What is Feline Leukemia?
Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is a virus that weakens a cat’s immune system and predisposes cats to a variety of infections and diseases. Young kittens and cats less than one year of age are most susceptible to the virus. Most at risk for infection are cats that live with an infected cat (FeLV can be transmitted through direct contact, mutual grooming and through sharing litter boxes, food and water bowls), cats that are allowed outdoors where they may be bitten by an infected cat, and kittens that are born to a mother that is FeLV positive. For this reason it is VERY IMPORTANT that a positive cat remains indoors only, and that he/she remains in a home with either no other cats, or other cats that are also FeLV positive to avoid spreading the virus to other non-infected cats. Spaying/neutering your cats will prevent kittens from being born to an infected mother.
While FeLV needs to be taken seriously and handled with much consideration, it can be manageable and your kitty can still live a happy life, sometimes even a long life depending on how the virus progresses in your cat. Some cats will fight off the virus and become totally immune. Others can become healthy carriers that never get sick themselves but can infect other cats. However, it’s important to understand that most positive cats are adversely affected by the virus and will eventually develop a compromised immune system and become more susceptible to illness and other infection, and unfortunately often have shortened life spans as a result.
While the disease can be managed, and may even go into remission, flare-ups are always possible. FeLV can lead to cancers, ongoing susceptibility to infection, immune system suppression and severe anemia. More than 50 percent of cats that persistently have FeLV in their blood (known as FeLV viremic cats) succumb to related diseases within two to three years after infection. However, a cat can live for several years without the disease causing major problems if given appropriate care and nutrition.
Ways to help an FeLV positive kitty remain in good health include:
It is always a good idea to talk to your vet to determine his or her attitudes toward treating FeLV positive cats. Your ability to care for a FeLV cat will depend a lot on the support of your veterinarian, so be sure to consider this before electing to adopt a positive cat. Sadly, some vets view this as a burden/risk and push for owners of FeLV cats to euthanize them, but other vets are more open-minded to managing the disease and will help to guide you better with your cat's care and needs.
Please note:
*Sadly there is no cure for FeLV.
*Because the virus doesn’t always manifest symptoms right away, any new cat entering a household—and any sick cat—should be tested for FeLV.
*FeLV test results are not always correct. Some tests can yield a “false positive.” On the other hand, some cats may test negative if only recently infected. ALL CATS SHOULD BE RETESTED 4-8 weeks later to ensure an accurate result.
(A SNAP/Elisa test using whole blood may produce a false positive. Ask your vet to retest using serum instead as serum does not typically produce false positive results. If you have any doubts about the test results, request an IFA lab test to confirm. This is a more expensive test and it may take a few days for the results because they have to send it to a lab for processing, but it is one of the most reliable tests to confirm if a cat does or does not have feline leukemia. An IFA test determines if the cat is truly infected by the virus, whereas the SNAP/Elisa tests determine exposure to the virus by detecting FeLV antigens in the cat's serum/plasma/blood. It's important to understand that exposure to the virus may not result in true infection. This is why it is important to retest positive SNAP/Elisa test results 4-8 weeks later. Kittens under 6 months should be retested when they are 6 months or older.)
*Keeping your cat indoors and away from cats whose FeLV status is not known remain the best way to prevent your cat from becoming infected. There is a FeLV vaccine available for cats. Like all vaccines, there are risks involved in vaccination, and the vaccine is not a 100% guarantee against infection. Talk to your vet to determine whether a FeLV vaccine is right for your cat.
*Feline leukemia is not transmittable to humans, dogs or other non-feline pets.
*Many people confuse feline leukemia virus (FeLV) with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). Although these diseases are in the same retrovirus family and cause many similar secondary conditions, FeLV and FIV are different diseases.
To learn more about FeLV and other feline illnesses, visit the ASPCA webpage for Common Cat Diseases.
There are many other resources available online if you have any other questions or concerns about feline leukemia.
While FeLV needs to be taken seriously and handled with much consideration, it can be manageable and your kitty can still live a happy life, sometimes even a long life depending on how the virus progresses in your cat. Some cats will fight off the virus and become totally immune. Others can become healthy carriers that never get sick themselves but can infect other cats. However, it’s important to understand that most positive cats are adversely affected by the virus and will eventually develop a compromised immune system and become more susceptible to illness and other infection, and unfortunately often have shortened life spans as a result.
