Topic: Poor FIV Cat PTS by Local CP Branch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Read 35760 times)

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #64 on:** April 05, 2011, 20:01:57 PM »

I just wish people, including some vets, would take the time to learn about the condition !

moira · « **Reply #63 on:** April 05, 2011, 19:34:36 PM »

Heartbreaking that this is still going on. I have 6 FIV+ cats and 6 FIV-.

For any rescues that want good info on FIV, please direct to the Glasgow University Vet School Web site;

http://www.gla.ac.uk/faculties/vet/cad/informationforowners/felineimmunodeficiencyvirusfiv/felineimmunodeficiencyvirusfivtests/

also good info on Bob Hunt's website . Bob and Barbara Hunt have a sanctuary for FIV, FeL and special needs cats in Somerset. They are wonderful people. I foster one of their FIVs.

www. catwork.co.uk

Liz · « **Reply #62 on:** April 05, 2011, 19:02:36 PM »

Sadly it depends on the branch

CuteCats · « **Reply #61 on:** April 05, 2011, 18:49:09 PM »

I don't understand why FIV+ cats can't be transferred to a branch that takes them in? So unfair!

Liz · « **Reply #60 on:** July 23, 2010, 16:26:25 PM »

Just so folks know we have had 2 FIV Cats here at the Clan sadly both departed to the Bridge but all ours are FIV_ as we had to test all of them except dear Ace after we lost Gem a rescue and 3 of her 4 kittens to FIP

So far all our trapped ones here have been FIV negative - vets think it cause we feed the same indoor and outdoor and always have in the vets words trapped ferals in nearly as good nick as our own 47

Fire Fox · « **Reply #59 on:** July 23, 2010, 05:40:57 AM »

Before I found Noah I e-mailed the local branch of the RSPCA asking to adopt an adult to an indoor environment (my own flat, no kids or pets, work part-time) - specifically offering to take a deaf or FIV cat. Got a very snotty reply basically saying they didn't agree with cats being indoor only .... so what do they do with deaf, blind, FIV, FeLV etc. etc.? Surely in a deprived northern city there are very few homes with a secure outdoor run?

Susan + 8 · « **Reply #58 on:** July 18, 2010, 21:57:44 PM »

The first thing I did after getting Figaro (my FIV+) neutered was to get him chipped (well actually I did it at the same time!) because if he ever gets out and gets lost my worst fear is that he'll end up somewhere that will test him and pts without waiting for me to find him, all because of his FIV.

My vet asked me what I "intended to do with him" when he tested positive and tried to tell me that FIV can be spread by sharing food bowls (I have other FIV- cats). WHAT?!!!

Useless liar

I've changed vets now.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #57 on:** June 18, 2008, 14:56:56 PM »

Thanks for that link Desley cos Dr Addies info is all gone now.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #56 on:** June 18, 2008, 08:21:26 AM »

Here is the thread, which has teh link as well as teh discussion, I think it is the right one.

http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,3008.0.html

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #55 on:** June 16, 2008, 14:32:22 PM »

Bristol now do a test that tests only for the VIRUS not the anti-bodies and it can be done on kittens as young as 8wks old

ccmacey · « **Reply #54 on:** June 16, 2008, 13:28:20 PM »

So they test the cat and pts without waiting for an owner to claim it?

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #53 on:** June 15, 2008, 21:14:40 PM »

Should be - that was one question I forgot to ask my local branch last year. i actually dont see the need to test every cat that is neutered, and they could still be homing FIV+ without knowing unless they test every cat including owner relinquishes.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #52 on:** June 15, 2008, 21:10:24 PM »

Part of the holding time for the strays owner to come forward then!! If one of my cats was tested and was 'positive' and pts before i had time to claim it back i would be flaming furious

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #51 on:** June 15, 2008, 21:04:26 PM »

That would mean holding the cat for 7-10 days for a Glasgow test to come back though!! Glasgow do actually recommend 2 tests though, I thought they did, but have just checked - their recommendation is for both positive and negative though, as if they have recently been infected, it may not show up on the first test.

