Kitten Felv / Fiv Testing

wrs2

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Quick question! I adopted a kitten recently who was not tested for FELV/FIV, but her mother was tested and the results were negative. The shelter is one of the best in the state, but I am just curious if this is usual protocol? I assume that if mom doesn't have it, the kittens won't either, but I want to be sure as I have other cats.

Thanks!
:)
 

StefanZ

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Yes, its a reasonable. If momma is free, so kitten should too be free. Also, tests on kittens are unreliable. A freeing test is usually trustworthy, but a "positive" test result, isnt. Especielly if done with the cheap quick test.... So a "positive" test must be redone, usually with the more costly one. Or a half year later....

Observe, if a cat was vaccinated, it will show "positive". That is why IF you do vaccinate a cat for Felv, do so ONLY if you are keeping it forever in your home. OR there is a real problem with Felv common in the milieu.

The usual core vaccine and rabies vaccine are something else - these must be done.
 

jen

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It is not common at all to vaccinated against FIV in the US so the OP shouldn't have to worry about false positives. StefanZ is right and you could always double check at the cats 1 year exam just to be sure.
 
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wrs2

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Okay thank you both!
She was at the vet today for her wellness check and the vet and she agreed that if mom is free, the babies will be as well.
While she didn't mention an FIV vaccine, she did say that vets are recommending Felv vaccines now, which is odd as my cat Daisy turned 1 in April and I never heard anything about that last year. Maybe it is something new?
 

Willowy

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she did say that vets are recommending Felv vaccines now,
The current AAHA recommendation is that all kittens receive the FeLV vaccine (because owners often lie about their cat's outdoor access, or change their minds before the cat is a year old) and the one-year booster. But those recommendations were put out in. . .2006, I think, so the vet should have suggested that for your older cat too.

Anyway, if you're 100% sure you won't be letting your kitten go outside, feel free to decline the FeLV vaccine :D.
 
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wrs2

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I let the older one go on the deck with me, and sometimes take the younger ones out on a leash, but only on the deck. They never go into the actual yard. They just sit on chairs, or a bench. And absolutely never alone or unsupervised.
 
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