A REASON FOR NOT MIXING CATS FROM DIFFERENT SITUATIONS

[Ela]

Ela - it was only meant as a joke

I know.

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

this is now in the past so hopefully all was forgotten (sort of) until a certain member of the forum brings up things,  not mentioning any names of course

Sorry Ela - it was only meant as a joke

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

FIP is not contagious in that its a mutation of the corona ?? virus which is relatively common. Cats out and about come about each others waste so are probably exposed. The virus appears to mutate inside the cat and the mutated form is not transferable.

It is tranferred by feeding bowls, bedding, surfaces etc

We had a terrible out break of it at the cattery and quiet a few cats died

[Ela]

yes and then you end up with a houseful of anti-social sprayers with non-specific diarrhea and begin to woder what it was you first found so attractive about cats

I have been very lucky and only had one cat that sprayed and that is my Jeannie, fortunately Feliway spray soon stopped that. Non specific diarrhoea is another story, you may have read about my Jessica the cat with a bum like a cows backside a few times.

[Teresa Pawcats]

We are obviously singing from the same hymn sheet

Most definately 

[Ela]

And sadly some people realise they have a problem and then hide behind lame excuses for a death and continue collecting cats.

We are obviously singing from the same hymn sheet

[Angiew]

... however, when I personally have taken cats on I have never actually took on a 'normal' cat I tend to take on those that are perhaps harder to home.

yes and then you end up with a houseful of anti-social sprayers with non-specific diarrhea and begin to woder what it was you first found so attractive about cats

[Teresa Pawcats]

Some people however, will not be advised and will argue with you and only realize what you are saying is true  when something happens to the cats they are caring for. Unfortunately the lesson they then learn to too late to save the little ones.

And sadly some people realise they have a problem and then hide behind lame excuses for a death and continue collecting cats.

[Ela]

not to mention just wondering if that cute little new thing would get on with your own cats......

I am sure we all know only too well that feeling, however, when I personally have taken cats on I have never actually took on a 'normal' cat I tend to take on those that are perhaps harder to home.

[Ela]

While wanting to keep mine separate, they do occaisionally mix when one legs it though to the other side of the house.

That you cannot help and is very understandable.

[Ela]

it is cruelty at its worse by a collector of cats.

I agree totally.

[Teresa Pawcats]

If we mixed cats quite possible we would not have a list of cats waiting to come in, but there is no point in rescuing them to put them at risk and they could be a risk to the cat we already have.
.

In my opinion to bring a cat in already weakened  through lack of care and mix with other rescues adding to his stress and increasing the risk of potential illness and even death is not Rescue, it is cruelty at its worse by a collector of cats.

[Angiew]

In an ideal world mixing would not be done and there would be loads of fantastic catteries crying out for cats.

While wanting to keep mine separate, they do occaisionally mix when one legs it though to the other side of the house. All Litter trays used by one set are replaced before the other set get close and they do not share the same food bowls - well in theory, it doesn't always work in practise.

Having your own cats innoculated helps reduce the risk.

FIP is not contagious in that its a mutation of the corona ?? virus which is relatively common. Cats out and about come about each others waste so are probably exposed. The virus appears to mutate inside the cat and the mutated form is not transferable.

Being a foster does add some risks and a lot of them can be controlled. We do not blood test as we could not afford to do so on a regular basis.

As you may remember, I was upset earlier this year when the little black cat I took in was suspected of FIP and Goose was looking under the weather for a couple of weeks so I may have exposed him via that poor thing.

Fostering can be hard work and thei is always the temptation to let them mix to make life a bit easier (not to mention just wondering if that cute little new thing would get on with your own cats...... )

[Sabrina (Auferstehen)]

Rescue I worked at in the states had a cat room, so 30 cats all in a huge room together.

Now it baffles me why they did it that way.

[Dawn F]

two of mine came from a rescue that put cats in together, they were from two different homes and not introduced at and that caused us a lot of problems  (an aside I know but I still think important)  When Amber was first checked by our vet she was underweight because Star had been blocking the food and not letting her eat

[Ela]

When I foster the cat/kittens stay away from mine for 2 weeks then I introduce them but only after all clear from vet

Unfortunately there are some things even after blood tests (which I assume you do) the vet cannot pick up on until it comes out. As previously posted until something happens  people do not realize the implications of mixing and then knowing cats/kittens have lost their life because you (not you, if you know what I mean) allowed cats/kittens to mix must be one of the worst feelings in the world. Then forever I would think a person would be thinking, I could have, would have, should have.