Interestingly, I have just found something else on Glasgow's site that says the prevalence of FeLV is around 1%, and therefore more than half of positives are false, those stats have gone up then - here is the link, as I may not be able to find it again!! http://www.gla.ac.uk/faculties/vet/cad/informationforvets/felineleukaemiavirusfelv/limitationsofin-practicetestsforfelvantigen/

Millys Mum · « **Reply #50 on:** June 15, 2008, 20:55:59 PM »

They could easily retest straight away through glasgow knowing theres a good chance the cat is 100% healthy. Its a get out of jail excuse

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #49 on:** June 15, 2008, 20:48:11 PM »

Yep, not only do 42% show false positive, but cats should be retested 3 months later as they can shed the virus, and if they do, they have a natural lifelong immunity to it. I know that my local RSPCA pts on the first positive, reason was they can't hold a cat for 3 months in case it is negative. Only one of mine has ever been tested, and that was due to an unexplained high fever.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #48 on:** June 15, 2008, 20:43:42 PM »

Its the felv results that will screw more over

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #47 on:** June 15, 2008, 19:54:10 PM »

Quote from: Yvonne on June 15, 2008, 12:37:18 PM

I still cannot understand why people get their knickers in a knot over FIV. I do not know if my cats have it as they have never been tested and I don't think I really need to know.

My number 11 , Tramp who turned up here a year ago as a stray, was un-neutered and the chances he has FIV are pretty high but I have not had him tested and i am quiet happy that he lives with my other 10 cats (of course he is neutered now).

Yvonne · « **Reply #46 on:** June 15, 2008, 12:37:18 PM »

I still cannot understand why people get their knickers in a knot over FIV. I do not know if my cats have it as they have never been tested and I don't think I really need to know.

ccmacey · « **Reply #45 on:** June 15, 2008, 02:23:53 AM »

Quote from: Desley (booktigger) on June 14, 2008, 09:08:47 AM

they have the say as they are paying.

So they have the right to just pts without telling the person who took the cat in? And another thing Blackie did have a home to go to so this could of ended up in the same situation. If we are speaking from our own personal experiences how can anyone say thats not right.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #44 on:** June 14, 2008, 22:22:57 PM »

MAybe they assume that people wont have them back - but you would think they would at least check - someone needs to ask that question to a branch who does it. I know my local one only tests if they feel the need to. And as 7% of snap tests are inaccurate, that is 7 out of 100 who will be pts unnecessarily.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #43 on:** June 14, 2008, 20:47:28 PM »

Yeah but when the people who find the cat are willing to take it back its even more wrong. Just because they pay doesnt mean they should decide if it lives or dies, all the vouchers they give out to people and they dont have all those cats snap tested

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #42 on:** June 14, 2008, 09:08:47 AM »

CC, they have the say as they are paying. The reason some branches do and some don't is probably down to volunteers, if they dont have enough volunteers, they can't help everyone, and there are cats that are higher priority like mum and kittens. My branch have kept and rehomed FIV+ cats, but they have someone who has the space, if they lose her, they are very restricted on anything that will take a long time to rehome, or unhomeable.

ccmacey · « **Reply #41 on:** June 14, 2008, 00:06:32 AM »

I understand Michelle

This would of also happened to Blackie if he were fiv+ I did not know this before I took him to vets and only found out when I phoned the vets, he was already there, there would be nothing I could of done. My heart was sank for the whole time I was waiting to find out, wishing I had left him there. But thankfully he didnt have it and I was so relieved I cried.

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #40 on:** June 13, 2008, 11:39:02 AM »

Quote from: ccmacey on June 05, 2008, 00:13:29 AM

This is awful and would also be the actions of my local cp.

Michelle I have been in the same situation and said I would take the cat home with me, they only agreed if I would pay the cost. They do not have the right to tell you they are going to pts said cat.

Who gives them the say anyway!

I had forgotten about this thread !!

I did offer to pay for the treatment he had been given if he could be signed over to me but because he had been booked in under the CP he was "their" cat !!
The CP women i was dealing with was "old school" and under the impression that all FIV cats should be PTS....and this was almost 5yrs ago now, I also didnt have the knowledge i have now either.

