Need input - FIV+ and FIV- cats living together. Risks/Concerns

[catwoman707]

Yeah....most definitely one of those tragedies that are burned in your mind and heart, that scar for life, you will never forget, but it will fade in time some.

I agree, that man, so thankful for the man, just the right time and place....just awful.

 

[catsnip404]

Oh, wow!  Sooooo sorry that happened--I know you are as torn up as I would be!  But bad things just happen sometimes, and you just have to let it go.  I know it's not as easy as that.  This might be a dumb idea, but maybe do something that puts an "end cap" on it, like perhaps make a donation in honor of that kitty somewhere, and then after that consciously make an effort to push the event out of your mind whenever you think of it.  Continuing to remember it over and over will serve no good.  It will only torment you over something that was just a tragic accident.

 

[chaucer]

@CatSnip404   Thank you for the idea about the donation. The local shelter, which I don't actually love, is always in need of something. Cats don't seem to fare well there lately - epidemics due to no quarantine facilities. I could take cat food and cat litter out there to them.  This happened a month ago so I'm doing some better and know it was an accident but some days, I do think about it.

I will share something good - two things actually.  Couple of weeks ago, I found a little dog in my neighbor's semi-fenced backyard. The dog had a collar and a leash attachment, and it was friendly but a little scared.  Chihuahua-mix. I ended up calling Animal Control and stayed outside with it for 3.5 hours waiting. (Don't get me started on Animal Control in this little town..The guy was a jerk and it took four calls to get him to stop at my house, although he was driving up and down the street looking neither left nor right and there I was standing on the driveway waving my arms.. I threatened to report him.) Anyway, the little dog was taken to the shelter where I hope it either found a home or found its owner via microchip, but I understand here that this is something people don't do a lot.  The next thing was yesterday when yet another kitten appeared at the thrift shop where I volunteer. This kitten around 4 or 5 months,, a white flame-point long-hahir with beautiful big blue eyes -fleas could be seen on it. I wanted this one as I love Siamese, Himis and Ragdolls, but with three at home it was only if I couldn't find it somewhere.  My co-worker who took the other little kitten found there (and I got adopted for her) was hesitant about this one but the little thing walked with her to her nearby home. She took it in, bathed it cleaned its ears and picked off the fleas.  Her adult granddaughter who lives with her decided she wanted it and named the kitten Anastasia. I don't know how this will last as the girl is expecting a baby very soon, but I will get this kitten adopted if it comes to that.

 

[chaucer]

So.. here is how I honored the kitty, @CatSnip404   and everyone who is still reading this.  I took the little kitten that was found behind the church charity shop and got him (Yes, it was male rather female) a rabies shot and wormed.  I haven't had but one taker for him and she asked if he was declawed. (I won't let someone adopt him who wants the cat declawed, and she lives out of state anyway.) The vet pronounced this kitten in good health and said he will grow into a beautiful, loving cat. I have a feeling he is going to have to stay with me as a foster as the other woman can't keep him due to financial and family siituation.  Chaucer and Henryetta hissed at him in the carrier when I stopped by my house. Orville did nothing at all. He likes other cats. As I've said before, I don't really have a place to separate cats. This one is too big for my closet, but might work in the dog crate, but I can't get food/water and a litter tray in it.  One only, so would have to be litter pan at night. I

Here is a photo of him at the vet's. You can't see his orange ears and feet, but you get the idea. He is 4 months old and weighs 3.5 pounds. He's a little underweight and despite a bath he was given by the woman, he is still a little crawly. VERY friendly. Socialized to humans so feel he came from the hoarder's house/yard.

Wordsworth.jpg

• chaucer
• Aug 24, 2016

 

[zed xyzed]

Awww what a beautiful little guy, bless you for your kindness 

 

[chaucer]

That's sweet of you to say.  After I got past the FIV and non-FIV living together, I feel more comfortable with another one to foster.  I am doing this now as the woman said she can't, and she is wise about that. A toddler and preemie in a house with a kitten who wouldn't be able to get proper vet care isn't a good mix. This kitten still needs a parasite check and professional bath, along with flea meds. The other inside cat doesn't get vet care but does not go outside and seems healthy.

