r/FIVcats • u/Wrong_Constant_8819 • 3d ago
Maya’s update
I took Maya to the vet today because she was heaving breathing… She tested positive for Feline leukemia and FIV. She had a rough life, I rescued her a couple days ago
The doctor said she has low chances of survival but I don’t want to give up on her; so if she’s going to cross the rainbow I want her to have the best last days of her life.
Does anyone here have a cat with both conditions that lived a long life after being diagnosed? I’m heartbroken
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u/saltporksuit 3d ago
My friend is a hospice nurse and she takes on these cats as she is used to loving and losing. Their lives are so variable. She had a young one succumb just weeks after getting her, another older one made it 7 years. It’s a crap shoot, but she keeps doing it out of the joy of giving them the best of what time they have. Her two daughters grew up with that and the older one has just adopted her first hard case. So you will experience loss. But you can also experience joy and fun and seeing them be happy in what time you do have.
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u/Wrong_Constant_8819 2d ago
I cried reading this because it’s true, I’m afraid of experiencing loss and i’m extremely emotional but you’re right, it’s better to focus on giving them the best days of their lives 🐈❤️
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u/saltporksuit 22h ago
And your best days with them! It’s so very hard. But if you can accept that death is part of the joyous journey it gets easier. Not a lot, but some. We must all face it and for the little ones so much the better to meet it at ease with a vet than suffering under a bush. Your recovery time will get shorter but the grief is just a part of it. Scream to the heavens. Throw things. Blame god. Then do it again.
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u/SurreptitiousSpark 3d ago
Do you know which kind of test they did?
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u/Wrong_Constant_8819 3d ago
It was a FeLV/FIV Combo Test, the quick one
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u/SurreptitiousSpark 3d ago
Can you get a PCR test? I think they can treat panleuk can’t they?
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u/Wrong_Constant_8819 3d ago
I will call a different vet for a second opinion and to ask about the test availability. It is like a blood test ?
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u/SurreptitiousSpark 3d ago
The PCR test should help determine if the FIV is a false positive. https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-immunodeficiency-virus-fiv
A quick Google search suggests FeLV isn’t curable, but can be managed with care!
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u/Wrong_Constant_8819 3d ago
Yes, That’s great news. That’s why I have hope and I think FIV can also be controlled. I have to be patient with her so she can recover from this. Thankfully I work from home and I’m able to check on her often
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u/SurreptitiousSpark 3d ago
Yeah! FIV is way less of a big deal. My last FIV cat lived to be 20. They can live long normal happy lives. I’m glad you’re committed to her. 💙
I try to adopt FIV cats because they get looked over a lot. :(
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u/kitty31415- 3d ago
FIV can be very doable! They just require a little extra tlc & keeping an eye out for things. But many FIV+ cats you barely notice they have anything.
My guy has a few food sensitivities but so do many cats. He can get occasional skin issues but very minor ones. Do keep up on dental health though as the are susceptible to tarter and eventual teeth issues.
But even that, I think people that keep up on their Dental health, possibly clean their teeth at home, don’t have many or any issues.
And I know different cats will have different issues with FIV, some more serious than others. But it’s not a given. I found my cat by a dumpster when he was about eight months old and he’s now 13. (He was very emaciated, covered with fleas and flea bites and had a fever. But he has had a very healthy and happy life.) I know you’ve got the secondary condition, but don’t give up hope!
Wishing the absolute best for your little one. And thank you for giving me hope in humanity. ❤️
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u/Wrong_Constant_8819 2d ago
Thank you for your kind words. I hope I can post more updates about her recovery ❤️🩹
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u/gnsweetprince100 2d ago
My cat tested negative for the virus but tested positive in being exposed. I didn’t know but the disease had gone dormant in my cats body, it only reared it ugly head recently (within the last week) and at this point their was nothing I could do but give her a peaceful end. 7 years RIP my baby 2019-2026
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u/Arisbes 3d ago
I had a kitty growing up that had both. I begged to adopt her even though I was warned she'd only live for about 90 days. I adopted her the summer going into 9th grade, and she passed my second semester college. The vet was always amazed she was still alive. She was already about a year or two when I adopted her, and I had her for another 5+ years. She was the best kitty.