Feline Leukemia (FeLV)

The very first time I had ever heard about Feline Leukemia was back in 1981. I was in high school and still living at home with my parents and my dad discovered a little gray female kitten in his garage. My dad loved all animals and he immediately befriended her. She used to keep him company while he worked on cars. One time, she crawled up on top of my dad's back and laid there. I heard a knock at the back door and there was my dad - the cat had literally stayed on his back from the garage to the front door! I named her "Whiskers".

These are a couple of pics from my mom's Polaroid camera and they are of me and, Andy, a guy I was dating at the time and my mom ...

It was winter time and we would leave her in the house every day for a few hours then she would sleep in my dad's garage during the night. One day, I noticed that she was not acting right. She would sit at her water bowl and just stare into space and she could not longer hold her urine. My mom left me take a day off from school and we took her to our vet. They examined her and took tests. Later that day, they called us and told us that she had something called Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and that there was absolutely nothing we could do to help her. They said that there are vaccinations to help prevent it, but once they are diagnosed with it, it is too late. They also told us that she must have had it for a while and we actually helped put her into remission and prolonged her life. I was devastated! My mom never particularly liked cats, she was and still is very much a dog person, but even she was sad. That December for Christmas, my mom had an engraved ornament made for Whiskers and gave it to me as a present in my stocking. I was so touched that I cried.

I also remember that FeLV was at its' peak around the early '80's in our area. Due to the fact that my parents always had dogs and not cats while I was growing up (my mother would never allow me to have a cat in the house), I never knew much about cats at that time. Whiskers was my very first cat and this was one experience I will never forget. I vowed to never let another cat of MINE die like that - It was so AWFUL to see her suffer like that! I was so heartbroken.

So, what exactly is Feline Leukemia? 

Quick Facts:

• FeLV is a retrovirus that compromises a cat’s immune system.
• FeLV is a feline-only virus that cannot be transmitted to humans.
• Cats who test positive for FeLV can live for many years without serious symptoms.
• A positive FeLV test result SHOULD NOT be a death sentence.
• A vaccination for FeLV exists, but it is not 100 percent effective.
• In rare instances, FeLV can spread through the shared use of litter boxes and/or feeding dishes.
• A positive FeLV test in a cat is not necessarily a diagnosis. False positives can occur.
• We strongly recommend against testing community cats for FeLV.
• Spaying and neutering is key to preventing FeLV spread by minimizing biting behavior that is the main mode of transmission.

Why is it important to understand FeLV and how it is tested?

Consider this scenario: A cat with no signs of health issues is brought to an animal shelter. Shelter staff conduct a routine FeLV test, and the cat is found positive for FeLV. As a result, the cat is killed. Though she showed no symptoms of FeLV-related health problems, the test was still treated as a life or death matter.

This cat, and many others just like her, could have had a high quality of life in indoor homes with people or outdoors with their feline families. On top of that, the test may have been incorrect. FeLV tests are not diagnoses and can be unreliable for multiple reasons.

Whether you have a cat who has tested positive for FeLV, are trying to decide which tests to include for a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program, or are answering questions from others on FeLV, the information below will help you save lives.

What Is Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)?

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is a retrovirus belonging to the coronavirus subfamily, which means it is a cancer-causing virus. FeLV only affects cats and cannot be spread to humans or other animals.

How Is FeLV Spread?

FeLV is spread primarily through cats’ saliva. It can also spread through blood, tears, feces, and urine.

Most cats get the virus from their infected mothers at birth or through prolonged direct contact with FeLV-positive cats, such as mutual grooming. FeLV also spreads through bite wounds, such as those caused by male cats fighting.

In rare instances, FeLV can spread through the shared use of litter boxes or feeding dishes.

How Can FeLV Transmission Be Prevented?

FeLV cannot survive for more than a few hours outside a cat’s body in most environments and is easily destroyed with soap and water.

Spaying and neutering cats helps prevent FeLV transmission by minimizing biting behavior. When cats are spayed or neutered, hormone-driven fights (and any resulting bites) associated with mating decrease dramatically. Spaying and neutering also ends the transmission of FeLV from mother cats to kittens.

It is important to know that a vaccination for FeLV exists, but it is not 100 percent effective. People should consult their veterinarians and determine their cat’s risk factors for FeLV when deciding whether to vaccinate.

What Happens When a Cat Is Exposed to FeLV?

FeLV can cause severe anemia and suppress the immune system, leaving the cat vulnerable to a variety of opportunistic diseases.

FeLV Stages

One of three things can happen once a cat contracts FeLV:

1. Abortive Infection and Immunity

The cat may experience a transient viral infection, fight off the virus, and develop future immunity. Kittens younger than 16 weeks old are much less likely to fight off FeLV than adult cats.

2. Progressive Infection and Disease

If the initial FeLV infection is not overcome, the virus replicates and the kitten or cat becomes persistently infected. The virus eventually moves to the bone marrow and compromises the immune system. Although a cat in this state may show no signs of illness for several years, FeLV-related diseases such as anemia, skin diseases, and leukemia typically develop within two to three years. Cats with progressive FeLV infection shed the virus in their bodily secretions (including saliva) and can infect other cats.

3. Regressive Infection and Immunity

Cats who become persistently infected do not always develop disease as a result. Some cats produce an effective immune response to the virus while continuing to harbor the virus in their bodies. This results in a regressive or carrier state—an FeLV-infected cat who has low risk of developing FeLV-related diseases. The regressive phase of FeLV infection seems to be temporary for most cats. They can actually become free of the virus within a few years. Cats in the regressive infection state are unlikely to shed or spread FeLV.

Unlike cats with progressive infections, cats with regressive infection of FeLV almost never shed or spread the virus. They do not infect other cats unless through a blood transfusion done by a veterinarian.

What are the Symptoms of FeLV?

Signs that a cat has FeLV include:

• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Poor coat condition
• Persistent fever
• Inflammation of the gums and mouth
• Skin, urinary, and upper respiratory tract infections
• Persistent diarrhea
• Seizures, behavior changes, and other neurological disorders
• A variety of eye conditions

It is important to note that many of these symptoms may not be related to FeLV at all.

Other conditions FeLV can cause include:

• Leukemia
• Lymphoma
• Infertility

FOR FURHTER READNG PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINK:

https://www.alleycat.org/resources/feline-leukemia-virus-felv/