Topic: FIV+ cat off her food (Read 18803 times)

Turbogirlie · « **Reply #34 on:** November 28, 2007, 22:16:42 PM »

Hi Krys,

I am really pleased that Beamish is negative - must have been a worrying period for you. Big hugs to you both.

With reference to Carole's post about Tabs being antisocial, Fizz is similar at the moment. He seems very subdued. I read somewhere that this is a possible side effect of the steriods but with Fizz, the steroids are a necessary evil. He's developed the uveitis again - it came on again suddenly 2 weeks ago last Monday. Our vet has sent off to Bristol some more bloods for examination to assess the development of the FIV, because he became anaemic again and has now suffered twice from the uveitis. It hasn't cleared up yet but is troubling him less.

We have taken to treating Fizz with some cooked chicken breast to help him - he really enjoys his treats. Would Tabs eat this to help supplement his diet? Maybe minced in with rice instead of proprietary cat food once in a while, as a treat. Not enough nutrition etc just to feed them chicken alone, much to Fizz's disgust.

LittleLijah · « **Reply #33 on:** November 28, 2007, 20:53:21 PM »

Doh! Sorry I misread too. Thats good news...I'm pleased for Beamish and you.

carole1b · « **Reply #32 on:** November 28, 2007, 15:04:56 PM »

gosh sorry i did mis read that oh that much be cracking news for you i am so happy for you and Bemish.
Tabs is ok but his energy is low he sleeps all the time hes also become very anti social ,he will only come on me at night time when i go to bed,

he then sneeks under the covers eith me for a while. Has anyone else has this anti social behaviour from FIV mogs ? he used to be very loving all the time.
Well done Bemish

KrysScott · « **Reply #31 on:** November 28, 2007, 14:58:16 PM »

Sorry guys, i think you may have misread - Beamish is FIV- (negative).

Great to hear Tabby is doing well Carole

Thanks for your concern.

Krys

LittleLijah · « **Reply #30 on:** November 28, 2007, 07:54:44 AM »

I'm sorry Beamish has tested positive. It is an added worry but for the most part you don't even think about it as I'm sure you know.

Glad to hear Tabby is getting better...long may it continue!

carole1b · « **Reply #29 on:** November 27, 2007, 16:27:10 PM »

Hi I am so sorry your other cat is FIV also i hope all will be well for many more years. Tabby seems much better on steroids every other day and intibiotics his poo has also firmed up and hes is having almost 2 pouches of food a day. I would like to see hom eat more but he is still a skinny thing but i think thats also his age showing he is 16 in Feb. Thanks for your kind message by the way xx

KrysScott · « **Reply #28 on:** November 27, 2007, 16:12:59 PM »

Hi All,

I'd like to thank everyone for their advice and kind words, they are much appreciated.

Caffrey will always be missed and life was so much richer for having her in it.

Carole I really hope Tabby is perking up

Beamish has now been tested and it turns out she is FIV-

Thanks again.

Krys

carole1b · « **Reply #27 on:** November 07, 2007, 09:01:04 AM »

Sorry to hear about caffery i to have an old FIV cat he is so thin hes been on steroid tablets and antibiotics however the last few days hes been off his food. I am taking him to the vets tonight I hope they can help him. I am so touched to hear the nice things people have siad to you. I am so scared i will loose Tabby soon but maybe there is somthing they can do tonight.

Turbogirlie · « **Reply #26 on:** October 15, 2007, 23:08:08 PM »

Krys,

Just read about Caffrey - so sorry that you had to make the choice but it was the kindest decision you could have made for her. At least she had a quality life and didn't suffer needlessly.

RIP Caffrey.

Schmew · « **Reply #25 on:** October 15, 2007, 21:08:36 PM »

Krys, so sorry to hear about Caffrey. She will no longer be hurting and it sounds like youhave made the hardest but kindest decision. I hope you're doing ok.

Rest in Peace little one

xxx

Gwen · « **Reply #24 on:** October 14, 2007, 19:56:03 PM »

RIP Caffrey

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #23 on:** October 14, 2007, 19:16:04 PM »

Krys so sorry to hear the sad news about Caffrey

Making the decision for our furbabes is one of the hardest but kindest things we can do for them.

Caffrey will always be with you ... once you have been loved by a cat there will always be a paw shaped mark on your heart.

RIP Caffrey play hard at the bridge baby until you can meet with your family again.

