Cat owners read this carefully

Datajack Franit · October 24, 2003, 21:03

My male cat died today

Yesterday in the late evening he suddendly felt sick and spent all the night staring at the wall and breathing heavily, the next morning my father brought him to the vet who did some exams and found out the reasons too late, months late, somehow he was infected in a catfight and gotten both leukemia and feline HIV, he died while asleep because of severe injures to liver and lungs.. he died while asleep just some hours after receiving first painkiller treatment

I didn't notice what was happening since several weeks, although I'm "glad" there was nothing I could do, not even with an early leukemia vaccination, for HIV by itself is an immediate death sentence, figure out if he had chances of living with leukemia as well... poor guy

Cat owners be careful when you let your cats on the outside, feline HIV and leukemia are both very common diseases which require just a scratch or a bite received from a previously infected cat. Humans are immune from both, but a cat infected with leukemia and/or feline HIV have no more than a couple of years left to live

http://www.catnetwork.com/health.htm

FELINE LEUKEMIA

Quote:

Each year, nearly one million cats are killed by Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV). FeLV is the number one cause of death due to infectious disease in cats. It is a retrovirus which replicates in the bone marrow, salivary glands and the cells lining the respiratory tract. The virus is most commonly transmitted through close and prolonged physical contact with an infected cat. The virus can be shed in the blood, urine, feces and most commonly, the saliva and respiratory secretions. A pregnant cat can also pass the virus to her kittens while in the uterus or, later, through nursing and grooming.

FELINE HIV/AIDS

Quote:

In 1986 in Northern California a disease that was causing illness and death in cats was found to be caused by a virus similar to HIV, or the AIDS virus found in humans. There has also been little success in finding methods to treat those cats that have the disease, but we DO know enough about the disease to safeguard our pets from this fatal disorder.
Because of its similarity to the HIV virus, it was named FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus), and the disease it induces is known as FAIDS (feline acquired immune deficiency syndrome)

When a cat does develop illness, the body’s natural defense against disease is broken down. The cat is then susceptible to a great variety of infections, cancers, etc. No one specific symptom is typical. It might be a sickly cat who is not recovering promptly from an illness, or has a chronic illness such as infected teeth or gums, frequent diarrhea or discharge from the nose or eyes. While we do our best to control other infections these cats may acquire, we cannot cure them of the FIV infection, and it is usually fatal.

Many studies are currently investigating exactly how FIV is transmitted cat to cat. The most common method of transmission is through a bite wound inflicted by an infected cat. In this case the virus in its saliva enters the blood stream of the bite victim. Bite wounds, however, are not the only method of transmission and virus-to-blood contact is not always necessary. FIV infected mothers can transmit the virus to their offspring but not in utero. The transmission to offspring probably takes place during nursing, and experts feel the majority of kittens nursing FIV positive mothers don’t get the disease. It is still unknown whether transmission takes place during mating, but since biting can be part of the mating ritual, we have to assume it could. Experimentally scientists have been able to infect cats by giving the virus orally. We don’t know, however, in the natural setting of mutual grooming, sharing food bowls, etc., how often this occurs. It appears that in a setting where one cat in a house is FIV positive and has non-biting contact with other cats, those cats have a low probability of becoming infected

Keeping cats indoor and cutting males' attributes is the only possible way of prevention, please don't do my mistake and protect your little friends

chequita guevara · October 24, 2003, 21:17

I never let my cats out.

Grandpa Troll · October 24, 2003, 21:18

My heart goes out to you my friend

I love Cats and at 44 years young, I have had my share over the years.

Again, prayers from Mr. & Mrs. Grandpa Troll

Datajack Franit · October 24, 2003, 21:28

Thanks Troll

Quote:

Posted by TCO

I never let my cats out either. Plus I got them both checked for HIV and Leukemia. Was worried it was a scam by the vet, but did it anyway. Cali is on my lap right now

My mom lets her cats out and has never had an issue. Guess it depends. Cars can hit them too. You never know. I think they are more friendly if confined...

My very first cat died two years ago invested by a car.. I guess I'm not lucky with cats

Spiffor · October 24, 2003, 21:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Datajack Franit
he died while asleep just some hours after receiving first painkiller treatment

At least it died peacefully. It is somehow a relief

GhengisFarb™ · October 24, 2003, 21:33

I've had to give my two cats to a friend due to my deployment as I couldn't take them with me. But the last cat that died on me had some sort of disease that is common to Persians and we had to give it an I.V. type of injection every day to help it clean out its blood.

It finally got so bad that it didn't help and we had to have him put to sleep to ease his suffering. He was always a friendly cat who even purred while we were giving him his medicine.

chequita guevara · October 24, 2003, 21:49

You have my sympathies, btw.

Tuberski · October 24, 2003, 21:57

My family also have lost a cat(not recently) to feline Leukemia.

It sucks watching them waste away.

She actually gave my sister a look of thanks while she, my sister, was holding while they put it to sleep.

I was 1500 miles away, in Chicago of all places, when the cat was put to sleep.

It sucked.

Strangely enough, my father buried the cat in his front yard Where he had planted rose bushes the year before, since that time, the tree closest to the cat's grave has bloomed different colored roses than the rest of the bushes.

ACK!

NeOmega · October 24, 2003, 22:17

I am sorry to hear that too.... but....

My cat is now 1.5 years old, and got a deep bite on his leg about 3 weeks ago that is still healing. The slow rate of healing has led me to suspect that he, like my other cat, has acquired FIV.

There is not a whole lot I can do, but I know he loves to play outside. I live in an apartment and I think him having the freedom to roam outside is more suited to his animalistic insticts than being kept inside all day. I had been warned he should be kept inside, but he is just a little animal.

So, I expect he may not be around much longer, perhaps another year or two, but I still plan onletting him live free, and take him on as many as walks as possible through the woods.

