Help with Feline Leukemia

[HorseLady]

Okay kitty folks, I need some info! Had to have one of our indoor kitties put down yesterday. She had lost weight dramatically and took her to the vets. Found out she also had a mass in her tummy. She seemed to be in pain and was very lethargic and not eating so we did the best thing for her. She was about 8 yrs old and never went out. I guess we need to test her sister and an older cat we have inside also. Vet thinks she may have been carrying this from birth. Any experiences with this? Thanks for any suggestions and help!

 

[greyhound]

Okay kitty folks, I need some info! Had to have one of our indoor kitties put down yesterday. She had lost weight dramatically and took her to the vets. Found out she also had a mass in her tummy. She seemed to be in pain and was very lethargic and not eating so we did the best thing for her. She was about 8 yrs old and never went out. I guess we need to test her sister and an older cat we have inside also. Vet thinks she may have been carrying this from birth. Any experiences with this? Thanks for any suggestions and help!

I had a cat with this virus when I was younger. He suffered respiratory distress as a result. The virus is passed through bodily fluids & is related to HIV. Your other cats should be tested. If they test positive they should be tested again in 12 weeks (I'm not 100% sure that the time between testing is 12weeks). A positive result in the first test can be a sign of simply being exposed, thats why a second test is needed.

I hope your cats are ok.

 

[Nanny Pam]

Okay kitty folks, I need some info! Had to have one of our indoor kitties put down yesterday. She had lost weight dramatically and took her to the vets. Found out she also had a mass in her tummy. She seemed to be in pain and was very lethargic and not eating so we did the best thing for her. She was about 8 yrs old and never went out. I guess we need to test her sister and an older cat we have inside also. Vet thinks she may have been carrying this from birth. Any experiences with this? Thanks for any suggestions and help!

 

[kwillia]

Okay kitty folks, I need some info! Had to have one of our indoor kitties put down yesterday. She had lost weight dramatically and took her to the vets. Found out she also had a mass in her tummy. She seemed to be in pain and was very lethargic and not eating so we did the best thing for her. She was about 8 yrs old and never went out. I guess we need to test her sister and an older cat we have inside also. Vet thinks she may have been carrying this from birth. Any experiences with this? Thanks for any suggestions and help!

My mom is going through the same EXACT thing with her indoor cat this very moment.

 

[WhiskeyGirl]

We had to put my cat down when I was younger because of feline lukemia. You should definitely have your other cats tested. If I remember correctly it is contagious.

 

[cattitude]

Did they actually say it was Feline Leukemia?

I've lost 4 cats to cancer. One was 17 and had intestinal cancer, and that was 5/6 years ago. The other three had to be put down with the last 2 years...2 of them within 6 months. They were mainly indoor cats. They did not have feline leukemia. One had cancer of the mouth, he had a tumor under his tongue. The next one started to loose weight but x-rays, etc. showed nothing. Vet felt it was probably cancer. He seemed okay but after about 6 months, he went blind and was extremely disoriented. This happened in a day. I had him put down. A few months later, another cat started to act sick...but hadn't lost weight. X-rays revealed a mass in his chest.

After a lot of reading, I've found that the common cat litters are not good for cats at all and have been found to cause cancer. I was using the Feline Pine for quite a while but now I've been using Swheat Scoop.

My mom also lost her cat to cancer this year and she was strictly an indoor cat. She was 16.

 

[kwillia]

Did they actually say it was Feline Leukemia?

I've lost 4 cats to cancer. One was 17 and had intestinal cancer, and that was 5/6 years ago. The other three had to be put down with the last 2 years...2 of them within 6 months. They were mainly indoor cats. They did not have feline leukemia. One had cancer of the mouth, he had a tumor under his tongue. The next one started to loose weight but x-rays, etc. showed nothing. Vet felt it was probably cancer. He seemed okay but after about 6 months, he went blind and was extremely disoriented. This happened in a day. I had him put down. A few months later, another cat started to act sick...but hadn't lost weight. X-rays revealed a mass in his chest.

After a lot of reading, I've found that the common cat litters are not good for cats at all and have been found to cause cancer. I was using the Feline Pine for quite a while but now I've been using Swheat Scoop.

My mom also lost her cat to cancer this year and she was strictly an indoor cat. She was 16.

Cat litter was the first thing that came to mind. That seems to be the common thread. What a catch-22. Poor kitties... poor kitty owners.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

Cat litter was the first thing that came to mind. That seems to be the common thread. What a catch-22. Poor kitties... poor kitty owners.

I've never heard that before, very sad.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

Material on clumping cat litter I just searched: http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/pets/620

 

[cattitude]

Material on clumping cat litter I just searched: http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/pets/620

It's not just the clumping litter, clay isn't good either.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

It's not just the clumping litter, clay isn't good either.