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #22 on:** October 14, 2007, 18:55:01 PM »

Sorry to hear the sad news, such an agonising decision to have to make

RIP Caffrey xx

The Greatest Gift

I always knew this time would come,
From the very instant our eyes first met.
How I loved you then! How I love you now!
I made a promise then, and I will keep that promise now...
You will not suffer from a pain that will not heal;
You will not know the loss of a life remembered, now gone.

It is for me alone to make this decision,
The price for the bright joy and pure laughter
You brought me during the time we shared.
I am the only one who can decide when it is time.
When my hope dies, and my fear rides high,
Just when I need you most, I must let you go.

It is for you alone to tell me when you are ready
For without your guidance, I will not know
When to lay my grief, my guilt, my anger
My sorrow and my selfish heart aside
And give you this last gift, this greatest gift.
Your eyes will speak to mine, and I will know.

The pain of this moment is excruciating.
Tears stream down my face in a river of sorrow.
And my heart drowns in a pool of grief.
For you have spoken and I have listened,
And unlike other decisions I have made
This one brings no relief...no comfort...no peace.

For if there´s one thing you´ve taught me,
If there´s only one thing I´ve learned...
Unconditional love has a condition after all,
I must be willing to let you go, when you speak to me
I must be willing to help you go, if you cannot go alone.
And I must accept my pain so you can be free of yours.

Go easily now, go quickly now,
Do not linger here, it is time for you to leave.
Go find your strength, go find your youth.
Go find the ones who've gone before you.
You are free to leave me now, free to let your spirit soar
Rest easy now, your pain will soon be gone.

I pray I will find comfort in my memories...
In the dark and lonely days ahead.
I cannot say I will not miss you, I cannot say I will not cry.
For only my tears can heal my broken heart.
But, I promise you this; as long as I live,
You will live, alive in my mind, forever in my heart.

So I give you this last gift, all I have left to give,
And this will be my greatest gift...sending you away.
It is the measure of my unconditional love...
For only the greatest love can say,
"Good-bye, go find the bridge, we'll meet again,
Loving you has been the greatest gift of all."
Forever and Always... Until Rainbow bridge....

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #21 on:** October 13, 2007, 23:39:16 PM »

I am so very sorry to hear this, RIP little one.

LittleLijah · « **Reply #20 on:** October 13, 2007, 19:55:02 PM »

I'm sorry you've lost Caffrey. It's such a hard decision but she's not hurting anymore. RIP Caffrey.

clarenmax · « **Reply #19 on:** October 13, 2007, 17:11:00 PM »

I'm so sorry Krys, RIP baby, play hard on the Bridge xx

blackcat · « **Reply #18 on:** October 13, 2007, 16:19:20 PM »

so sorry Krys, my heart goes out to you. You did your best and you made the right decision for your baby

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #17 on:** October 13, 2007, 16:16:16 PM »

I am so sorry for your loss.

Christine

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #16 on:** October 13, 2007, 11:22:13 AM »

I am so sorry to hear this sad news, thinking of you

RIP Caffrey, play hard on the Bridge

KrysScott · « **Reply #15 on:** October 13, 2007, 11:19:54 AM »

Hi Folks,

Today we made the heartbreaking decision to let Caffrey go.

The injections she had last week were not improving her apetite, it had reduced to next to nothing and she was losing weight fast.

Her white blood count results were extremely low and because of this using steroids to increase apetite was not an option as they would have further depleted her immune system.

Thanks for all you help and advise.

Krys

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #14 on:** October 13, 2007, 11:16:06 AM »

to Purrs.

I am sorry to hear about Caffreys diagnosis, but as you will have seen, we have many members with FIV+ cats who can help you with advice. I too love her and Beamishs names!

Schmew · « **Reply #13 on:** October 12, 2007, 22:12:08 PM »

Hi Krys, welcome! Sorry it's in difficult circumstances.

Your story sounds familiar....the oldies I've lost to FIV have lost weight, and had spells with very low appetite and high temp. Usually have picked up with antibiotic/anti-inflammatory/vit B12 injections, although the pattern tends to repeat. All 3 had kidney problems and the last lad I lost showed fine on his blood tests but within a couple of weeks we could feel tumours on his kidneys and didn't have long left.

That sounds really depressing - sorry! (Almost a year since I lost my Ben so he's very much on my mind)

You never know with them, with luck I hope your Caffrey has a long time left ahead of her. I think I would be tempted to try biscuits that support kidneys (Ben had Royal Canin ones and liked them) and plain chicken and fish, or the Hills a/d as they do like that.

