'm not sure what to do.

Everyone I talk to tells me something different .. it is 50/50 between "take him back to the shelter it is too risky" and "most cats test positive at some time or another". I just don't know what to do but I cannot put Charlie in danger and my responsibility to him is greater than to Milo.

 

[foxxycat]

I agree with Blakeney Green . It's a waste of money=most cats already carry it-nothing we can do about it either.. the best thing to do-is do the best you can. And yes most shelter cats already have it. the good news is if the cat is over 1 year the percentage that get FIP goes down considerably. Usually if it evolves into FIP it's in the kitten age.

 

[Blakeney Green]

Veronica, I didn't realize you had just experienced pet loss. I'm so sorry to hear that your cat passed away.

Please understand that I am trying to speak very gently here and this is not a criticism, but... it seems like maybe you are at a point in your grieving process for Petey where you are just not yet ready to accept another pet into your life? I was confused by your initial post because your reaction to the test results seemed incredibly extreme, so I can't help but wonder if maybe it is the trauma of losing Petey so recently that is making you feel this way. Maybe the time just isn't right or Milo isn't the right pet for you, if you feel it is necessary to shut him out because of this. There is no shame in realizing that you have passed your emotional limit or you need more time before you are ready to let your guard down and let another cat into your family.

Frankly, I think it is wildly irresponsible of your vet that they are just going along with all this (and taking your money) rather than providing a clear-eyed and realistic assessment of the risk.

 

[veronica00]

I don’t think you’re being critical at all Blakeney Green .. and you are right, the loss of my Petey is affecting my decisions but not in the way you are thinking. I am absolutely not looking for reasons to take Milo back. But I am hyper protective of my Charlie due to losing Petey at such a young age in a way I feel like I should have been able to prevent.

I already love Milo. I have been crying so much today my eyes are swollen, my mother had to come to my house because I was so upset. When I sit down for the night to watch some TV I keep my tablet on to the video camera feed of Milo’s room.

This little man has been through so much and is running around amusing himself in that room alone. If I didn’t care about him I would have brought him back at 8am this morning when I got the news. Instead I brought my 2 cats to the vet to test them for coronavirus because if they are positive, he stays.

The first vet I talked to actually recommended taking him back to the shelter. I’ve spent the entire day trying to justify keeping him and putting my Charlie at risk. I just cannot risk losing Charlie. He is my shadow now without Petey here. We literally spoon all night, yes I know how ridiculous that sounds, I do not know what I would do if I endangered his health.

 

[Kitty Mommy]

I had a cat that we got from a shelter test positive for coronavirus. He was tested because of frequent sneezing. My other two cats had been living with him for 5 years before we found out. Vet said there are so many types of coronavirus it was hard to know which one he might have and its not necessarily fatal. We treated his respiratory symptoms as they flared up. Other cats have not had symptoms and vet didn't think they needed to be tested. Your other cats have likely already been exposed at this point but it doesn't mean any of them will get sick. It is scary and I worried about it the same as you.

 

[Blakeney Green]

The first vet I talked to actually recommended taking him back to the shelter.

That just... seems so bizarre to me. Many of their feline clients are likely coronavirus-positive. Are they suggesting everyone rehome their pets? I know some vets aren't fond of shelter animals, but this seems a little extreme even so.

 

[veronica00]

He's not suggesting everyone rehome their pets.. He is suggesting that a newly adopted, unintroduced cat be returned to the shelter as he has a potentially deadly infectious virus. It is my opinion that most people are blissfully unaware. I know I never tested my first 3 cats, never crossed the radar. Shelters don't test. I actually called 2 today and both said they do not. But most people that I have told he tested positive reacted very negatively. I felt like asking if their cat had ever been tested but I already know the answer.

Kitty Mommy you had no choice at that point. Maybe I don't either, I'll find out tomorrow but what would you do if you did have a choice.

I have kept Milo separate.. despite those efforts they still may be exposed i don't know. I do know I'll never forgive myself if I brought this to Charlie. Just another bad decision to add to the list.

 

[Blakeney Green]

Shelters don't test. I actually called 2 today and both said they do not.

Yeah, we don't test where I work, we just assume all our animals are positive because it's so unavoidable.

 

[Willowy]

If coronavirus is a huge concern for you, I would recommend that you just avoid shelter animals period because it's pretty much guaranteed.