I was totally backed into a corner, there was nothing i could do.
Of course I had to have Issey and kittens tested, They were done as soon as I knew he was postive, in-house test which was negative (later send off for comformation)
I remember stroking him as he was PTS and telling him that his kittens had tested Negative for FIV, (i'm welling up now remembering it) I kissed his face and told him he had given them life not death

I have a picture of him somewhere, I'll scan it later and post it

ccmacey · « **Reply #39 on:** June 12, 2008, 12:42:18 PM »

And what happens to the kittens once they are kittens no more

The comment I made about cp was simply saying if some branches can take on fiv cats why is it an option for others to pts regardless of being healthy.

Mark · « **Reply #38 on:** June 12, 2008, 08:21:15 AM »

On Ron's website, for rehomed cats, it tells you "number of days in pen" which usually is in line with age/colour of cat

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #37 on:** June 12, 2008, 08:01:50 AM »

Yeah, I think it was one of mine, I shall try and find it again when I have some time (next week probably), but there is also a thread on here somewhere with comments written by someone I talk to who volunteers in an animal rescue in the US, when they had to sadly make that decision for the first time in 4 years.

I also briefly read an article yesterday about people dumping more animals, if this continues to happen, things like this may become more common, cos we can't save them all. I turned down 5 cats last week, and one this week so far due to lack of space, and while I can give them other numbers, i suspect they are in the same position as us. The other option is direct homing, but if they aren't young, then they could be waiting ages - it took us nearly 2 months to home a friendly, gorgeous 2yo, because everyone wants kittens, and soo many people aren't willing to consider anything but.

Dawn (DiddyDawn) · « **Reply #36 on:** June 11, 2008, 16:56:07 PM »

Quote from: Mark on June 11, 2008, 14:53:46 PM

I wish I could find it again but there was a poem I read written from the point of view of someone in an American rescue that has to do the deed, asking people if they really think they enjoy doing it and "If not me, who will do it?"

I think that was one that Des posted, totally heartbreaking and all because of human ignorance

Mark · « **Reply #35 on:** June 11, 2008, 14:53:46 PM »

I suppose that is why CP have to coldly look at the big picture and push neutering (was it 165,000 someone quoted?)
I wish I could find it again but there was a poem I read written from the point of view of someone in an American rescue that has to do the deed, asking people if they really think they enjoy doing it and "If not me, who will do it?" - It is heartbreaking but when you read the figures for New York - something like 10,000 animals a week taken into rescues (don't know the exact figure but it was a lot) what can they do? - Neuter, Neuter, Neuter is the only way and why I can't get my head round breeding.

Dawn (DiddyDawn) · « **Reply #34 on:** June 11, 2008, 14:12:08 PM »

Quote from: Mark on June 11, 2008, 08:44:07 AM

Yes Foster volunteers are very thin on the ground. As far as I know, our branch hasn't had to make a decision like this - but what do people do when all the fosterers are full? - we have cats at the vets as there is nowhere for them to go - our branch is also paying cattery fees for a cat until there is a space. There is a breaking point where people have cats in bathrooms etc. If there is absolutely nowhere for them to go, what happens? - Sharon & I even drove an FIV boy 50 miles the other week as there was a space at CP HQ.

I in no way condone PTS FIV cats - I'm just pointing out facts.

I agree 100% Mark. It's easy for people to judge and I'm in no way saying pts is always the answer but sometimes it sadly is

I had this argument with a friend of mine a while ago, I had a couple of ferals and nowhere for them to go. Her answer was to release them somewhere and they would survive

If I was ever faced with this dilemma and that was my choices, I would opt to pts. I would rather a cat be pts humanely than for them to die of some other forsaken reason. I know I felt sickened awhile ago when I first found out certain rescues were taking cats in off people and then putting them sleep, I really couldn't get my head round the fact someone would do that

After a lot of soul searching, I can understand it. People threaten all sorts when you won't take a cat in, poisoning, dumping by the side of the road etc etc, what does a rescue do if they are full? Would people rather the cat suffer and die extremely painfully or let them die humanely? It's a horrible thing and I'm glad it's not something I have had to deal with but with homeless animals getting more and more, this is probably something all rescues will have to consider in the future

As regards to FIV babes, I have a gorgeous FIV boy in at the moment, he is such a sweetheart but if he wasn't rehomed, he would be staying here with me. I love him to bits and don't look on him as a unhomeable, it would be lovely if people saw beyond the illness and gave them a chance, rescues included.