Good luck and please keep us posted. Sorry if this post sounds awful and depressing it's not meant to and of course every case is different (and I'm no vet)

xxx

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #12 on:** October 12, 2007, 22:08:02 PM »

to Purrs

Here is a link to all you need to know about FIV

http://www.gla.ac.uk/companion/ofiv.htm

And if you read through this section where your post is you will be able to read all the things that have been posted here by members and there FIV cats.

Hope it helps but ask questions and we will try to answer

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #11 on:** October 12, 2007, 19:56:37 PM »

Hi Krys &

to Purrs

I don't have any experience of FIV but there is a great website dedicated to feline crf that has some tips on persuading a cat to eat, the tips are not CRF specific so hopefully you'll be able to find some ideas to tempt Caffrey to eat.

http://www.felinecrf.org/persuading_cat_to_eat.htm#persuading_cat_to_eat

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #10 on:** October 12, 2007, 19:31:56 PM »

Hi Krys and

to Purrs

Your fababes are gorgeous (and fab names ... bit of a beer fan are ya?

)

Sorry I can offer any advice as I know nothing about FIV but I'm sure you will get lots of advice and support from everyone here.

LittleLijah · « **Reply #9 on:** October 12, 2007, 19:16:55 PM »

Hi Krys. Sorry to hear Caffrey is poorly. Don't really know what you can do to temp her to eat as all my FIV+ have loved food. Can't the vet recommend anything?

KrysScott · « **Reply #8 on:** October 12, 2007, 17:07:04 PM »

Sorry Clare,

In reply to your other question, yes, the FIV test was the in-house job. I'd looked about and found that something like 7% come back false positive.

However as Caffrey's white blood cell count has come back very low, the vet is in no doubt that it is FIV.

KrysScott · « **Reply #7 on:** October 12, 2007, 16:53:12 PM »

Thanks, was thinking the same thing.

We really want to give her as long as we can so long as she is enjoying life and isn't suffering.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #6 on:** October 12, 2007, 16:49:19 PM »

I personally wouldnt use steroids long term but if its buys her abit of quality time would be worth a shot. Definately worth seeing what the vet thinks, he may have reasons not to use them but no harm in asking.

KrysScott · « **Reply #5 on:** October 12, 2007, 16:41:47 PM »

Millys Mum,

The vet has not mentioned steroids. I did see someone else say they had tried it with their cat, but no information on what success they had.

Will also check out the a/d.

Thanks again,

Krys

Millys Mum · « **Reply #4 on:** October 12, 2007, 16:33:51 PM »

Has your vet suggested using steroids? They are good at increasing appetite but i think they lower the immune system further so would be a catch 22 with her fiv status.

Theres a food called a/d which your vet can sell you. Its high fat, palatable and great for those with small appetites.

KrysScott · « **Reply #3 on:** October 12, 2007, 16:25:36 PM »

Hi Clare,

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Piccy is attached, the furbabe's name is Caffrey, she's the one in front, her sister is called Beamish.

Krys

clarenmax · « **Reply #2 on:** October 12, 2007, 16:17:24 PM »

Hi Krys,

to Purrs, and I'm sorry you've had to find us under these circumstances.

I can't really offer much in the way of advice on this I'm afraid about how to perk up apetites etc, but I'm sure other peeps will be along soon who can give you some advice and ideas.

What's your furbabe's name, and can we have a piccy, we likes piccies on here.

Also, was the FIV test an in-house one at the vets, as sometimes these are found to show a false-positive result.

Clare x

KrysScott · « **Reply #1 on:** October 12, 2007, 16:09:06 PM »

Hello all, many thanks in advance for any help.

We recently returned from holiday to find our 9 year old cat had lost a lot of weight.

She has been occassionally sick over the years, but never had anything serious.

Blood tests have shown that she is FIV+ and has a low white blood cell count.

She had a high temperature which has reduced with antibiotics but still has very little apetite. However, she appears pretty happy and able to trot around and jump onto tables etc.

Our vet has told us she is very sick, we are obviously very upset, but understand this completely and do not want her to suffer uneccesarily.

As there are no other symptoms at the moment (all other blood tests for kidney function etc came back normal), is there anything we can try to increase apetite, or is it best to have her pts?

Has anyone else faced a similar situation, and if so, how successful were you - did your cats improve and for how long?

Thanks,

Krys

Author Topic: FIV+ cat off her food (Read 18803 times)