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

Status
Not open for further replies.

zed xyzed

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 10, 2015
Messages
3,786
Purraise
3,740
Location
Toronto Canada
He might actually be bored or he might be concerned about other cats on his turf. I am glad he is back home.  Thanks for the update, How is Chaucer doing? 
 

zed xyzed

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 10, 2015
Messages
3,786
Purraise
3,740
Location
Toronto Canada
 
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.
Have you gotten any updates on how Wordsworth is doing ?
 

pixies ma

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
291
Purraise
17
Location
Montreal
@Chaucer  I did not read the whole thread cause it's a monster, but i came upon all this cause i'm currently trying to add a FIV+ to my household. A 4 year old feral with massive jowls. I only have one cat, a one year old semi-feral female who i'm not sure will ever like him. I'm afraid of fights and kerfuffles (more than i am afraid of my cat even contracting FIV from it cause i know it is most seen between whole males), but if i understand correctly, it all went well for you guys?
I'm at this moment waiting for my landlord to finish installing a door to separate my kitchen from the rest of my place so i can keep Minou in the kitchen at night and help with introductions.
I think we spoke once, probably about my semi-feral Pixie last year when she was very ill. Your name rings a bell.
Anywho, our stories seem very similar except mine is just starting.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #384

chaucer

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
721
Purraise
308
Location
Southern US
@Zed Xyzed   Wordsworth is happy in his new home. My friend has sent photos she's received.  I think Orville was craving some excitement.  Chaucer is doing well, although I was sad that he didn't seem to miss Orville, and Orville was scared of him and hid when I took Chaucer out on his leash to try to entice Orville to come back inside.

@Ralphscats   The Feliway is the first one I've used. It's always been slow. I've had it for months. I wonder if it is defective and not enough of the liquid was being dispersed. I know that Chaucer noticed the "scent" as soon as I plugged it in.

@Pixies Ma    LOL! Yes, it's a lengthy topic and we did sidetrack sometimes after the middle.  You will probably find a lot of information in the first part.  It has gone very well with my three.  Orville is the feral with FIV. Chaucer and Henryetta (an abandoned, pregnant at the time rescue) do not have it.  Chaucer has been tested a couple of times because he tends to have cystitis and colitis.  Mine all "knew" each other for nearly a year before Orville decided he'd come in the house to live.  He has thrived, which is why his recent forays back to his roots upset me and concerned me because of his health.

Henryetta and Orville eat off the same plate, groom each other and sleep together. At first I was worried about the two males "fighting" but it turns out they are playing. Sometimes it gets a little aggressive (on Chaucer's part) and there is a little screeching, but Orville tends to run off. Chaucer does this with the female too though and they do get into it sometimes but she can be snippy.  Oddly, it was Chaucer who accepted Orville almost immediately but it's Henryetta with whom Orville has truly bonded.

 Love the name Minou. I once worked with a woman who was called that.  Your name seems familiar too.  
 
Last edited:

pixies ma

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
291
Purraise
17
Location
Montreal
Orville decided to live back outside?

I undertsand that Minou is some sort of Creole term of endearment in your parts of the Americas, but here it is a very common French Canadian word for kitty. It's the most common name he could have, but it's what i've been calling him from day one and what he responds to.

I'm so glad things worked out for your cats. These kinds of stories give me hope and keep me going. I have days where i feel so overwhelmed but maybe i'll have a happy 'ending' too.
 

ralphscats

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Oct 20, 2015
Messages
91
Purraise
17
pixies ma pixies ma . I have a FIV positive living with seven negatives. I took it slow introducing them, about three months. They've all been together for over a year.

chaucer chaucer . If you've had the same one for months, I definitely think something is wrong with it. The longest I've ever had one last is about six weeks. Usually I'm doing good if they last a month. I've found that Chewy has the best prices. I get the Confort Zone brand. A lot of times I google and find a coupon. If you order from Chewy, call your order in and tell them you have a coupon. They will honor it and tell you where to send it so they can credit you for it.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #387

chaucer

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
721
Purraise
308
Location
Southern US
@Ralphscats    Thanks.  I think it might be defective. I ordered it through Amazon, but I will see about Chewy.

