FELV in rescue... what are your rescues policies...?

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

I find this very interesting. But CP HQ policy is for each branch to make its own decision.... We routinely rehome FIV cats or try our best at least (we were not successful with Conker). But FELV brings up a moral dilemna and as all our fosterers have cats of their own vets have really taken the decision that it just not worth the risk....However, i have seen a few FELV cats in rescues on catchat and just wondered how they cope... They must have a quarantine area.. Thanet Tag in Kent has Hugo (they have had him for months and months) with FELV but he dosnt cope that well in a pen.. despite being and looking healthy...

Anyhows.. due to widespread vac for FELV (we routinely vac for FELV) it isnt such a big problem this way (or at least we dont see it that often, maybe other rescues do in our area), but we do see FIV alot and its in pockets throughout the rural areas..

[clarenmax]

My local CP don't have an automatic PTS for FIV's as my boy Max came from there, but I don't know about FELV.

[Dawn (DiddyDawn)]

I know our local pts on the FIV/FeLV ferals but I think the friendly FIV's, they do try and find a homes for.

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

My local CP policy is PTS on FIV/FeLV
I think CP should get their act together and have the same policy of NOT PTS all across the country

[Desley (booktigger)]

We dont routinely test, so as far as I know we haven't come across it. It woudl be tricky if we did though, as all the foster homes have exisiting cats, so unless they lived in my cat room long term (Which then means other cats can't be helped), I dont think we woud be able to accomodate them sadly. My local RSPCA branch PTS FIV+, so I should imagine they woudl do the same with FeLV, my local CP have homed a couple of FIV+ and let another elderly one with other health issues live his life out there, so hopefully would do the same with FeLV. It would be hard to rehome due to the lifespan, although I have a friend in the US who purely does that, she has 11 I think at the moment

[ccmacey]

My local CP's policy is to pts FIV and FELV cats, the vet they delt with also said that they would have to comply with CP's policy if they were treating the cat.

When I had Seb neutered (a local tom) the cp lady said if he's got FIV or FEVL he would have to be pts. When I took him to the vets to be done I told the vet if he has FIV he is not to be pts, I would find him a home. All she said was that I would have to pay for his treatment and to me that was a smaller price to pay rather than paying the price of years of guilt.

[Jasmine]

I adopted Holly from my local RSPCA last year and was advised by their home-checker that any FIV/FELV positive cats are automatically pts (HQ policy and 'for the best' I was told...)

I'd be interested to know what CP's official line is.  I was impressed to see a young FELV+ cat advertised on Coventry CP's site last year, lovely looking puss, hope he found a home.

[Dawn (DiddyDawn)]

I would think with the RSPCA and the CP, they would pts.  Depending on how healthy the cat was otherwise, I would find a foster home for a cat with FeLV rather than the alternative.  If I ever had a feral FeLV in, I honestly wouldn't know as this is one that couldn't be released and unless a foster home could be found I couldn't really have one living here unless they were caged and this is something I would hate to do long term.  A tricky one but I would opt for a foster home if this is possible 

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

This is just a question really.. We are very good rehoming FIV cats in our branch and dont have a PTS. Luckily we havnt had (fingers crossed) only 2 incidience of FELV in the last four years or so... Both sadly were PTS due to vet advice..

I would be very interested to know about other rescues policies etc or what they do when faced with a FELV cat..

Whether this be one that is domesticated and would be fine with an indoor home  (and therefore needs to be fostered in the meantime)
in worse case has probably been a long term stray and indoor homes may not be a suitable way to rehome such a cat..
What do your vets tell you?

Looking at Catchat i have come across a few FELV cats in rescues at the moment, all seem to be independant ones, but what does the RSPCA and CP branches do.. as i know that we can generally follow our own guidelines when dealing with this issue.

What do you  tell prospective adopters of such cats anyhows?


Thanks.