Questions about FeLV/FIV (was Re: Pics of the vicious biting kitten!!!!)

I really hope that there will be a happy ending and a good forever
home for her. I know you probably won't be able to adopt her, but
could you let us know how things go?

I don't know much about FeLV and FIV, but I'm wondering whether cats
that test positive for these can usually get adopted, and who adopts
them? Also, how long do they typically live?

sriddles...

Hi Tak---I can only speak for what our shelter does re: FeVL+ cats.
They are usually euthanized. It's very sad, but here's why it is
sometimes necessary: Households willing to adopt them are few and far
between. It has to be someone who has only FeLV+ cats in the home, and
not very many people are willing to adopt them. You can't adopt them
out to someone you cannot absolutely, positively trust. If you do, and
they decide to let them outdoors, they can infect the other
neighborhood cats. So that would make us responsible for spreading the
disease.
But they can remain symptom-free for a long time. I know a cat who
lived eight years after diagnosis. Especially if the cat is protected
from stress.

Karen...

FeLV cats do well as only cats usually because they have less stress.
It just all depends on the disease. If it matriculates quickly they
live to around 3 it seems in most cases I've heard of. Then again, with
kittens, I think there is a chance to outgrow it. I remember Mary in
LA's Mimi who fought it off with interferon after a year. It's hard to
find someone who will take that uncertainty on.

Takayuki...

I didn't know that Mimi didn't have FeLV anymore! I knew that her
kittens were lucky and didn't seem to have it, but I assumed that Mimi
still had it, and assumed that was why she had expanded to fostering
non-cat species. I'm glad for her! I think I still have the issue of
Cat Fancy with her profile in it somewhere.

Takayuki...

that it's for the sake of saving other cats, and I'm sure that that's
the right policy. But after seeing pictures of Bitey Bitty, I hope
that something can be done for her.

sriddles...

I do, too, Tak. I would not trust the feleuk test either. I've seen a
lot of false positives. And a young cat can throw the disease, too. I
hope she is restested and it turns out okay. If not, I hope she can
find an owner. It's very possible for her to have a good life if she
has good care, I truly believe that.