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Hugs,
CatNipped
See all my masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped/
> I'm getting kind of panicked here - do you think she could have contracted
> FIV in any of the short forays she's spent when she escaped outside? Should
> she be segregated from my other cats?
Hi, Lori. From all I've ever read on FIV, it is primarily contracted
thru bite wounds so, unless Jessie and your other cats fight and draw
blood, I wouldn't worry about segregation. Same with her forays
outside: if she didn't come back with a wound, I doubt if she got it
that way. I think they can have it from birth and it can flare up
later on. I hope she'll be okay.
Candace
CatNipped - 14 Jan 2006 04:29 GMT
>> I'm getting kind of panicked here - do you think she could have
>> contracted
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Candace
Thanks Candace!
She tested negative for FIV in December of 1999 (that's when we first got
her - she was born in July of 1999), at the same time she was spayed and
immunized. She was only out overnight one time about 2 months ago (when my
granddaughters let her out after I had gone to bed and I didn't find her
until the next morning when I heard her meowing at the door). Other than
that one time, she's mostly out for only a few minutes while we chase her
down. She's never had a bite wound (or any other type of wound other than a
scratch on her paw pad that happened inside). And since she was spayed in
1999, I doubt there was any type of mating behavior going on when she was
out.
I hope this is all just a scare, but I'm going to have her tested for my own
peace of mind - and worst case to take care of any special needs she may
have if she is FIV+ and her immune system is compromised.

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Hugs,
CatNipped
See all my masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped/