Meet Vanilla. Vanilla is a 10-year-old medium-hair Siamese mix with the face of a Bowery Boy toughie. After several hundred dollars worth of vet care, Vanilla’s been neutered, rid of fleas and healed of everything healable. Vanilla is your basic lap cat, affectionate and purry. Vanilla is also FIV-positive.
Vanilla’s our poster cat for this article, and if this sounds like a ploy to find someone to adopt him, yes. You’ll learn more about him at the end of the article in the Virtually Pets section.
First, though, about FIV, which stands for feline immunodeficiency virus, and also some facts about FIV’s infinitely more lethal associate, FeLV (feline leukemia virus). There’s traditionally been considerable misunderstanding about both diseases, particularly FIV. Both conditions are feline specific and are passed cat-to-cat, but FIV, as with HIV-positive humans, is not the death sentence that it’s previously been considered.
“A cat that tests positive for FIV can get killed at many shelters and other animal rescues,” said Frankie Kangas, member of the board of directors and board of advisors for FIV Cat Rescue. “Cats can live long, healthy, happy lives with this diagnosis; most never get sick, and die of some old age disease.”
An article by Wendy Brooks, DVM, estimates the lifespan of an FIV-positive cat at about five years from time of diagnosis, but Dr. Claudia Horvath, DVM and veterinarian at the Los Alamitos Animal Hospital, concurs with Kangas. Horvath has had a number of FIV-positive cats—the three she has now are 2, 8 and 12 respectively, and she’s had the 12-year-old for 10 years.
FIV is passed from one cat to another through deep, penetrating bite wounds and can also be transmitted sexually. Kittens can contract it through gestation as they pass through the birth canal or by nursing. Kangas said, however, that most kittens test positive because they’ve inherited the mother’s antibodies, which almost always go away within six to eight months.
“Kittens should be retested after that time, when the antibodies will probably be gone,” Kangas said.
Note that FIV isn’t transmitted through sharing of litterboxes or food and water dishes, scratching, grooming each other, sneezing, hissing or snuggling. Animals other than cats, including humans, cannot catch it unless, warns Brooks, there’s an immune-suppressed person in the house; the condition in cat or human can be exacerbated. If you own one or more FIV-positive cats or have fallen in love with one (like Vanilla, hint hint) and plan to adopt him or her, however, some caution must be taken to supplement the excellent care you’d give any cat, as Kangas put it. The cat must be indoors only so that other cats won’t be exposed to the disease if a fight should ensue (and with cars, cruel humans and animals that may attack—particularly the growing population of urban coyotes—making any cat a prisoner of love is advisable). Also, because the FIV virus means that the cat’s immune system may be compromised, any sign of illness should be attended to by a vet immediately. Flea control, twice-yearly physicals and keeping up with inoculations are mandatory.
Wendy Brooks furthermore says that it’s crucial to not feed an infected cat any of the raw foods now on the market. “Uncooked foods, meats especially, can include parasites and pathogens that a cat with a normal immune system might be able to handle, but an FIV+ cat might not. Stick to the major reputable cat food brands,” she recommends.
Regarding questions of contagion to healthy cats, Kangas believes that transmission from FIV-positive to FIV-negative cats is unlikely if all parties have been properly introduced; Horvath has had FIV-positive and –negative cats in the same household for 20 years without incident. [Here, I want to throw in my own concern. I personally wouldn’t keep an immune-suppressed cat with my own healthy ones because every now and then the 16-year-old pops his cork if his stepsisters annoy him, and the youngest one plays rough. I would, however, readily adopt an FIV-positive cat or two if I had no others.]
By contrast, FeLV is profoundly lethal. According to Brooks, it causes more fatalities in cats than does any other organism and is one of the most prominent causes of death in cats by any means. Kittens are most susceptible to it, and they can be infected with it in vitro. It’s also passed from one infected cat to another through blood transfer, urine and infected saliva through the eyes, mouth and nose membranes, which implies that even a wet hiss from one cat to another could be fatal to a healthy cat. Brooks cites the fatality rate for FeLV cats as 85 percent.
“Regarding FeLV, there is not much that can be done,” Claudia Horvath says. “There will be a lot of information out there about immune stimulants, interferon, etc. To my knowledge, nothing really helps except minimal stress, a good diet and addressing health issues early. These cats in general don’t live longer than three years post-diagnosis. They also have more health issues and should be kept separated from other non-FELV cats.”
Both diseases can be prevented through inoculation on a schedule provided by a vet, and I cannot fully stress how important this is to do, particularly if your cat goes outdoors or enjoys sitting on a windowsill near screened or open windows. There are leukemia vaccinations for the possibly infected kittens mentioned earlier, and Brooks says that as they age, kittens develop stronger resistance.
I’m not a veterinarian, and this is by no means an exhaustive article. For more information about both diseases, click the links for veterinarian-recommended articles about FIV and FeLV.
I owe many thanks to Frankie Kangas of FIV Cat Rescue; Dr. Claudia Horvath, DVM, of Los Alamitos Animal Hospital http://www.losalamitosvet.com/: and Dr. Margaret Lee, Long Beach Animal Care Services shelter veterinarian for educating me about FIV and FELV and enabling me to pass the information forward. See Frankie Kangas’s website for more information on FIV-positive cats, rescues that take them, and several success stories and photos.
“Time spent with cats is never wasted.”
~ Colette, prolific French writer and cat lover
Virtually Pets
Vanilla before
Vanilla now
So, here’s the famous Vanilla, before and after. He’s an extreme case of neglect, and he won our hearts. He was found by Fix Long Beach in the before condition a couple of months ago in a mobile-home park. He could barely walk, and you could see the fleas crawling all over him. There were a lot of stray cats in the park, and he had to fight for his life. His owners wouldn’t let him inside the house because he was so dirty, and there was no food put out for him! The owners were persuaded to give him up, and he was brought to a vet, who diagnosed him as FIV-positive. He also had abscesses in his mouth that prevented him from eating, and there were a few teeth missing. When he was given a bath, the water was blood red from the flea bites and blood, so he was also anemic. There was so much wrong with the poor cat that everyone agreed to put him to sleep, but he was such a sweetheart that no one had the heart to do it. To make a long story short, he now looks like the survivor he is and is ready for a home with someone who’s equipped to care for him, which also involves lots of heart! He’ll always need to be administered the oral antibiotic Clavamax and vitamin supplements. Here’s a video to show how Jennifer, one of Fix Long Beach’s übervolunteers administers it:
He’s gone through so much that we’re all amazed that he’s made it that long. He’s 10 years old and neutered, and only needs a loving home. If you or someone you know can provide him with one, e-mail [email protected].
Prof. Xavier
This little guy is just a few weeks old and is the last remaining kitty from a bottle-fed litter (thank you, Helen Sanders CatPaws and a certain Patty). Ain’t he cute? If you qualify as a forever-home owner, he’s yours! Fully vetted. Contact [email protected].
Kibble
Articles needed for Friends of Long Beach Animals Rummage Sale, date and time TBA
Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA) will be hosting a rummage sale to help fund and benefit the new multiuse clinic that will benefit shelter pets and those of residents, date and time to be determined. FOLBA is also requesting sale items, so if you are interested in donating, call (562) 988-7647, and volunteers will arrange to either pick up your items or have you deliver them to their storage space, whichever is more convenient for you. Donation receipts will be available upon request.
Food and Clothing Donations Requested for Next Fix Long Beach Event, Oct. 11, Shady Acres Mobile Home Park, 5533 Long Beach Blvd., 7AM.
Donations of dog and cat items including treats, toys, leashes, collars and food, as well as clothing and food for human residents are being requested for Fix Long Beach’s (FLB) next spay/neuter event to be held at a local mobile home park where there is huge need for this service. Volunteers will be canvassing the park to educate the residents about pet overpopulation and then will be fixing as many of the residents’ pets for free as they can. FLB will also be providing low-cost inoculations, free microchips and spay/neuter vouchers for the residents of the park. If you have items to drop off, please come to the parking lot next to the park starting at 7AM. We thank you! [Note: Only residents of the park are eligible for this service.]
Humane Education for Parents Now Available!