 

[chaucer]

The fostering is not going well. The poor thing has to stay in a crate most of the time because I don't have a room in which to let him stay. . Henryetta is hissy and growling at everyone. Orville is hiding and Chaucer hisses at Wordsworth (I named the kitten) but Chaucer does not have a fluffed tail or flat ears  when he does so. I bring the crate in where I am and let the others see him during the day.

I think I overestimated people's interest in this gorgeous kitten when I posted it on Facebook. Pictures don't do him justice. He is obviously a mix, but Siamese and a Domestic Long Hair mix.   I simply can't keep him.  I had one offer from a friend,  but she lives in another state and she asked if he was de-clawed!  I don't believe in de-clawing, and another state means I still have to keep him until she could get him.  I don't think I am suitable to be a foster. I don't like the disruption with my three cats. The two males might accept him in a few days, but my female most likely won't and she takes her upset out on BOTH the males now and not just Chaucer.

 

[catsnip404]

Hi @Chaucer!  Sorry, I've been off for a bit.  So glad you were able to help this kitten!  So beautiful!  Have you considered posting him on petfinder.com?

I haven't used it personally, but someone whose cat I complimented recently that looked similar to that one said she found him on petfinder.  Surely you could screen people.  I don't blame you for wanting to eliminate people who would have him declawed.  Ideally, I would LOVE to declaw mine (thinking of my furniture....LOL!!) but I know better.  Might be worth looking into that site.

Another possibility is letting people like your hair stylist know.  I have a batch of kittens that I'm going to be picking up from outside soon, and my hair stylist has a huge clientele that she's very willing to reach out to.  Or think of anyone else you know that has clients.

 

[chaucer]

 
Hi @Chaucer!  Sorry, I've been off for a bit.  So glad you were able to help this kitten!  So beautiful!  Have you considered posting him on petfinder.com?

I haven't used it personally, but someone whose cat I complimented recently that looked similar to that one said she found him on petfinder.  Surely you could screen people.  I don't blame you for wanting to eliminate people who would have him declawed.  Ideally, I would LOVE to declaw mine (thinking of my furniture....LOL!!) but I know better.  Might be worth looking into that site.

Another possibility is letting people like your hair stylist know.  I have a batch of kittens that I'm going to be picking up from outside soon, and my hair stylist has a huge clientele that she's very willing to reach out to.  Or think of anyone else you know that has clients.

Honestly, I am surprised people are still reading this thread.

  So thank you!  I had friends sharing photos of him, and I have some extremely cute videos of him which I'd post here, but I don't think I can do that because I never upload to YouTube.

.

Actually, Wordsworth has found a home and will be going to it this week.  The kitten is going to Michigan which is halfway across the country from me.  A friend posted and shared the kitten's picture and a relative of hers is taking him. My friend is taking a two-hour detour during her trip to Michigan and is picking up the kitten.  He's a beautiful kitten, so much prettier than in the photo. DLH, Siamese mix with a long fluffy orange tail.

Believe me, it's time for the kitten to go. I feel the same as I did when my female Henyretta had her five, but at least they were in the storage room. I think kittens are cute and funny,  but I tend to like adult cats better. Chaucer has been in distress for a week- vet visits. He may or may not have something wrong. The vet isn't sure why his third eyelids are showing and he looks rather stoned. I am not planning on fostering any more kittens or taking in more cats as it is very upsetting to him.  You would think my FIV cat would be the one at the vet all the time, but it's Chaucer and it may be strictly his anxiety and depression issue.   I wasn't planning on having three cats as it is but Orville is a special case. Couldn't let him back outside with FIV and couldn't take him to a shelter for the same reason.

 

[catsnip404]

Awwww so glad that Wordsworth has found a home!!  You rock!!

