Cat had FIV

lukin

I had to euthanise one of my cats yesterday and I am very upset about it. He had not been eating but I didn't take too much notice of that because he was always a fussy eater. I gave him something to eat in the morning and evening (cheese or chicken) and he started to refuse it or eat very little of it.
It was only when he stopped eating completely that I took him to the vet. I have another cat and they both go in and out of the garage during the day. I always leave Brekkies in the garage before I go to work and some of them would be eaten when I came home in the evening. I had no idea if it was him or the other cat who had eaten it though. There was no way any other animal other than the two cats that could get in there.
When I took him to the vet they took a blood test and found he had FIV (Feline immunodeficiency virus). He was sedated and the vet found an infection in his mouth (there was no swelling so it wasn't visible from the outside). I took him home and gave him a course of antibiotics the vet gave me for him. He didn't improve so I brought him back in and they put him on a drip and kept him overnight. I then took him back home (they gave me more antibiotics for him). He didn't improve and wouldn't eat. He couldn't stand up for long or walk very far. Yesterday he cut his ear (not badly) and because the next day was a Sunday and the vets would be closed I didn't want to take a risk so I took him back to the vet. She said the cut was not serious but said he was in distress (not from the cut). He was miaowing in pain a fair bit. She looked at his log and said as he hadn't improved the best decision would be to euthanize him. She left me alone for a few minutes to decide. It was a really difficult decision to make but I could see he was in pain. The veterinary clinic was closing soon and the next day was Sunday so I didn't want to leave him in pain if he wasn't going to get better. I made the decision to euthanise him but I was quite upset. I know in my heart he wasn't going to get better so I think I made the right decision.
I just feel bad that I didn't bring to the vet sooner. The vet said it wouldn't have made a difference but I don't know if she was saying that to make me feel better. When I heard her say he had FIV I kind of knew writing was on the wall because it is the cat version of AIDS and as we know there is no cure for that. He could have had it for years but to the best of my knowledge it isn't until the cat gets an illness/infection that it causes a problem because they have no immune system to fight it. He became my cat after he wandered into my back yard a few years ago. He would sometimes disappear for a few days (or weeks) and would come back with cuts and bruises (one time I had to get him stitched). That is probably how he got the FIV because I had him neutered as soon as I saw him (he was easy to catch, he is very tame and friendly).
I spent €300 on the vet fees but I would have paid a lot more to get him back to full health. I am not a person who neglects animals; I cook chicken for my cats every weekend and they have heated beds in the garage. I fed them every morning and evening seven days a week without fail. I fed them more often on weekends. If I had brought him to the vet sooner would he have stood a better chance of recovery? I loved that cat and I miss him so much.

My wife is a vet nurse and we have a lot of fiv cats as some other rescue organisations won't take them or have them pts once diagnosed so we used to get calls quite regularly.

Some of the cats are over 12 years old at this stage, others went far to young. The one thing that we have seen is that once they go downhill they go fast. FIV is quite common unfortunately in cats in Ireland.

I understand that you loved your cat and miss them, but sometimes there is no coming back once they have become ill even if you took them to the vet the first day you noticed something was off about them.

lukin

DubInMeath wrote: »

My wife is a vet nurse and we have a lot of fiv cats as some other rescue organisations won't take them or have them pts once diagnosed so we used to get calls quite regularly.

Some of the cats are over 12 years old at this stage, others went far to young. The one thing that we have seen is that once they go downhill they go fast. FIV is quite common unfortunately in cats in Ireland.

I understand that you loved your cat and miss them, but sometimes there is no coming back once they have become ill even if you took them to the vet the first day you noticed something was off about them.

I wasn't able to tell the vet what age he was because he just came to me, I didn't have him since birth. I have read of cats that have FIV that live for a long time.

Stratvs

DubInMeath wrote: »

Some of the cats are over 12 years old at this stage, others went far to young. The one thing that we have seen is that once they go downhill they go fast. FIV is quite common unfortunately in cats in Ireland.

We had a big tabby boy who was diagnosed FIV around age 12. We had him from birth. We got quite a shock but Vet said he probably got in a scrap and picked up from that ( he was indoor/outdoor ). He became anaemic but was treated and lived to past 14 and was in good form carrying on as normal until he went down hill all of a sudden in one week and had to be PTS. I still miss the big old softy.

To the OP, don't beat yourself up about going/not going to vet earlier. You cared for him, fed and sheltered him (no way am I going to show our cats the bit about the heated beds ) And remember - he adopted you !

Bunnyslippers

I've had a few of my feral rescues test positive, some have lived to a good age before succumbing and others have died young at around 8yrs old. So don't beat yourself up about it, you definitely made the right decision, there is no cure and they will die from the consequences of it, it's better they are put down than left for ages prolonging the inevitable, your little fellow was lucky he found you and had a good life!:)

lukin

Stratvs wrote: »

We had a big tabby boy who was diagnosed FIV around age 12.

How did you know the cat had FIV though? I didn't find out until I brought him in because he had stoped eating. Can a cat have FIV and be outwardly healthy?