Award-winning children’s book author Deborah Turner (How Willy Got His Wheels, How Willy Got His Wings) and her canine friend ChiBi have made her Humane Education Program available in Long Beach schools! Teachers who wish to book a presentation for a class—the sessions are done one class at a time—contact Deborah Turner at [email protected]. Friends of Long Beach Animals is also offering free spay-neuter certificates for the pets of families who attend the presentation. Click here for more info and contacts.
Photo Op for Fido
Is your dog pinup quality? If so, enter him in the Friends of El Dorado Dog Park’s Best Friend Photo Contest features great prizes, coupons and a chance to grace the park’s 2015 calendar. Dogs only, so the cat gets a reprieve. No people, either.
Pet Projects
Free Pet Food For Adopters, through Oct. 12, spcaLA at Pitchford Companion Animal Village, Long Beach Towne Center PetSmart, 7700 E. Spring St. in El Dorado Park, Long Beach, Weds.–Fri., 10AM–5:30PM; Sat.–Sun, 10AM–4PM. Closed Sat.–Sun.
In celebration of National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, Chicken Soup for the Soul and spcaLA are teaming up to offer free pet food for adopters of dogs and cats. Adopt a pet from spcaLA at this time and receive a free bag of Chicken Soup for the Soul pet food and one of their endearing titles, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dog Did What? or Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cat Did What?, for you!
PetSmart Charities Mega-Adoption Event, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4–5, Long Beach Towne Center PetSmart, 7631 Carson Blvd., Long Beach, noon–7PM Saturday, 10AM–5PM Sunday
Hundreds of pets from over 15 shelters and rescues are available for forever homes at this event. Come meet your new BFF!
Groundbreaking Event for Shelter Vet Clinic, Saturday, Oct. 11, Long Beach Animal Care Services, 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach, 10AM
The public is invited to the groundbreaking celebration for the Dual Purpose Veterinary Clinicat Long Beach Animal Care Services. Current Friend of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA) president, Shirley Vaughan, will present a short introduction to the clinic and its importance in our community, after which Ted Stevens, manager of Long Beach Animal Care Services, will begin the ceremony. Light refreshments will be provided by FOLBA. We look forward to seeing many of our animal-loving friends at this special event.
Haute Dogs Interfaith Blessing of the Animals, Sunday, Oct. 19, Granada Concrete Boat Launch next to Rosie’s Dog Beach, Ocean Boulevard and Granada Avenue, Long Beach, 6:15PM
The 2014 Interfaith Blessing of the Animals hosted by Justin Rudd/Haute Dogs will have a beautiful sunset as a backdrop for all the wonderful pets. Bring your animals, whatever species they may be.
Halloween Spook-tacular, Saturday, Oct. 25, spcaLA Marketplace at Pitchford Companion Animal Village, Long Beach Towne Center PetSmart, 7700 E. Spring St. in El Dorado Park, Long Beach, 1–3PM
Bring your dog and join the fun! Participate the Doggie Costume Contest: ($5 donation entry fee, register by 2PM) with ghoulish prizes. Categories include Best Homemade, Funniest, Scariest, Best Duo, Most Original, and everyone’s least-favorite category: “Is that really a costume?” There will also be a Tricks Contest, treat stations, bobbing for “apples,” an agility demo, a paw-painting booth and a photo booth.
Haute Dogs Howl’oween Parade, Sunday, Oct. 26, Marina Vista Park, Long Beach, 5355 East Eliot St., Long Beach, 2:30PM
Space (even outer space) doesn’t permit the description of this spectacular, multifaceted event that’s attended by more than 500 dogs. Just design the most incredible costume, float or both for your pet, and register online here beginning Oct. 12. This is the biggest Halloween treat of all!
Holiday Bone-anza, Sunday, Nov. 16, Good Neighbor Park, 2800 Studebaker Rd., Long Beach, 10AM–5PM
Celebrate our new dog park and help raise money for water lines into the park. Friends of El Dorado, with the help of their sponsors, will be bringing in holiday snow to play in, and there will be a DJ, a raffle and a silent auction, face painting, elves (eek!) and food trucks. Pet contests will entertain in a number of categories—find the info here. Join the fun!