sad news from the vet

we just learned the earl the cat has feline leukemia, or FeLV. he probably acquired this during his rebel years of roaming the plains, romancing the ladies, and sowing his wild oats. FeLV is a retrovirus, similar to HIV in humans, which attacks the bone marrow of infected cats and leads to immunosuppression, thereby making the cat susceptible to other diseases. most cats stay healthy for only a couple of years after their diagnosis. earl is doing fine right now, but we're supposed to keep him out of stressful situations (how stressful is it to have a dog engulf your entire head with his mouth?) and we also need to keep him inside. i think the outdoorsman will soon start to feel a bit stir-crazy. but on these gray and cloudy days, he doesn't mind staying inside and watching the other animals get wet and soggy.