Thanks to Heather and everyone else who responded. I had always thought that while FIV is really, really difficult to catch, and that most kittens born to FIV+ Moms end up being FIV-, FeLV was very easy to catch. I could never figure out how all of my cats who lived with my FeLV+ cat didn't contract it, but you can bet I thanked my lucky stars for this. Still, every veterinarian I spoke to didn't understand it, so it seems as though many in the veterinary community don't understand a whole lot about FeLV. One even told me that my others probably never got FeLV because my cat who was positive was not biting them. Ugh! Big difference between FIV and FeLV.
It's interesting to me that in the case of the Mama and the four babies, if there were two different dads and one of them was FeLV+, he gave this to the kittens, but the Mama didn't get it and the two half sisters didn't get it. I'd think that all of the nursing and grooming and assisting with elimination would have caused the Mom to be infected. Interesting. Maybe it's similar to FIP in that there's some genetic component to who gets the disease and who doesn't? Again, thank you. This is all very tough to deal with, especially after having lost my Emma two weeks ago. My prayers are with all of you and your kitties. Sincerely, Adrienne -----Original Message----- From: Heather <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Mon, 8 Sep 2008 9:02 am Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: Re: Some positive, some negative? I don't know what to think on the negative Mom, but we had a double+ Mom who's 5-6 week old kittens tested differently, 2 FIV+ only, 1 FIV+ & FELV+, 1 FIV+ & "weak" FELV+. All went on to retest + multiple times for FELV, including the ones who were only FIV+ at first--and they were separated from Mom at that point of first testing. The double+ Mom has now, after a year, outlived all of her kittens. As to why your Mom is neg...I heard before that it can also be carried to the kittens from the father, but this was a loose conversation with a rescue person, don't know if it's true...maybe Mom was exposed but threw the virus, still passing to the kittens, or maybe all were exposed to an FELV+ cat and the Mom didn't contract it but the kittens did? Wishing you luck with the retests & prayers to these babies- Heather On Sun, Sep 7, 2008 at 5:49 PM, Carmen Conklin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: > > We work with a large number of special needs animals and yes, we have had > experience with a negative mother (several tests) who had five kittens and 3 > were negative and two were positive. So we have to test all kittens and mom > from any litters we might see even if mom is negative. I've seen this at > least two times. So it does happen. possibly you are right Laurie about the > different dads. HAS to be, doesn't it? The others did NOT get the FeLV being > with them either. Carmen> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: > felvtalk@felineleukemia.org> Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 15:31:04 -0500> > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: Re: Some positive, some negative?> > Different > dads??> I have NO idea....have never heard of this.> > -----Original > Message-----> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> [mailto: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Sharyl> Sent: Sunday, > September 07, 2008 3:08 PM> To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org> Subject: > [Felvtalk] Fw: Re: Some positive, some negative?> > Meant for the group.> > > I don't know what to tell you. The litter of 4 I rescued all tested > > positive. I have no experience where on half the litter tests positive > > and half negative.> Sharyl > > --- On Sun, 9/7/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] < > [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:> > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > Subject: Some positive, some negative?> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: > Sunday, September 7, 2008, 2:05 PM> > Hello.> > I'm wondering if anyone has > any idea how the following could have> happened, and what they'd recommend:> > > I work at an animal shelter and a few weeks ago, a woman dropped off a> > mama cat with four nursing kittens. The kittens looked to be about 3> weeks > old. I brought the cat and kittens home and have been caring for> them in a > large dog crate. They're all active and healthy looking.> Last week I > brought them to the Vet for their FIV/FeLV combo test.> I was shocked when > two of the kittens tested positive for FeLV. They> used the snap test, but > also sent blood to the lab on the mama cat.> Her result came back negative.> > > I've heard that the virus can be transient and can be fought off in> rare > instances, but this is so odd. Has anyone else ever heard of this> hap> > pening. I know I need to have everyone re-tested in a few weeks.> In the > meantime, I do have them all together. My thought was that if> the Mom and > the two negative kittens haven't caught it from the two> positive kittens by > now, they won't catch it. But maybe I should> separate them. I don't know.> > > I commented to someone I work with that at least we won't have a> problem > adopting out the mother cat and the two negative kittens, but> she said that > since they've "been exposed to the virus", they can> > transmit it to other > cats.> > Two veterinarians I spoke to have no clue.> > P.S. I=2> 0know the > kittens didn't catch the virus from my FeLV+ kitty as> she was living in the > upstairs and they are in the basement and I> changed clothing and scrubbed > up and there were hours between the time> I'd handle her and then them.> > > Thank you.> Adrienne> > > > > > > _______________________________________________> Felvtalk mailing list> > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org> > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org> > > > _______________________________________________> Felvtalk mailing list> > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org> > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > _________________________________________________________________ > Stay up to date on your PC, the Web, and your mobile phone with Windows > Live. > http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/msnnkwxp1020093185mrt/direct/01/ > _______________________________________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
