[Felvtalk] Cats with FelV

[Margo]

Lorrie wrote" A positive cat can either convert to negative, or carry the virus all it's life and show no symptoms, or die, usually in their first year."

Or it seems that they can test negative, or "convert" to negative and yet still carry the virus in a dormant state, and while they will test negative by most means, may still re-convert to positive.

Mako is 15. His mother was FeLV-. He was tested at 8 weeks when neutered, and again at three months before he went into general population (he was not adopted). Both times he was negative. He occasionally had bloodwork over the years, and was negative in 2004 and in 2010 (when he blocked). In May of 2013, I noticed his pupils were unequal, and since anisocoria can be associated with FeLV, he was tested again. This time he was positive. He's still (knocking madly on wood) here, but we're on a downhill slide.

Gribble showed up in 2011 at about 8 months old. Negative. Re-test at 3 months. Negative. Blocked, crashed Feb 2013. Diagnosed FeLV+ 3/2/2013.

Both have also tested + by Elisa.

So I don't trust any test. Nor do I believe that they are safe after a certain age. 

JME,

Margo



-----Original Message-----
>From: Lorrie <felinerescue at frontier.com>
>Sent: May 18, 2016 11:14 AM
>To: felvtalk at felineleukemia.org
>Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Cats with FelV
>
>Hi Ardy,  As you probably know we rescue and have 13 cats at home
>plus 28 more in our cageless sanctuary. Therefore we've had many cats
>who have tested positive for FelV.  Most were kittens and they were
>isolated in our isolation rooms, and they seemed so playful and well
>I couldn't believe they had the FelV virus, then one by one at about
>8 months old they suddenly started to get very sick. The longest any
>of these kittens lived was 1 1/2 years.  They died of either anemia,
>cancer, or tumors, and had to be euthanized.  Kittens seem to have a
>worse time with FelV than grown cats because the immune system of
>kittens is not fully developed, and they usually die.  However, this
>isn't always the case.  We have two grown cats who tested positive as
>kittens and lived many years. One is about 9 now and seems fine, the
>other one seemed fine and suddenly just died with no signs of illness
>at all.  I do not know if these two cats converted back to negative
>or not, as they are/were sanctuary cats  who were born of a feral
>mother, and they were very skittish. Only one of them was tested
>again and she was still positive when spayed at two years old. 
>-
>
>FelV is a very complicated virus and we continue learn as much as
>possible about it. With FelV I understand three things can happen. A
>positive cat can either convert to negative, or carry the virus all
>it's life and show no symptoms, or die, usually in their first year.
>-
>
>I don't recall saying "most cats have converted after some time", as
>sadly "most' don't.  I don't think anyone really knows why some cats
>can live with the virus, others can convert, and some die. It's an
>awful virus, and I'm sorry your Tigger was one of the cats who didn't
>make it.
>
>Lorrie
>-
>
>On 05-17, Ardy Robertson wrote:
>>    Hi Lorrie - if you don't mind me asking, what do you mean by "most cats
>>    you have taken in have converted after some time"? Does that mean they
>>    no longer have FeLV, and if so, what do you attribute that to?
>> 
>> 
>>    Thank you,
>> 
>>    Ardy
>
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