I really think the ragdoll was dumped and just took up with the ferals. She certainly stood out from the crowd! She adapted to indoor life nicely and hasn't wanted to venture out again after finding soft furniture and beds to lounge on!
The deal with the testing really does have me baffled.
I am not sure how to go about selecting another vet, but there are some Cat only clinics in my area. Would they be more likely to be up on the latest?
Thanks for all the help! I am certainly glad that I found this list.
-----Original Message-----
From: MaryChristine <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: May 8, 2007 2:07 PM
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: Re: need advice from new member
i'm sorry, a FERAL ragdoll? that's almost as oxymoronic as a feral persian! most raggies need to take classes to even learn how to hiss and growl....
okay, to get serious. (me?)
have to agree with kelley.
sounds to ME that if a vet did a second snap test right away, it's because they were pretty sure they messed up the first one: there's a very specific set of steps you have to go through to do the snap correctly, and there is NO reason to redo it immediately--unless you forget to have the test out of the refrigerator for the correct time, you didn't have enough blood, you didn't put in enough test solution, you "snapped" the test wrong (if it's not kept perfectly level, the test is compromised), and you didn't check the test circles at the right time. ie, they screwed up. and when they screw up that badly, i wouldn't particularly trust them to have done the second one correctly either. so much for my humble opinion on that.
the latest research that i have read seems to be leading to mom-kitten transmission being as much, if not more, from the actual birth PROCESS (contact with the mucous membranes) than from in-utero infection, with the even more "dangerous" thing being all the nursing and mutual grooming momcat does as the babies as learning about the real world. if this is true, then these kittens may have a very good chance of not being positive.
since mom died from injuries and not anything related to a compromised immune system per se, she might have been in the process of throwing off the virus herself, and so to assume that either she OR the babies would/will remain positive is unscientific, unmedical, and that vet should be ashamed of himself.
FELV+, FIV+, FIP play out the articles on FeLV (heck, on all three since i'm sure he's no more aware on those) for him. there is really no excuse for a medical professional to CHOOSE to remain ignorant when information is out there.
and yes, unfortunately, it IS common--after all, why learn anything or tax your skills when the first line of treatment is the easiest: just kill them all!
(sorry, hon, but we around here get REALLY hissed when we keep hearing this stuff.....)
THANK YOU FOR NOT LISTENING TO HIM!
because, even if they ARE positive, if they're healthy and happy, they have as much right to occupy space as any of us. (and more than some? oops, i didn't say that.)
MC
On 5/8/07, Kelley Saveika <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:Nooooo do not put any kittens to sleep because there is a pos test.
1. They may not be pos.
2. I am confused about the original test. It is not common to test a
kitty twice, especially one who was injured and is dying. Was the
kitty tested before death? Really confused about this part.
3. GET ANOTHER VET. This one sounds awful.
On 5/8/07, Deana K. Wagoner <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote:
> I am new to the list and need some advice. We have a number of ferals in our neighborhood and there has been an effort to trap/spay-neuter as many as possible. I have been successful in turning two of them into great house cats. One was negative and vaccinated at 6 months of age. She is about 12 months now. The other kitty is several years old and was spayed, but as far as I know she wasn't tested. She lived on my patio for a year then decided to be a house cat. I haven't had her tested yet, but she is very healthy. I suspect she is a cat that ran off/got lost or was dumped. She is a Rag Doll and really doesn't act like a true feral.
> Another feral in the neighborhood had a little late last summer. Before I could capture these guys, one of the females got pregnant and delivered the litter of kittens on my patio. When the kittens were a day old, a neighbor's dog attacked the stray mother and got one of the kittens. The mother cat went up a tree, then took off. I tried to follow her, with no luck. I watched the kittens for about four hours, and she never returned. We got some kmr and feed the 4 remaining kittens, continuing to watch for her to return. She returned in the middle of the night on Sunday night in a rain storm, obviously in bad shape. I just happened to look out when I was up in the middle of the night bottle feeding the kittens. I took her to the vet as soon they opened yesterday morning, but she died from the injuries. The vet suggested testing her for FeLV. (with the comment that if the cat was positive, you wouldn't want to treat her any way.) The vet reported there was a negative test, then a second test was positive. The vet then suggested that all of the kittens be PTS immediately with the chance that they were positive.
>
> I haven't had cats much for the last 20 years, although I grew up with cats- all before FeLV was identified – so I am not familiar with it. Based on what I am reading, there are LOTS of questions about test results/vaccinating/etc.
>
> We are bottle feeding the kittens and they are growing like crazy, crawling all over the place and don't appear at all sick. They were only with their mother just under 24 hours. (born last Thursday.)
> Is this common to just give up on the babies without knowing if they are positive or not? I would appreciate any advice.
>
> Thanks
> Deana
>
>
>
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