While the disease can be managed, and may even go into remission, flare-ups are always possible. FeLV can lead to cancers, ongoing susceptibility to infection, immune system suppression and severe anemia. More than 50 percent of cats that persistently have FeLV in their blood (known as FeLV viremic cats) succumb to related diseases within two to three years after infection. However, a cat can live for several years without the disease causing major problems if given appropriate care and nutrition.
Ways to help an FeLV positive kitty remain in good health include:
- Feed your cat a nutritionally balanced diet, one free of raw meat, eggs and unpasteurized dairy products, which can harbor bacteria and parasites and lead to infection. Feed your cat high-quality food to improve your cat's condition and ensure that your cat is getting the required nutrients. Veterinarians also recommend giving vitamins and antioxidants to cats with leukemia to promote better health.
- Always make sure your cat has easy access to plenty of fresh water.
- Remove uneaten wet food within a half hour. Meat should not be allowed to sit about growing bacteria and other germs that can harm your cat.
- Be sure to check for and treat any parasites such as worms/fleas/ticks/ear mites, etc. promptly.
- Keep your house stress-free. If your cat is frightened or agitated by anything in your house, get rid of the cause. Ask your family and friends to be quiet and to avoid a lot of stressful commotion when inside the house.
- Keep your cat's environment warm enough. He/she may need more warmth than a non-infected cat. Snug blankets and sleeping areas are essential.
- Ensure that the cat's gear is hygienic. Keep all of your cat's litter boxes, food bowls, water bowls, etc. very clean.
- Take your cat to the vet every six months—at the very least—for a wellness checkup and blood tests.
- Be alert to changes in your cat's well-being. Ask your vet for an up-to-date list of things to watch for in terms of disease progression. When you notice anything that might be on this list, contact your vet to discuss any needed changes in care arrangements for your cat. Be aware that you need to spot secondary infections quickly, as your cat's compromised immune system will mean he/she will likely be more affected than a non-FeLV infected cat and the earlier treatment is given, the greater the chance your cat has of getting over it sooner.
It is always a good idea to talk to your vet to determine his or her attitudes toward treating FeLV positive cats. Your ability to care for a FeLV cat will depend a lot on the support of your veterinarian, so be sure to consider this before electing to adopt a positive cat. Sadly, some vets view this as a burden/risk and push for owners of FeLV cats to euthanize them, but other vets are more open-minded to managing the disease and will help to guide you better with your cat's care and needs.
Please note:
*Sadly there is no cure for FeLV.
*Because the virus doesn’t always manifest symptoms right away, any new cat entering a household—and any sick cat—should be tested for FeLV.
*FeLV test results are not always correct. Some tests can yield a “false positive.” On the other hand, some cats may test negative if only recently infected. ALL CATS SHOULD BE RETESTED 4-8 weeks later to ensure an accurate result.
(A SNAP/Elisa test using whole blood may produce a false positive. Ask your vet to retest using serum instead as serum does not typically produce false positive results. If you have any doubts about the test results, request an IFA lab test to confirm. This is a more expensive test and it may take a few days for the results because they have to send it to a lab for processing, but it is one of the most reliable tests to confirm if a cat does or does not have feline leukemia. An IFA test determines if the cat is truly infected by the virus, whereas the SNAP/Elisa tests determine exposure to the virus by detecting FeLV antigens in the cat's serum/plasma/blood. It's important to understand that exposure to the virus may not result in true infection. This is why it is important to retest positive SNAP/Elisa test results 4-8 weeks later. Kittens under 6 months should be retested when they are 6 months or older.)
*Keeping your cat indoors and away from cats whose FeLV status is not known remain the best way to prevent your cat from becoming infected. There is a FeLV vaccine available for cats. Like all vaccines, there are risks involved in vaccination, and the vaccine is not a 100% guarantee against infection. Talk to your vet to determine whether a FeLV vaccine is right for your cat.
*Feline leukemia is not transmittable to humans, dogs or other non-feline pets.
*Many people confuse feline leukemia virus (FeLV) with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). Although these diseases are in the same retrovirus family and cause many similar secondary conditions, FeLV and FIV are different diseases.
To learn more about FeLV and other feline illnesses, visit the ASPCA webpage for Common Cat Diseases.
There are many other resources available online if you have any other questions or concerns about feline leukemia.
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© 2013 The Cat's Meow Rescue. All Rights Reserved.
© 2013 The Cat's Meow Rescue. All Rights Reserved.