 

loveisdivine

lukin wrote: »

How did you know the cat had FIV though? I didn't find out until I brought him in because he had stoped eating. Can a cat have FIV and be outwardly healthy?

 

I think it's a fairly routine test for most rescues that take in stray cats.

Our first cat we got from a rescue and she had been already tested, negative.

The second 2 we have we both found in our garden at diffrerent times, so we knew they were stray and gad them tested when they went in for neutering. Both are positive.

For me, whenever we take in a stray we automatically test.

For our 2 positive boys, the only issues the older one has had so far in chronic stomatitis. So he's had most of his teeth removed. The younger one is fine so far. The only outward signs, apart from bad teeth, is occasional runny eyes, nothing severe just a bit runny.

Obviously some positive cats can be quite sickly, catching things like cat flu easier. But that's why it's important to keep them indoors, so they are less likely to pick things up. But it's perfectly possible and quite common for a positive cat to be outwardly healthy right until the end, when they take a sudden turn.

lukin

I should have had him tested straight away for FIV when he strayed in. I hadn't really heard of FIV until the vet told me.
He used to eat like a horse and had a really shiny coat.
I thought he was a really healthy cat. I still think he could have lived a bit longer if I'd taken him to the vet sooner.
That infection was not visible though, he didn't have any swelling. I have regrets though in spite of what the other posters have said.

Irish Stones

lukin wrote: »

How did you know the cat had FIV though? I didn't find out until I brought him in because he had stoped eating. Can a cat have FIV and be outwardly healthy?

Yes, a cat can be positive to the FIV test and not show any symptom at all.
Some cats are born with FIV because they take from their mother and live like this, with no symptoms, for 10+ years.


My Rainbow Bridge cat had FIV and we didn't know it. She was tested at 7 months of age and was negative. We lived with this certainty for more than 15 years, then, right before a surgery for a different issue, she was tested again and was FIV and it was shock for me.
I thought about it and remembered she had been bitten when she was 1 yo. That bite gave her FIV, for sure, so she had FIV for 14+ years without showing anything.



FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus) is another of those diseases that a cat can have from its birth, though in this case a cat won't live many years.



I'm sorry for your cat, you couldn't do anything better than what you did for him.

Stratvs

lukin wrote: »

How did you know the cat had FIV though? I didn't find out until I brought him in because he had stoped eating. Can a cat have FIV and be outwardly healthy?

 

I think at the time he had an abscess or cut or something like that. The vet tested him then. Wouldn't have been something we'd have thought of. It's a dedicated cat only veterinary practice so they're seriously well tuned in watching out for stuff.

loveisdivine

Stratvs wrote: »

I think at the time he had an abscess or cut or something like that. The vet tested him then. Wouldn't have been something we'd have thought of. It's a dedicated cat only veterinary practice so they're seriously well tuned in watching out for stuff.

You would think a cat only place would be well tuned. But we took our first stray boy in to a cat only vets (could be the same one not sure) to be neutered and tested. When he came back positive they recommended putting him to sleep immediately! They said he'd never be able to live with other non FIV cats because they can pass it on just by sharing bowls or litter trays etc! According to them it was basically a death sentence, even though he was perfectly healthy at the time.

Thank god I chose to bring him home and think it over, once home I started researching it more and found out that the vets had given me very outdated and outright wrong information. Much like the hysteria that used to surround HIV, it's mostly nonsense that it can be passed so easily. I learnt that in reality it needs to be a deep penetrating bite wound that draws blood in order to possibly pass it on. Once exposed to the air, the virus dies within seconds.

Thankfully I use a more more knowledgeable and up to date vets now.

Stratvs

loveisdivine wrote: »

When he came back positive they recommended putting him to sleep immediately! They said he'd never be able to live with other non FIV cats because they can pass it on just by sharing bowls or litter trays etc! According to them it was basically a death sentence, even though he was perfectly healthy at the time.

That doesn't sound like ours. We had his mother still with us then also and they would have been in contact, feeding, sleeping etc. The vet said gave some general care instructions I believe & see how he goes and we'd react to any situations as they arose. They made no suggestion of him being PTS on diagnosis. As I said he got anaemic and that was treated and he was in good form for another 14 months after that. Then just got lethargic and thought was anaemic again but in a week he was gone.

pawrick

A cat can remain free of the symptoms for years but still be a carrier, we have one diagnosed as a kitten when she was rescued and she is now about 6 years old. At the time we were basically told to expect her not to survive long.

We take precautions to keep her separate from other cats to avoid any potential risk of cross infection and she is not allowed outdoors as there is greater potential for cat fights etc. where she could infect other peoples cats.

lukin

The cat I had euthanised used to fight a lot with other cats but that was a couple of years ago. He hadn't been in a fight since then to the best of my knowledge. I think I slipped up though, it was my own fault.

loveisdivine

lukin wrote: »

The cat I had euthanised used to fight a lot with other cats but that was a couple of years ago. He hadn't been in a fight since then to the best of my knowledge. I think I slipped up though, it was my own fault.