Ohhhh... I better go get him right now and pet him......

Lonestar · October 24, 2003, 22:34

My sympathies...I don't know what I'd do if my Kitty passed on. (well, he will eventually...I guess I'd have to get another cat-bagpipe.)

DRoseDARs · October 25, 2003, 05:06

Our kitty came to us (stray cat, abandoned by the previous fvckers..erm..."owners"

) with her rear left leg bearing a NASTY infected open sore. We took her to the vet 2-3 weeks later and got her cleaned up and medicated. That was 11 and a half years ago. She gets yearly check-ups and required vaccinations and has been "as healthy as a horse" ever since.

But her age is starting to show. She's slowed-down a bit; not as energetic as she was just 3-4 years ago. I know some cats can live to 15 or so, but my fear is she'll die of old age sometime after I've transfered to UNLV to complete my bachelors/masters degrees...

I transfer next fall.

alva · October 25, 2003, 05:35

Sorry to hear this Data...

One of previous' cats died of leukimia too, a sad sight it was.
It happened just after we moved, I guess it was too much for her.

-

Quote:

I know some cats can live to 15 or so

15 is in fact the average for domestic cats, the females have on average an extra year.

So you'll probably enjoy her/his presence for quite some time.

Just remember you gave her/him a good life instead of a waste one.

-

Quote:

My cat is now 1.5 years old, and got a deep bite on his leg about 3 weeks ago that is still healing

Cats have a tendency to overclean their wounds and thus not letting it heal, just go see a vet.
-
Don't forget to go to the vets for their anual shots people !!

DaShi · October 25, 2003, 06:37

We picked up a stray that died of leukemia. She had kittens too, but they all died in the sack.

ískallin · October 25, 2003, 08:43

Sorry about you cat Data...

My kitten died recently from a car accident, he lingered for 3 days after the crash.

Cat deaths sucks!

chequita guevara · October 25, 2003, 09:25

NEVER LET YOUR CATS OUTSIDE!!!!!

Maquiladora · October 25, 2003, 10:28

Your houses smell.

Grandpa Troll · October 25, 2003, 10:57

Quote:

Originally posted by Maquiladora
Your houses smell.

Yes..but you can combat that with candles and other herbal remedies..

LOVE

over comes a lot, but yes..cleaning their catbox and getting the cats "fixed" helps a lot, not completely. but considerably..

But you are correct, just a trade off is all..

Peace

Grandpa Troll

Az · October 25, 2003, 11:16

damn.

Well, dogs have their share of trouble, as well. You've gotta look after your pets, don't let them just walk around.

Luckily, their exploding populations keep them well at bay.

Maquiladora · October 25, 2003, 11:42

Even the best cat owners dont know their houses stink until you tell them, worse people keep the litter tray in the kitchen of all places.

alva · October 25, 2003, 11:49

Quote:

worse people keep the litter tray in the kitchen of all places.

Living on a appartement doesn't always offer many posibilities.
I keep it in the kitchen too, next to the door of the terras/porch*(which is 1m2 ).
It's the only place I can clean with a lot of water (pushing it to the drain on the terras/porch.

* what is it called btw? If someone could give me the excact term please

Imran Siddiqui · October 25, 2003, 15:14

Sorry Data

.

MichaeltheGreat · October 25, 2003, 16:08

My sympathies for the loss of your family-member and friend.

FIV and feline leukemia are pretty common, and very lethal. I've had all my cats indoors since 1989, when Fridge was mutilated a few days before Halloween (he was a black cat) and needed 360 stitches, drainage tubes, and lots of intervention to put him back together. He died two years later as a result of a blood transfusion in his early critical care, and the DX was FIV. Interestingly, none of the donor cats (mine and his trauma veterinarians, who I'd known for years) ever showed FIV symptoms and they never died from the disease, so apparently healthy cats can act as carriers.

One of the advantages to living south of the border is that "fortress" style houses are easily affordable, and so the cat herd and cat herders (the two dogs) can live "outdoors" - just within our walls and completely isolated from any interaction with other dogs/cats/humans or any other hazard.

The infection rates are pretty low, thankfully - over the years, I've rescued 60-odd stray cats of all ages, and over a dozen stray dogs, and despite their street stray time, Fridge is the only one I've ever had that has died prematurely due to any of the common canine or feline infectious diseases.

Az · October 25, 2003, 16:28

So it is like an epidemic, people?

Pekka · October 25, 2003, 16:47

Datajack Franit, I'm sorry to hear that..

It's painful to see your beloved pet in pain and go..

Datajack Franit · October 25, 2003, 17:34

MTG- yes, infact the big, yellow cat that probably infected mine is still roaming in the gardens around here, it's very similar to humans, which can carry AIDS and infect people without even knowing because they feel good, for being just un-infected carriers (what kind of horrible, twisted people would hurt animals in THAT way? sorry to hear that

)

Azazel- yes, it is. It seems that millions of cats worldwide die each year because of these two diseases

Pekka and others- thx for the kind words, I'm glad I noticed the disease so late because he was able to stay home cozy and purring until his very last hours before being hospitalized, infact it was the antibiotic reaction severely damaging his liver to kill him while asleep, but that prevented him any kind of suffering

NeOmega · October 25, 2003, 18:22

Quote:

Originally posted by alva
-

Quote:

My cat is now 1.5 years old, and got a deep bite on his leg about 3 weeks ago that is still healing

Cats have a tendency to overclean their wounds and thus not letting it heal, just go see a vet.
-
Don't forget to go to the vets for their anual shots people !!

I did/have done both. The vet told me it should take 3 weeks to a month to heal.

The Emperor Fabulous · October 25, 2003, 18:53

I lost a cat to leukemia...I feel for you...