Fiv

[Elaine]

Thats a lovely article, thankyou for posting it and thankyou for your input and knowledge on FIV.
Maybe you would consider writting an article on FIV, including your personal experiences, for our articles section.
Thankyou so much again to all who have and maybe will contribute to this important topic.

[pcspik]

Thanks Elaine. I am of the strong belief that FIV positive cats should only be pts if there are other circumstances (again other disease a factor or feral). Unfortunately some charities are not so great and there are some who will put them down, even if they are perfectly healthy otherwise or have a minor complaint.

I really like these people:-

http://www.catwork.co.uk/

If I had the money and space I would like to do what they do - take in tons of FIV cats. They also have some information about FIV and again they say beware of poor vets.

[farthing]

I think if you read a lot of the info, you will find that FIV cats only live longer in many cases, because they are kept inside and are therefore not open to the risks an outdoor cat is, as well as their owners are more careful about getting vet treatment straight away. I feel the statement that they generally outlive 'healthy' cats misleading'. Indoor cats will alway, on average live longer than outdoor cats.
It is important that people are aware they can die young as well, and there is no hope of treating them.
I don't want to put people off, but the picture isn't always quite as rosy as is being shown.

I think the comments of vets not considering the welfare of the cats when they advocate PTS is very unfair. Our vets often advise this, because they know the owners will not look after the cat and keep it in. I have a neighbour with a FIV cat they let out, and I will furious if one of my cat catch it off him, unfortunately there is nothing I can do if that happens.
Our local CPL will immediately PTS a fiv cat, I don't really agree, but what are the options. There is no doubt there will be more vet bills than average and people will either not bother or not take on the cat in the first place. Many people say they will keep the cat in but don't, what are the rescue's options.

Please don't think I am anti- FIV cats, but they are ill and need special care, they therefore need special homes and although lots of people like the idea, soon get fed up with it.
I know of lots of old hyperthyroid cats who get PTS because they cost too much, or they are hard to give tablets too, same for renal cats. Life isn't fair, but sometimes PTS it is the best welfare option.

[Elaine]

Thanx again for the link, I have saved it to my favourites and will have a good read tomorrow.
I posted earlier in this thread about rescues being critisised for having these poor animals pts but I do feel that many rescues simply dont have the resources to save them all, as it is there are too many cats etc in rescues and not enough homes for them all, so what can they do in all honesty?
As long as people continue to ignore or be ignorant to the spay and neuter message this issue will not go away sadly.
Thats why I rear my ugly head and make these lengthy posts, that and because i am just a pain in the ass when i get the bit between my teeth

[pcspik]

Originally Posted by farthing

I think the comments of vets not considering the welfare of the cats when they advocate PTS is very unfair. Our vets often advise this, because they know the owners will not look after the cat and keep it in.

I think that it is not always the case. That particular person I quoted with the gingitivitis cat is actually a very responsible and dedicated hospital nurse. She has actually worked in the local hospital isolation unit, so she does know about diseases and keeping cats in. They actually knew the fact - but yet they were unchanged in their manner.

With me, when Jack had to have a dental, they asked me if he went out. As I told him that he is indoors due to his FIV, they went "oh a silly f***** FIV cat, now we will have to disinfect the pen" in a rather rude manner. Any practice should be automatically disinfecting the pen, especially considering that the reason why a cat is there in the first place.

Our Cats Protection branch does not pts FIV cats automatically. We are the ones of the smallest shelter in the whole of the charity, so it is possible, with the change of attitude that they could accommodate it. Besides not all FIV positive cats show symptoms. They can be rehomed to responsible people - you can tell if they are suitable during the home visit.

[farthing]

No, not all FIV cats show symptoms but some do, I lost one aged 5, it was horrible, he started to retain water and in less than a week had to be PTS. People also need to be aware these things can happen.
Yes, cats can be rehomed to responsible people, but lets be honest, how many people want the expense or bother- for the same reasons, thats why it is so hard to rehome old animals.

[farthing]

I've just read over what I have written and it looks very negative, its not meant to be.
The main reason I have written like this is because I think people also need to be aware there isn't always a happy ending.
I feel people need to have all the facts, I have been in a situation where somebody was rehoming a problem dog, they decided to let people fall in love with the dog before mentioning the problems, the consequence was the dog ended up in 3 homes before it was killed on the road, it was only 2.
I used to foster for a rescue and they did home checks and had people sign contracts saying the animal they took on would be kept fully vaccinated, 3 out of 10 rabbits we rehomed died of myxo because they were not vaccinated by the new owners.
Perhaps for these reason I an a bit cynical as to what people claim they will do.

[pcspik]

Originally Posted by farthing

I've just read over what I have written and it looks very negative, its not meant to be.
The main reason I have written like this is because I think people also need to be aware there isn't always a happy ending.

Yes and that is why I did not reply as I could not think of a response without being rude.

But you are right. I still believe that they (FIV cats) should be rehomed where possible. I think a lot of people are still put off with it - out of the 4 longest staying cats 3 are FIV. But I take the point of view that it may not be the case that an non FIV cat lives along. A former worker took one cat and it got ill and had to pts within 6 months of her taking it home. Also one of our shelter cats is severely diabetic and apparently his medication costs £70 a month. If he was not a shelter cat then probably people would not take him on due to sheer cost and then his future may have been uncertain.

But when I took Jack I always knew his future was uncertain. In the end I had him 18 months and 2 days exactly. I dont know how long Pickle and Tigger will live, but at least they will be loved and had a better quality of life than spending their last few weeks as strays or being stuck in a pen.

But wherever you go, you will get people who do not listen. My Pickle only had his first vaccination when I got him. He had his second vaccination but I have learnt since that really if I had not done so, then the Cats Protection could do nothing about this. We have had cases of cats being returned because people have not bothered to introduce them properly to other cats and they have fought.

[farthing]

It sad that any animal is PTS due to cost, it must be very difficult for rescues as if they fill up with non- rehomable animals, what happens to the rest, the rescue basically becomes a santuary and has to turn others away. I would never want to see an animal PTS if it wasn't in pain, that is why my house is full of animals who are geriatric, ill or have behavioural problems. Being realistic though we now have over 100 animals to look after and finantially as well as time wise will have to stop soon. All rescues, I guess, need to make the decision whether they only take on healthy, young animals who will be moved on quickly or risk being filled up with permanent residents.

[Leesy]

Thanks Elaine for posting such an interesting post and for everybody else`s contributions and inputs and experiances of dealing with FIV cats.
I did not really know much about FIV but after reading this information I feel that I could quite happily care for and look after a FIV cat.
Thanks again Elaine