@Pixies Ma       Orville is  inside right now, but I think he wanted to go out and live it up, doing who knows what because he is neutered. Clearly, he didn't venture far if he was within calling range at 4:00 AM!  I think he wants to be an indoor/outdoor cat but I'm not comfortable with that due to his FIV status and because I live on a busy road. I'm thankful he runs to the back from whence he originally came  rather than toward the front from whence my female cat came from the house across the street.  

It just takes time if the cats did not "know" each other through the glass for a long while like my three did. There was hissing and growling toward Orville from Henryetta for a month or two before they settled down. With the kitten I fostered, Chaucer took a few days of hissing before he played with him, but the other two were not as welcoming. The female had started to sort of tolerate him a day or so before he left. Orville had not and was still growling and hiding.

Minou was Persian. 
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #389

chaucer

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
721
Purraise
308
Location
Southern US
 
Hi Just stopping by to say hello and wonder if you had any updates on the clan.
Hi!  Thanks for dropping by again.  Hope all is well with you and yours.

Orville the FIV + is great He's over 13 pounds and is a loving, gentle, healthy cat. He is my example when people say FIV cats are not adoptable and euthanized.   He still kind of wants to go outside but I'm training him not to. In fact, I have to keep a broom by the back door to deter both him and Henryetta, who is interested in Jed, the one I'm feeding outside now, from going out. I'm not sure what her interest is in the little tabby but it doesn't seem aggression-based. Most likely, it's food based because she sees me feeding him and she's quite the little piggy! Chaucer is doing well now. He's still around 8 pounds but seems to be happier, and he is very lively. I have gotten pictures of the beautiful Siamese kitten in his new home. He looks happy and loved, and my three are rather relieved he's not with us now. 

Thank you for asking!
 
Last edited:

kittyluv387

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 10, 2015
Messages
3,368
Purraise
5,177
Dont feel bad. Cats just want to play outside at times. Mine run out the door too sonetimes if im not careful. Next time he runs out and you get a hold of him you can just try scruffing him to bring him back in.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #391

chaucer

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
721
Purraise
308
Location
Southern US
@kittyluv387  I'd like to be able to scruff him but he is simply too big at 13 pounds and around 26 inches long. 

The semi-feral with whom I'm working now - Jed- took food off a spoon the other day and has rolled once for me, but never gets closer than two feet from me. He talks all the time. I'm hoping to get him tamed and then find a home for him. I have three and cannot take in another. My female has an interest in him, though, and hogs the door when he's out there. She's spayed!  Orville tussled with him outdoors once - I could hear it- during the runaway time, but neither was hurt at all. Chaucer shows little interest in Jed other than to look at him. No aggressive behavior on any of the cats toward each other.
 

kittyluv387

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 10, 2015
Messages
3,368
Purraise
5,177
My ginger boy is also kinda large. 13 something pounds and hes long and tall. But he isnt tubby. When i scruff him i do support his bottom with my 2nd hand.
 

czois

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Oct 17, 2014
Messages
28
Purraise
6
We have 5 fiv+ cats who co-exist perfectly with non fiv's here. Not unlike human HIV, fiv is transmitted from cat to cat, thru deep puncture wounds and exchange of blood or semen.

With neutered domesticated cats, the risk is extremely low in the absence of cat fights. Our one fiv boy, is the house lover, licking and kissing on everyone, with no problems whatsoever.

Please bring him inside, and if your vet is not onboard with this decision, it may be time to make a change.

Vets need to really start to step up their level of education, especially with all the current studies on FIP, FIV, and FELV, not to mention nutrition.

Even feline leukemia, is not anywhere near as  contagious as vets would like to lead clients to believe.

But given their HUGE financial benefit for $ making services, vaccinations and food, it's in their best interest to ensure your pets are NOT

in optimal health, even if their services and the dry foods they may promote, will in fact be the catalyst to kidney disease and diabetes.

