We had a kitty that showed up in the backyard a few years back so we trapped her and had her fixed and vaccinated and named her SuzieQ. Soon a male showed up so we got him all fixed up. Well, SuzieQ became more and more friendly but we didn't want to leave Charlie outside alone and they were very bonded so we built them a nice insulated, elevated house with a deck and feeding area. One day Charlie went missing so we brought SuzieQ inside. Everything went well for almost a year until she started losing a lot of weight. After an ultrasound, the vet recommended surgery to biopsy the mass in her abdomen. It came back as a very aggressive form of cancer that is common in cats with FeLuk. She tested negative but Dr. McCann said that she may have been exposed and fought off the virus as a kitten but by then it was too late, the virus had done it's damage and within 3 weeks of her diagnosis, she was gone. So, I guess what I am saying here is any cat that has been exposed to Leukemia, even if they don't have it, runs the risk of getting one or more of the cancers associated with the disease. Not that they all will, but there is that risk. But then again, life expectancy is fluid; we never know when our number is up. We lost a sweet kitty at five and a half years old and he didn't have Leukemia or FIV, he was just a very sickly kitten and his body finally gave out. Cats, like people, die at different ages and all we can do is embrace life, love them and care for them while they are here and hold them forever in our hearts when they are gone. Edna Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2013 11:23:30 -0700 From: harshbargerka...@yahoo.com To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] testing After the long discussion that I just got on testing, I am really confused and concerned. I have a group of 6---one senior and the others a year old. It was suspected that they were exposed to a cat with feline leukemia so I had them tested. All but the one year old female tested positive on the Elsa---I believe it was that---did not really ask but it was a test done in the vet office in about 15 0r 20 minutes. I moved them all indoors and got heaters and airconditioning for my garage (where they live), treated them aggressively, fed them more and better, and tried to reduce their stress as much as possible with climbers toys attention and love. One did not make it after a month, but he was the sickest and kept separate from the start in the garage-----the negative female has been kept in the garage, but separate as well. Anyway 3 months later the remaining 5 all tested negative on the same test by same vet. We were feeling very happy and hopeful. We plan to have them retested this week (about 2 months since the last test) and were hoping and praying that we once again get a negative test. We were thinking that if they were negative a second time, that we would be free and clear of this horrible illness and not have to worry about them and did not have to worry about keeping them all separate from each other and our other inside cats. But after reading this recent discussion I worry that another negative snap test won't mean anything. Should I have the Elsa test done instead or also---if I can come up with the money? Should I have another vet and lab do it? Do I have to worry about them for the rest of their lives that this will pop its ugly head up again in years to come as carriers or what? Thanks, Karen _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
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