I hear ya about kittens.  I do love them and they are so funny, but this one I have quarantined in my bedroom at the moment is an absolute terror at night.  I posted something on Facebook that reads like a drug (complete with the standard "advisories and warnings") for people that have trouble sleeping.  A few nights with THIS little booger and you will be able to sleep standing up -- guaranteed!!!  I should post it on this site.  XD

I'll relish this cute kitten phase for the awesome parts, but I do look forward to his adult days.

Sorry to hear that Chaucer is in distress.  Hopefully that will settle out soon.

Yes, Orville, like my FIV+ Nero, was a special case.  

I swore off more too until I saw this injured feral kitten and trapped him.  The animal hospital thinks he was about 9-weeks-old and that a hawk had plucked him up for dinner and somehow he escaped.  Poor little guy was days away from death--something sticking out of a wound in his side (turned out to be proud flesh), multiple infected puncture wounds, hip bones/backbone/ribs sticking out, major fever and severe dehydration.  They didn't know if he was going to make it.  He spent days at the animal hospital.  And then last week, after he seemed healed, another abscess opened due to a piece of hawk talon that apparently broke off deep inside that was causing a problem.

That very first day that I trapped him and brought him to the hospital he was hissy, but by the second day, although still a bit wary, he became a love.  He was head-butting and licking everybody.  I think he figured out that people made him feel sooooo much better.  They got his fever down and gave him pain meds and fluids, etc.

I initially entertained the idea of finding him a home, but after all he's been through, I think the bar for "crazy cat lady" has been bumped up by "one".  And really, at this point, I should just embrace the label.  XD

 

[chaucer]

 
Awwww so glad that Wordsworth has found a home!!  You rock!!

I hear ya about kittens.  I do love them and they are so funny, but this one I have quarantined in my bedroom at the moment is an absolute terror at night.  I posted something on Facebook that reads like a drug (complete with the standard "advisories and warnings") for people that have trouble sleeping.  A few nights with THIS little booger and you will be able to sleep standing up -- guaranteed!!!  I should post it on this site.  XD

I'll relish this cute kitten phase for the awesome parts, but I do look forward to his adult days.

Sorry to hear that Chaucer is in distress.  Hopefully that will settle out soon.

Yes, Orville, like my FIV+ Nero, was a special case.  

I swore off more too until I saw this injured feral kitten and trapped him.  The animal hospital thinks he was about 9-weeks-old and that a hawk had plucked him up for dinner and somehow he escaped.  Poor little guy was days away from death--something sticking out of a wound in his side (turned out to be proud flesh), multiple infected puncture wounds, hip bones/backbone/ribs sticking out, major fever and severe dehydration.  They didn't know if he was going to make it.  He spent days at the animal hospital.  And then last week, after he seemed healed, another abscess opened due to a piece of hawk talon that apparently broke off deep inside that was causing a problem.

That very first day that I trapped him and brought him to the hospital he was hissy, but by the second day, although still a bit wary, he became a love.  He was head-butting and licking everybody.  I think he figured out that people made him feel sooooo much better.  They got his fever down and gave him pain meds and fluids, etc.

I initially entertained the idea of finding him a home, but after all he's been through, I think the bar for "crazy cat lady" has been bumped up by "one".  And really, at this point, I should just embrace the label.  XD

You are the one who rocks!  That little kitten was so fortunate you came into his life. I can see why you want to keep him.  This little kitten I have was accustomed to people so I don't know if he wandered off or was part of the genuine crazy cat lady's menagerie of animals. I understand that she has been known to have 37 cats in and out of her house and that the number has gone up. She doesn't spay or neuter them. One woman has been trapping the cats and just dumps them near people's farms so they can be barn cats because "everyone who has a barn wants barn cats."  Don't get me started on what I wanted to say to that! She had her grandchildren with her so I didn't want to make a scene, but that is terrible to dump cats who have been fed all the time and expect them to survive on their own.