Their risks outweigh the benefits but not when their pocketbooks are concerned. We just lost a foster cat, due to a rabies vaccination induced sarcoma -

5 yrs old after her 2nd rabies vaccination. Sad and DEAD now.  We do NOT vaccinate for rabies in our rescue, nor do we adopt to anyone who chooses to do so, for indoor only cats.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #395

chaucer

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
721
Purraise
308
Location
Southern US
@Czois   Thank you for your input.   This is a rather old, lengthy thread which sometimes drifts a bit to my other two cats. 
  I have another lengthy one in the Ferals topic too. Orville my FIV+ cat has been inside since January 31st of last year. In the past few months, he has run out the door a couple of times. I'm hoping this was due to my having company around that time and was simply scared.  At first, I was afraid of him wrestling with my smaller male Chaucer but when I realized it was play, I was okay with it. Like your cat, Orville is a lover. He cuddles with my female and grooms her. All three cats are "fixed" and micro-chipped.

My vet clinic has been really great. They don't necessarily advise people to deliberately bring in FIV + cats to mix with FIV-  but they know my situation and understand that I know that there is a very small risk to my others. My male Chaucer has UTI and Colitis issues, so when he has a flare-up, she automatically tests him to be sure he has not contracted FIV. He hasn't. My female has not been tested since Orville joined us, but she is healthy other than being about three pounds overweight (another rescue kitty who must have gone hungry at some point). 

The newest cat Jed is still outdoors. I try not to "trap" in the sense of using my actual cat traps - never had to. I wait until the cats are more sociable and "encourage" them with food to get into a good-sized dog crate or cat carrier. 

I just started rescuing three years ago and the Catsite has been the most caring, informative, supportive place!  I couldn't have done any of this without them.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #396

chaucer

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
721
Purraise
308
Location
Southern US
@Zed Xyzed   The newest picture is my avatar!  Your cat looks so intelligent and wise! Name of your cat?
 

zed xyzed

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 10, 2015
Messages
3,786
Purraise
3,740
Location
Toronto Canada
Last edited:

czois

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Oct 17, 2014
Messages
28
Purraise
6
They are blessed to have you caring for them, please clone yourself 1000's more times !

For the UTI situation, esp with males, it's caused by dry food. We use a specific brand of

food here to rehab our cats, but I am not permitted to post that information here. If you

can feed wet, the classic pates which are generally grain free (no corn, wheat, soy, or gluten)

with a bit of added water, that will keep the urinary tract issue under control. We also have

Brita water fountains set up here (the Platinum Fountain they just love) as hydration is the key

to good renal health. Petwellbeing also has a supplement for Kidney support that is wonderful.

The world needs more people like you to help the animals, that is for sure ! :-)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #399

chaucer

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
721
Purraise
308
Location
Southern US
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #400

chaucer

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
721
Purraise
308
Location
Southern US
 
They are blessed to have you caring for them, please clone yourself 1000's more times !

For the UTI situation, esp with males, it's caused by dry food. We use a specific brand of

food here to rehab our cats, but I am not permitted to post that information here. If you

can feed wet, the classic pates which are generally grain free (no corn, wheat, soy, or gluten)

with a bit of added water, that will keep the urinary tract issue under control. We also have

Brita water fountains set up here (the Platinum Fountain they just love) as hydration is the key

to good renal health. Petwellbeing also has a supplement for Kidney support that is wonderful.

The world needs more people like you to help the animals, that is for sure ! :-)
Chaucer doesn't eat dry food much at all. He eats wet food but he will not eat pate.  He likes the "juicy" wet food.  My other two don't mind but they have gone hungry. Chaucer never has. He was adopted at 4 months from a shelter.  The vet feels his UTIs are caused by stress. He seems to get them when a new cat joins us. The last one was when I was fostering a kitten for two or three weeks, although he was playing with the little thing. The other two hissed or hid from the kitten.

Thank you so much for your compliment and for your information! 
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top