Dixie came into my life as a throw-away who showed up at my mother's.
I liked her and took her to my vet several months later to have her
spayed, intending to take her to my farm as a "barn cat." He tested
her (she was still nameless) and she was FELV+. He explained the
options and was very relieved when I took all of them off the table.
Dixie stayed in a garage for a while then moved up to being a house
trailer cat and now lives on the farm as the Junior Partner in the
firm of Person and Cat with her own bedroom (as well as run of one
floor of the house---I'm building and the basement is not safe yet), a
10 x 10 x 6 foot kennel with a topper for good weather,
etc...........no, she is not spoiled. She spoils me with all the love
and joy she has given me. She came into my life about 3 years ago and
is extremely healthy. She has been retested a couple of times then I
got tired of it....it simply doesn't matter what the results are. She
eats a very good diet with no grains and extra veggies providing lots
of Vitamin A and C, raw as well as processed meats, and various
supplements as feels right at the time. Colostrum, various
homeopathic supplements, Interfreon, Petz Life Brush Away.........I,
too, came to this list with questions. Dixie and I realize that life
is not a certain thing and I am accepting the fact that no one knows
when or how they are living. Concentrating on when a loved one may
leave ---it doesn't' matter how many legs, how healthy or sickly they
appear, or what the doctors/vets say. We are all dying and start
dying the day we are born. Dwelling on that or the length of life
only destroys the wonderful time you can have together. Dixie is a
totally perfect cat. She travels wonderfully, adjusts to everything
including the constant construction at her home, and is a wonderful
hunter and friend.
She came into my life a little over 3 years ago and, this June, is the
anniversary of her person owning life. She may or may not get
sick.....we'll deal with that when and if it happens. After all, we
all decline in health. She is very healthy and happy now and that is
what matters.
Yes. Your friend can live much longer or die suddenly from something
totally unrelated to FeLV+. You can do the same. Enjoy the wonderful
time you have together. Everyday I celebrate Dixie's life.
Oh, yes.......had she not tested positive she would have been a barn/
porch cat. Now she owns the house. And my heart.
On Feb 5, 2008, at 5:54 PM, Lynne wrote
Hi all.
I just joined this list after doing all the reading I possibly could
find on feline leukemia. I recently acquired a Himalayan male cat
around 5 to 6 years of age from a rather unscrupulous family. I was
familiar with the cat because all summer he would come over to our
house and hang around, mostly wanting attention and something to
eat. Recently I discovered he was on a buy and sell site and
immediately called the owners desperate to purchase him. Knowing
who I am the price went from 150 to 300 within a couple minutes.
Anyway, my husband and I had grown to love this little guy and just
wanted him to have a good home.
Yesterday we took him to the vet where he was groomed, shaved of all
the horrible matting under his chest and legs, deflead and treated
for a terrible case of earmites. We no sooner got home than the vet
called to tell us he had tested positive for feline leukemia and
wanted to know how much we had bonded with him and our options.
After what seemed like hours of crying I decided we were going to
keep him as long as he stayed healthy which he is now. This weekend
he is going to be neutered, strongly advised by the vet. This will
be strictly a housecat. He's adjusted very well and is adorable.
I'm just curious. Does he have a chance at a longer life than I've
been lead to believe he has. I'm hearing a couple of years and I
just cannot accept this as fact.
Lynne
