- Joined
- Sep 13, 2019
- Messages
- 18
- Purraise
- 4
This is Miss Olive.
I’ll start by saying I have 8 rescues who are the loves of my life and I would do anything for them. They are children to my husband and I since we have no human babies. On August 21st, I noticed a stray on our porch. Being me I immediately went and got her food, she hesitantly let me pet her and she continued to come around for meals. We spent time on the porch with her gaining her trust. It appeared she was either pregnant or nursing so we were watching to see if kittens arrived or she enlarged. On August 21st, she moved just right and I noticed a large gash under her left front leg. I immediately got her into a carrier and we were at the vet within 45 minutes. The vet examined the wound and “Mama” as we were calling her. The vet said she more than likely had (best guess) 2-3 week old kittens somewhere outside. The wound was very clean and did not appear infected so, the vet stapled the wound as best she could, knowing it may not stay closed due to the location, gave an antibiotic injection and we brought her home and set her loose to return to her babies. The vet said if we had not seen nor found kittens in three weeks, we would be safe to take her in. So, I made an appointment 3 weeks out and we searched and waited. Mama continued to show up for her meals 2-3 times a day and visit with us. Then on September 6th, she disappeared. We posted online, called vet clinics, emailed rescues, checked the shelter, posted fliers, distributed fliers door to door... I was worried sick (literally). Then on Tuesday night (September 10th) I spotted what might be her on the county shelter website. We were there when they opened the next morning and there was Mama. I sobbed I was so relieved to see her- I can’t even explain the joy. She had been brought in the day she went missing by animal control with 5 kittens (approximately 8 weeks old). They had sutured up her wound, she was doing well and we could take her home that day. I called my vet and we went straight there from the shelter. They ran the FeLV test- negative. They ran the FIV test- positive. I was so devastated I literally had to lay on the exam room floor because I almost passed out. How could a miracle have brought her back to me and now this? The vet says we will retest in 6 weeks to verify she is positive but says there is a chance (however small) that it could come back negative. So, sorry for the long story, I have some questions I wanted to throw out there. Has anyone ever had a cat test negative after a positive? And, what do I do if she is verified positive? I’ve been reading online and I know FIV+ and FIV- can live together but, I have 8 cats already. It bears saying, I foolishly vaccinated my first four for FIV when they were younger so, to test them annually to assure it had not transferred would be impossible since they would test positive from the vaccine. The 8 are not aggressive with each other. There is some bullying and a lot of noise sometimes but we have never had more than a scratch here and there from their disagreements that we know of. I want to do what is best for everyone, my current 8 and Olive (as we have officially named her). If we receive a miracle in 6 weeks and she’s negative, there is no question she stays with us. If she is indeed positive, I don’t know. I’m lost in all the information I’ve been reading online. Does she stay with us or do I find her another home? It will break me to rehome her but I will not euthanize her. I’ve been a mess for the last two days, crying what seems like all the time and I’m so lost. She is so sweet and patient with everything she’s been through and she deserves the best. Currently we have her separated in a bedroom, in a critter playpen (no running or jumping due to the sutures until this Tuesday) at which point she will have run of the room and we be installing a double screen door, with space in between to prevent cat escapes in or out, while we are going in and out. Anyone have any advice they’d like to share that may help?