I started a topic on Chaucer in the Cat Health forum. One kind person posted a link to an old topic but that was it. I'm not sure his situation is common. The vet isn't even sure what's wrong, because the steroid shot didn't work. The CBC showed his lymphocytes were up and he is on antibiotics.

Your Nero was a good model for helping me with  my FIV cat in the family. I learned so much from this thread and now don't even think about him having FIV.  It wasn't until a couple decided against the kitten (who hasn't been tested) that I gave it much thought. I do feel it is important to disclose that he has lived in a house with an FIV cat, but they have minimal contact, and next-to-none back then.  It was the "poses a serious health risk to our elderly cat" that got me. I don't think this kitten poses a health threat, at least for FIV or FelV. He had his first FelV shot. 

Just like with my cat's five kittens, the local shelter called the day before the kitten was scheduled to leave for his new home. It was with great pleasure I could say that he was adopted. The woman was very interested in where he was going and how it all occurred. Facebook sharing through mutual friends and family members, that's how. I was just surprised it took this long.  My friend who is picking him up loves cats. She has four. The last one she got when the shelter where she goes to play with the cats, let her know they were concerned about the future for a little kitten who had only one eye and had a respiratory infection. I hope her relatives will provide a good home for this little one I've fostered and will give him nothing but love, kindness and care.

 

[catsnip404]

Meh, I just couldn't leave him to die.  But really, even if he wasn't in a state of near death, I would have done something for him.  No point in having him grow up feral.  You would have done the same too.  

All of us that protect these babies, young or old babies, rock.  A big hug and high five to all of us on here that do the best we can.

Glad that my experience with Nero helped, and your experience helped me too!  I think it says a lot of you as a person and your honesty that you decided to disclose that the kitten had lived with an FIV cat.

I'm hoping that as science grows, and our own experience grows, and our learning from others that have FIV+ cats together with FIV- cats grows, that one day that will not be a big deal and not worth disclosing because we will feel that it doesn't matter any more.

Soooo glad you were able to find a good home for that baby!  And please keep us posted on Chaucer!

 

[chaucer]

@CatSnip404

Yes, I suppose I would have tried to do the same, but I have to stop taking in cats though. It causes so much upset for my three and the expense is becoming too much. I hadn't anticipated having the kitten for as long as I did. One thing that may help with my areas strays/ferals is the house across the street from was renovated and is occupied. That means the cats that were hanging out over there are no longer doing so.

Chaucer is much better. His eyes look normal and he is eating a lot more - 9 oz of wet food each day for the past three days!  Who knows what he eats at night because I leave dry out for the three of them. Orville still stays in my room during the day - behind the bed or up in a high window so he mostly eats at night.

I no longer think of Orville as an FIV cat so I have to remember that if I ever do take in a kitten/cat for fostering again to tell people. I didn't disclose to the person who took him, but my friend knew the kitten was in an FIV household. The people who took him do not have another cat. They have two small dogs. 

I'm so glad that you took in that little kitten and that you are keeping him!

 

[chaucer]

Just wanted to update those of you who have followed this thread that Orville ran out the door nearly two weeks ago.  For some reason, after all this time, he had been wanting out and I'd had to watch the sliding door.  The first time he got out he returned two days later and I was able to get him in the house where he was very loving, more so than usual, purring and rubbing around me and wanting to sit near me. I thought this meant that he'd been outside and decided he didn't want to return to living like that.  I was wrong. A couple of days ago, he shot out the door again after mewing and trilling and chirping around for a day or so. Unfortunately, this time he doesn't want back in. I only see him in the morning and he's reverting to a semi-feral already. He will come to me and roll around near me - happy as can be- but he won't come near enough for me to pet him.  I should say that I did pick him up yesterday and tried to carry him back to the house. All went well until I ran into a branch which scared him and he launched himself off my side (ouch) and ran off. Today, he wouldn't let me touch him but he did roll for me as he did before he came to live inside of his own free will, I have to add. He also chased a ribbon outside but wouldn't follow it in the house.  Complicating things is the feral that I feed (Jedi). He's still skittish of me, but he shows up when Orville is out there and they had an altercation of sorts. Jedi is defending his "territory" as he believes it to be. Orville hides in the hedge while Jedi is around and I've had to run the latter off so that Orville will come out. Orville then disappears and I don't see him until the next morning.

