Re: vaccinations

bonnie kalmbach ( bjkalmba@facstaff.wisc.edu )
Sat, 20 Feb 1999 10:53:33 -0600

At 08:32 PM 2/19/99 EST, you wrote:
>In a message dated 2/17/99 4:33:30 PM !!!First Boot!!!, laura@denverdirect.com
>writes:
>
><< I have 5 indoor cats, one
> positive and all have all of their shots. >>
>Laura,
>Does your positive cat have contact with the other cats?? Just wondering
>because I have 6....one positive....the kitten and the others have had their
>vaccs and are so far negative. Im just afraid the others will turn positive
>because of prolonged exposure to the Positive one:( Any thoughts on it??
>Marcia

I think the positive cat may not be contagious until the
virus activates. Then she will shed it and infect the others.
My vet didn't know if a cat is contagious while the virus
is still latent. But I know this, Henry Lee's virus activated
after he had anesthesia for a dental, but it didn't affect
him when he was neutered a year earlier. He became
ill and died a month later. I think Phillipe and Katyushka
were infected during that month. So I'm guessing that
while a positive cat's virus is latent, he or she may NOT
be contagious. But you may not know right away when it
activates and is infecting your other cats.

bonnie

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>Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.
> - Anatole France