Hi Leslie,
I haven't been able to keep up with the list, I'm betting others with
more knowledge than I have posted about potential FIP risks to Powder.
From what I understand about it, there are genetic risks involved that
take most of the protection against it out of our hands. All I can say
is that giving Powder a chance in your loving home would seem to
outweigh your concerns. A shelter situation would certainly expose her
to greater health risks than Satchmo alone. Maybe I'm operating from
the ridiculous premise of "it just wouldn't be fair", but I think Powder
is better off with you no matter what happens because of it.
You asked about success stories... My little Timmy and his brother
Lucky were 2 of 6 kittens born with felv. We didn't find out the litter
was pos until the first kitten died. Lucky has never been tested, (he
was adopted out and they decided they didn't care what the result of the
test was, they were just going to love and care for him), and Tim tested
neg when he was finally tested at about 6mos. They are going on 3 yrs
now and are both healthy and strong, (the other 4 kittens died between
6mos and 2 yrs old). I think your philosophy of taking each day as a
blessing and being grateful for whatever time you have, (while remaining
proactive and optimistic), is the best one we can have under any
circumstance. I am sure that my little felv angels were part of my life
to help me with just this lesson. Blessings and thanks to all our
special needs loved ones and all those that have the courage to care for
them!
When does Powder come home?
Nina
Leslie wrote:
Hello, it's Leslie again,
So here's the FeLV+ kitten update from the Humane Society: I went to
visit and play with both kittens last Wednesday and they were so
cute. Incredibly active, curious, friendly. The volunteer and I
talked about my situation a lot and we agreed that since they are
together, it would be ideal to get them a home together. I can't take
them both, so I decided to let fate take a hand. Yesterday was my day
to volunteer with the dogs, but every 30 minutes or so, I'd wander
back over to the cat side and give them a scratch.
Since I'm obsessive, I check the website hourly, and at 6 pm last
night, Trixie was taken off of it - meaning that she'd found a home!
That leaves Powder (the bobtail) and the one that pulled my heart
strings a just a little tighter, truth be told.
I'm going to call the humane society when they open in an hour and
confirm that it wasn't a computer glitch.
So now that it looks like I will be taking Powder, I have one question
and one request.
The question: my last + cat to pass, Hepburn, was taken down by FIP,
she had the wet variety, potbelly and all. So whether or not my
current + guy, Satchmo, introduced it to her, he was certainly exposed
to it before I knew what she had. Should I worry about this in
introducing a + kitten to him? I would feel just awful about giving
something to a cat that I'm trying to help. What do you think?
The request: I know that it's riskier than average to expect a kitten
to make it the long haul with leukemia, but do any of you have these
success stories? I've heard of kitten's turning negative from you
(and please reiterate those and if you did anything special to reach
that conclusion), but are there kittens that are positive that grow to
be healthy, positive adults?
I have already embraced (or am trying) your philosophy that the
control we have is over our attitude toward the events in life, not
the events themselves (well, to some extent, but not totally). So if
my expectations in adopting this kitten are that if we have two
months, that's a success, and anything above that is a gift, then
that's what I'll do.
Thank you all so much,
Leslie