It's pretty much guaranteed in a breeder setting, too. If someone were trying to get a corona-free cat I wouldn't even know what to tell them.

Anyway, I think the testing was unnecessary and just stirred up worries. 90% of cats in multi-cat homes have it and 50% in single-cat homes. It's just a thing that most cats have.

Here's the Cornell brochure about it. It says that 5%-10% of infected cats will develop FIP, but I think that's nonsense. I've never had a case of FIP and I have a LOT of cats. All former strays so I'm sure they all have it. Other things I've read say that the 5%-10% is in a crowded cattery setting and it's lower for pets, that kind of makes sense.
FIP - Feline Infectious Peritonitis

 

[Kitty Mommy]

[QUOTE Kitty Mommy you had no choice at that point. Maybe I don't either, I'll find out tomorrow but what would you do if you did have a choice[/QUOTE]
I know you want to protect Charlie and if you chose to give up Milo it will be because you thought it was best. There is nothing wrong with that. You have a hard decision to make and I hope that Charlie is not infected. I can't say what I might have done if we knew about the virus when we first brought him home. When we did learn about it I fretted a lot about our cats getting sick and dying. My husband told me that all we can do is take care of them the best we can for the time we have them in our lives. I still worry every day about losing them.

 

[Kitty Mommy]

I have read that some vets recommend putting down a cat because of coronavirus. Our vet said he could live a perfectly normal life with it.

 

[Blakeney Green]

It says that 5%-10% of infected cats will develop FIP, but I think that's nonsense. I've never had a case of FIP and I have a LOT of cats.

Yeah, that number seems way too high. Even among the shelter cats, it's pretty rare. None of my personal cats have ever had it.

This week we had to have one of the shelter cats euthanized due to FIP. He was one of my favorites. We all stayed with him while he was put to sleep, and I will admit I cried. I brought home my kitten the same day the cat we lost was diagnosed. I'm sure the kitten is corona positive too, but FIP is just a risk that the majority of cat owners have to take, unfortunately.

ETA: Which is not meant to be snark on your decision if you make a different one. You have to do whatever you feel is best for your family. Just please don't assume anyone who doesn't calculate the risk the same way you do is "blissfully unaware" of FIP.

 

[veronica00]

This thread is a perfect example of the polar reactions I have gotten and read online about coronavirus. Kitty Mommy 's post are what really worry me. Am I going to spend every day worrying my cats are going to die? I have never heard anyone say to put a cat with coronavirus to sleep, that seems extreme.

Blakeney Green I didn't say people were blissfully unaware of FIP. But they certainly are unaware of coronavirus. Especially if what you and W Willowy and foxxycat are saying is true and almost all shelter cats have it. I am very sorry for your loss, I know very well how heartbreaking it is. God bless.

 

[missmindy]

My cat (shelter adopted) was tested for coronavirus this past Spring as she was presenting with a uveitis "mystery." She had zero symptoms other than the massive eye inflammation. Her eye specialist tested her for coronavirus because he was really at a loss for what was going on and we were kind of grasping at straws. Her titer came back super super high for exposure to coronavirus. He explained that many many cats are exposed to coronavirus and never have an issue and the titer really didn't explain much as she didn't have FIP symptoms. This was the case with her as her illness was ultimately a somewhat rare presentation of a fungus. I freaked out initially though because I had read/heard about FIP and was scared, so I understand your worries. It's my understanding as well that it is extremely common for cats to be positive, and as other posters mentioned, there's no way to determine if my cat or any others that are positive will ever have an issue. We never would have tested her without the unexplained eye problems. Best wishes to you and I hope everything works out.

 

[veronica00]

Thank you missmindy I'm so glad her eye problem was unrelated. Is she doing okay now? Do you have other cats?

 

[missmindy]

Thank you-She is doing fantastic now! She has to be an "only child" so I don't have any other cats right now (She is my 3rd though). I can't really offer any advice on the multiple cat situation unfortunately. I hope you have a similar experience though where the positive coronavirus kitty never has an issue from it. My regular vet agreed with my specialist too that the positive test wasn't much to worry about. I wish I had thought to ask them about mixing her with other kitties if the situation ever arose. They didn't caution against exposing her to other cats though now or in the future. She was also positive for bartonella which they definitely did warn me about regarding bites or scratches because she could transmit that.

Wishing you well!