I've always switched cat litters, depending on what is on sale. Can I get something that is safe locally?

 

[cattitude]

I've always switched cat litters, depending on what is on sale. Can I get something that is safe locally?

Safeway has Feline Pine. It comes in pellets and sawdust type stuff. My cats didn't like the pellets and neither did I. The sawdust was fine but it tracks all over the place. Petco carries different ones, Yesterdays News and Feline Pine but they are the pellet types. I bit the bullet and bought Swheat Scoop (at Petco). It's a good littler and the cats like it. It clumps too.

 

[GeezLouise]

This is but has anyone heard of avoiding giving cats the rabies vaccine. The breeder that I got my cat from said she avoided giving it to her cats because of the risk of cancer. I had never heard that before. :shrug:

Catt - Is that Swheat Scoop terribly expensive?

 

[cattitude]

This is but has anyone heard of avoiding giving cats the rabies vaccine. The breeder that I got my cat from said she avoided giving it to her cats because of the risk of cancer. I had never heard that before. :shrug:

Catt - Is that Swheat Scoop terribly expensive?

The three year rabies is suspect for cancer. I do the one-year shot.

Swheat Scoop is not cheap. I get 14 pound bag for 12.99...it's cheaper on line but I'd imagine with shipping, it's probably about the same.

There are alternative natural litters sold at Petco, but none that my cats and/or I liked.

 

[pixiegirl]

This is but has anyone heard of avoiding giving cats the rabies vaccine. The breeder that I got my cat from said she avoided giving it to her cats because of the risk of cancer. I had never heard that before. :shrug:

Catt - Is that Swheat Scoop terribly expensive?

My cats are soley indoor cats and rabies is the only vaccine they get and only because legally I have to. There is a lot of contorvery about vaccines in general in both cats and dogs; not just rabies in particular.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

My cats are soley indoor cats and rabies is the only vaccine they get and only because legally I have to. There is a lot of contorvery about vaccines in general in both cats and dogs; not just rabies in particular.

I'm like that with Timon and the dogs, too. Granted, Taco received a bunch of his early, puppy shots (as did Timon) but the vet wanted to give Taco and Jinx something for kennel cough at their last visit and I said no. I didn't see any reason for it.

 

[pixiegirl]

I'm like that with Timon and the dogs, too. Granted, Taco received a bunch of his early, puppy shots (as did Timon) but the vet wanted to give Taco and Jinx something for kennel cough at their last visit and I said no. I didn't see any reason for it.

Mily as well. I guess I could have put that in the last post. She's an indoor dog since she's allergic to EVERYTHING. She only goes outside to use the bathroom and that's on a leash, she's never exposed to wild animals or even other domestic ones (besides her cats). I don't recall ever seeing a dog have an allergic reaction to a vaccine but I have seen plenty of cats that have. My luck, and hers she'd be allergic to the damn things. My goal with her is to be as natural as I can and it's working out wonderfully.

 

[cattitude]

My cats are soley indoor cats and rabies is the only vaccine they get and only because legally I have to. There is a lot of contorvery about vaccines in general in both cats and dogs; not just rabies in particular.

I have posted lots of information about over vaccination in cats and dogs. They need the "baby" shots and the first booster but after that most shots are not necessary, although you should titer them every year to be sure their immunity levels are good.

 

[Pasofever]

HL I hate to say it but most likly your other cat is pos..Felv is nasty and nothing to play with. If your other cat is pos and does NOT go out or pose a risk to other cats you can keep her till she is ready to be put down..IF you have other cats then I would put down any pos cat.

I bought a cat 10 yrs ago that would show in house Elisa pos but would then show neg for send off (another test) I ended up sending her back and getting my money back. Thank god I quarentene and test 2 X (neg 30 days apart) befor they go near my cats.

I ended up being paranoid and testing everyone at that time was almost 1K in testes..everyone was NEG.

To this day I still quarentene for 30 days and test 2 X. Better yet dont introduce any new cats. I had a cat that got out the heat system 2 months ago..she was gone 30 days and came back a rack of bones..she is in quarentene for 30 days goes next week for Felv and Fiv then back to quarentene for another 30 days and retested..

Anyone that has cats does NOT want to hear the word Felv....(Leukemia) there is a vaccine for protect from this disease..I do not use it anymore I just test.

Good luck..

 

[SoftballCrazy]

The three year rabies is suspect for cancer. I do the one-year shot.

Swheat Scoop is not cheap. I get 14 pound bag for 12.99...it's cheaper on line but I'd imagine with shipping, it's probably about the same.

There are alternative natural litters sold at Petco, but none that my cats and/or I liked.

I never thought about the litter causing health problems, it certainly makes sense...Wow, thanks for the heads up!