Not at all! Don't blame yourself, you had no way of knowing. It's just an unfortunate situation.

Maybe if you ever think about getting another cat, you could let a rescue know you'd be happy to take a FIV+ cat, as so many get put down because they are harder to home. When in reality it shouldn't put anyone off. We are all going to lose our cats eventually and a FIV cat can live just as long as a healthy cat.

aonb

OP, stop beating yourself up. You took in this cat, loved him, fed him and gave him shelter and cared for him. You did your very best. You didnt know that he had FIV, so you couldnt have made any other decision than the one you did. Your pet was in pain, you did the kindest thing any pet owner can do, you had him put to sleep rather than let him suffer. Its a very very difficult decision to make, but at the end of the day, its your responsibility to ensure that your pet is not in pain. You can only take your professional vets advice. You did that, your pet is no longer in pain. You'll miss your pet, but you did absolutely the right thing.

lukin

loveisdivine wrote: »

Maybe if you ever think about getting another cat, you could let a rescue know you'd be happy to take a FIV+ cat, as so many get put down because they are harder to home.

No I won't get another cat, no cat could compare to the one I just lost. I still have another one but the one I had to euthanise was my favourite. When the cat I have passes away I am done with cats.

lukin

aonb wrote: »

You did your very best.

But I didn't, that's the thing that hurts the most. He hadn't been eating for a long time and I waited too long to get him looked at. It's only looking back now that I realise it. I must be the thickest person ever.
I know he would have recovered if I had taken him to the vet in time. I was talking to a person who has a cat with FIV and he had stopped eating. He took him to the vet immediately and he gave him an injection and now he's fine.
He said when a cat has FIV that you must take them to the vet straight away if they don't seem well. Then you stand a chance of them recovering.
He wasn't having a go at me, he said I wasn't at fault but I think he was only saying that to be nice.
I practically killed that cat myself. Apologies to the mods, I know this is not the personal issues forum but I'm just so upset right now and wracked with guilt.

Irish Stones

lukin wrote: »

I know he would have recovered if I had taken him to the vet in time. I was talking to a person who has a cat with FIV and he had stopped eating. He took him to the vet immediately and he gave him an injection and now he's fine.

Every situation is different and unique.
You can't know if your cat was in the same physical and clinical condition of the other person's cat.
Sometimes there are conditions that cannot be recovered even if you take action on the very second they appear.
Your cat might have had something that no vet in the world could do something about.


Seven months ago I lost my cat to a disease that no vet had been able to clear up. I took action straight away, from the very first moment, I took my cat to the best doctors around, to the Vet University as well. She was visited nose to tail, in and out, they did all possible tests available, I spent thousands for her.
I gave her all the meds the vets prescribed, I followed her by the minute, never let her alone, never.

But despite my efforts she died.


Don't feel guilty for something that was outside your control and power.

lukin

lukin wrote: »

But I didn't, that's the thing that hurts the most. He hadn't been eating for a long time and I waited too long to get him looked at. It's only looking back now that I realise it. I must be the thickest person ever.
I know he would have recovered if I had taken him to the vet in time. I was talking to a person who has a cat with FIV and he had stopped eating. He took him to the vet immediately and he gave him an injection and now he's fine.
He said when a cat has FIV that you must take them to the vet straight away if they don't seem well. Then you stand a chance of them recovering.
He wasn't having a go at me, he said I wasn't at fault but I think he was only saying that to be nice.
I practically killed that cat myself. Apologies to the mods, I know this is not the personal issues forum but I'm just so upset right now and wracked with guilt.

Again I'm sorry for your loss, but who ever told you that you should take a cat who has FIV to a vet every time they seem unwell is giving you poor advice in my opinion.

They may feel that they aren't but in my experience and again its only mine, yes things like cat flu can take longer to get over, but if you were to take them to the vet every time the stress of the trips would be more damaging in my experience.

In terms of not eating, we take cats to the vet after a few days of such behavior and unfortunately treatment doesn't always work for some of them and it begins to spiral into a period of eating one day and not eating for another two or more and in all of these cases we've had to eventually put them to sleep regardless of what treatment our vet tries. They break your heart because you always want to give them a fighting chance, but once it is their time nothing can change that.

I know you don't believe it and blaming yourself due to grief, but nothing that you have posted here suggests that you neglected your cat and caused their passing.

lukin

It's very kind of you to say it wasn't my fault but I think you are maybe trying to make me feel better. That's OK though, I know you mean well.
I am still very down about the whole thing; I miss that little trickster so much.
He was the cuddliest cat I ever had. He used to let me cradle him even though I knew he didn't really like to be cradled. He would never,ever spit or hiss at me (or anyone). Even when I took him to the vet he sat on the table as quiet as a lamb. I used to love feeding him every morning and evening.
He would lie on the concrete in front of the house on weekends when it was sunny. I let him down, he could have lived for a bit longer.
No need to reply, I just wanted to have the last word :-)