Mark · « **Reply #33 on:** June 11, 2008, 09:49:14 AM »

Quote from: clarenmax on June 11, 2008, 09:13:35 AM

BUT, in this instance, this baby already had a home lined up, which is completely inexcusable

I agree

clarenmax · « **Reply #32 on:** June 11, 2008, 09:13:35 AM »

I can understand that too, with FIV cats being harder to home generally, sometimes a decision may have to be taken if there really is nowhere for them to go

I know Max was pretty close to having that decision made about him, as he had already been homed and came back to the pens as he was a little 'boisterous'.

BUT, in this instance, this baby already had a home lined up, which is completely inexcusable

Mark · « **Reply #31 on:** June 11, 2008, 08:44:07 AM »

Yes Foster volunteers are very thin on the ground. As far as I know, our branch hasn't had to make a decision like this - but what do people do when all the fosterers are full? - we have cats at the vets as there is nowhere for them to go - our branch is also paying cattery fees for a cat until there is a space. There is a breaking point where people have cats in bathrooms etc. If there is absolutely nowhere for them to go, what happens? - Sharon & I even drove an FIV boy 50 miles the other week as there was a space at CP HQ.

I in no way condone PTS FIV cats - I'm just pointing out facts.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #30 on:** June 11, 2008, 08:13:04 AM »

We might all want to think about the fact that we don't know the branches reasoning for doing this, nor are they here to defend themselves. It could be down to somethign like lack of volunteers, and therefore space, and if they had a lot of cats/kittens in, they might not have had any option. i Think it is very unfair to make comments about CP as a whole about this, we know from Ela and Sharon's posts that they dont just deal with nice, young, easy to home cats, and sweeping comments may prevent people helping, and that will only cause these things to happen more, we only have a limited amount of space.

Cheesecat · « **Reply #29 on:** June 10, 2008, 21:25:15 PM »

This is so sad, and so so inexcusable I think. How dare they make that sort of decision. Its so saddening knowing that the poor baby had a home to go to - his potential meowmy must be appauled at this.

Poor poor baby. RIP little man

Liz · « **Reply #28 on:** June 10, 2008, 15:02:23 PM »

Just to say that his "Mum" Emma is still very upset but will not be using CP again and will in future she says come to us for help and she will pay for anything in the future through us at our vet and get our discount and keep any future strays!

On that front we ran and FIV+ with ours for 8 months - Miss Hissy Holly the feral and non of ours have tested positive - I did get a bit paranoiic but all ours are fine and our 3 older ferals just adopted aged 14 and 7ish will not be tested but are off to the vet in July for all boosters and Program which our old CP branch is paying for for the rest of their lives with us.

Miss Cissy, Ragamuffin and Smudger are all now house cats and have adapted after all their lives outside and love the home comforts and are getting used to the wood pellets rather than the nice clay they came with!

LittleLijah · « **Reply #27 on:** June 10, 2008, 10:36:09 AM »

Maybe they ought to consider changing their name from Cats Protection!!

This makes me so angry!! There are people out there who will re-home FIV+ boys and girls, maybe the CP ought to spend some time looking for them!!

ccmacey · « **Reply #26 on:** June 08, 2008, 00:58:03 AM »

Makes me sick, not really cp at all or they only like to deal with nice domesticated cats

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #25 on:** June 07, 2008, 22:27:27 PM »

I have just had an e-mail from someone I lost in touch with last year when her computer broke, she no longer volunteers with CP as the last lot she trapped were PTS when tested positive, apparently they said it was down to instructions from HQ, so I wonder if they were saying it to cover themselves cos of her reaction.

Author Topic: Poor FIV Cat PTS by Local CP Branch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Read 35760 times)

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