Orville isn't eating much because I put out food for him and he isn't around at night to eat. He doesn't seem to eat much when I take him food in the mornings. He tends to hide in the hedge. He did play with a string and he did come to the door today but I left it open and he wouldn't come in, even with food there. I am worried about him. He is past due by a week for his rabies shot and his FeLV shots. I'd planned to take him today after some other things were taken care of.  I am both worried about him out there and very puzzled by his behavior. Does anyone  have an idea why Orville no longer wants to be an indoor cat? He's had such a good life in the house - all the food he wants/clean water where he has soft beds, a safe, warm/cool home, a "girlfriend cat" and a male cat play buddy, and cat toys, litter boxes and scratching boards. He has had nothing but love, care and kindness from me and he became very affectionate right after the first time he bolted. I don't understand any of this.

 

[zed xyzed]

That is really unusual but cat are weird sometimes. When the weather get colder he might think twice about being outside. I hope you can coax him inside where he is safe. Let us know how things go.

 

[chaucer]

Thank you. I'm saddened by it and wonder what is going on. He is reverting pretty quickly out there.  It's like we are going back to the time when he was just getting comfortable with me.  I hope he comes in when the weather gets bad. His FIV makes him prone to infections and I don't want him drinking out of bird baths (which I saw him doing in mine) so I put out water but he hasn't come to the door to eat or drink. He comes by but runs away.  It's clear he does not want to be an inside kitty now.  My indoor two don't miss him and are getting along better together. That also saddens me. 

I feel bad for the other cat I'm feeding too. He thought the territory was his and I was encouraging him to be here. Now, I'm trying to run him off just to get Orville to stay.

 

[chaucer]

*Just an update that happened a few minutes after I wrote this.  I got up early this morning and decided to call him.  45 minutes later I went to the sliding door and there he was on the top step. I slowly opened the door and went out and was able to pick him up and bring him in. At first he turned back to the closed door but settled quickly. Same thing when came inside - was very friendly, purring, loving and back to his routine. He was energized, playful and trying to play with the other two.  It's as if he's been bored and just wanted to go out. Unfortunately, I tend to go to bed early and if he hasn't shown up, he has to stay out until I get up. By the time I'm up, the other cats are out there so he goes into hiding.

@Zed Xyzed   It was a little cooler last night. 

 

[ralphscats]

Sorry I haven't been on for quite a while. I've been reading this thread and trying to catch up.
Have you tried to use a live trap to get him back? I've also read that smelly cat food and KFC are great eat attracting cats.
I don't know why he would do this. Is there something inside that may have spooked him? Are you still using the Feliways? Are any of them empty? I know if I forget to change mine by the way Maddie starts acting.

 

[chaucer]

@Ralphscats    First, thanks for reading this thread.  Second, I posted an update that I'd gotten him.  I still don't know why he is doing this all of a sudden. I did have company on both weeks he ran off, but I've had the same company a couple of other times since he's been in the house. He now comes out while they're here. 

I may have to just accept that he's going to do this sometimes.  Door monitoring can be difficult at times.  I have a Feliway but it is a very slow diffuser. I've had it for months and it's about 3/4 gone now. 

 

[ralphscats]

I'm so glad you got him!!
I've been using Feliway's for years. If you've been using the same diffuser base for more than six months, they recommend you replacing them. If you've been using the same bulb for months and it's only 3/4 gone, I'm guessing you need a new base. They usually only last a month give or take.
I think I started my reply and then got sidetracked and when I finished my reply I didn't see your post. I'm so very happy he's back home!! [emoji]128522[/emoji][emoji]10084[/emoji]️[emoji]128049[/emoji]