Cats Protection do not even approve of the mixing of CP cats with your own, which again is very understandable.

[Ela]

I know 17 years ago I felt sorry for a tiny kitten and put him in with 3 of my others, to this day I know my malpractice was the cause of Charity`s death aged just 4 weeks.

Although very sad, lessons were learnt by this and possibly that has help to save the lives of many more. So at least you know that Charity death was in vain.

Some people however, will not be advised and will argue with you and only realize what you are saying is true  when something happens to the cats they are caring for. Unfortunately the lesson they then learn to too late to save the little ones.

If we mixed cats quite possible we would not have a list of cats waiting to come in, but there is no point in rescuing them to put them at risk and they could be a risk to the cat we already have.
.

[Ela]

You still putting your title in CAPITALS Ela - You'll be in trouble

I know, what ever I do I seem get told off, yet I  notice (even now) others  do the unimportant things I did and not a word said. (I am pleased about that mind you).  I did  not however,  appreciate being treated like I am a naughty schoolgirl, this is now in the past so hopefully all was forgotten (sort of) until a certain member of the forum brings up things,  not mentioning any names of course . I know some have left the forum because of this and others (one very well respected) would not come onto Purrs for the same reason. That is a shame as Tan has done a wonderful job  and they may be missing out. The only thing if I was a mod (I have not asked to be one) I would not approve of is the odd whatsit, thingy, oh! what do you call it, Troll. (Now I hope I have not tempted fate as we do not seem to have much of that on here),  bad language, intervening if I thought there was bullying, closing a topic (perhaps after consultation with other mods) that is going round and round in circles. and finally I think asking a poster if they minded to move a topic to a more suitable section. To be honest as long as we are giving/receiving advice about cats and helping them I am happy. I would not by pedantic, I had enough of that once at work, e.g. when writing a letter, and I put thank you for your letter of recent date, my HEO would alter it  to thank you for your recent letter, so next time I wrote a letter I would write thank you for your recent letter  he would alter it to thank you for your letter of recent date. He was so petty and of course the time he  spent on pettiness could have been better used. Then again I suppose you could say that about the time I have spent writing this. 

[Teresa Pawcats]

Isolation and good husbandry is essential. Bringing in cats and mixing is a recipe for disaster. Any rescue can be unfortunate enough to bring in an animal suffering from a terrible virus , But I`ll bet the ones who isolate and take proper precautions have a far lower death rate!

I know 17 years ago I felt sorry for a tiny kitten and put him in with 3 of my others, to this day I know my malpractice was the cause of Charity`s death aged just 4 weeks.

[Millys Mum]

Its tempting to let kittens out to socialise but im glad i didnt with last years litter as they may not be alive & healthy today. I never ever imagined George would die from FIP 

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

We've recently had the case in Thanet were a whole rescue had to close it's doors due to an outbreak of Flu and Enteritus in the kittens. The advantage of not having a central cattery is that when something like that strikes, only 1 fosterer is out of commission. 

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Remember i used to work in a CATTERY that allowed cats to mix ?
When i first started there I actually thought it worked quiet well - that was until cats started dropping down dead !!

(You still putting your title in CAPITALS Ela - You'll be in trouble  )

[Ela]

do you have a quarantine period or do you never mix?

CP do not encourage fosterer's to ever mix ( cats that is). However, as with everything in life there are exceptions to the rule. In our FIV safe haven we can have up to 6. Of course they are tested for as much as possible before being mixed and we keep them separate from the other FIV cats for about 3 weeks as well. Some branches also have 'golden oldie' units, again these are allowed to mix after a period of time and thorough vet checks.

[kelly-joy]

When I foster the cat/kittens stay away from mine for 2 weeks then I introduce them but only after all clear from vet

[Angiew]

do you have a quarantine period or do you never mix?

[Ela]

As many of you know Cats Protection do not encourage the mixing of cats from different situations and even when homing advise not to mix the cats straight away if there are already resident cats. Recently we have had 3 examples why they think this way. Initially in each case all cats looked well. One adult cat was found to have FIP, another has the calicivirus and is quite ill and in the 3rd case a mum and kittens came in and within days died of Panleukopenia Virus (feline Parvo), although the feral mum is fine. Can you imagine if these kittens had been allowed to mix with others. Now that foster cannot have any kittens under 6 months and any cats that go on the property must be fully vaccinated before they go there.