Feline Leukemia Virus

Feline leukemia virus, or FeLV, is an often deadly disease found only in cats.  Cats with FeLV can show a large range of symptoms.  Infected kittens often run very high fevers and are lethargic and unwilling to eat.  These kittens often die within weeks of showing these clinical signs.  Other cats can be infected for long periods of time.  This virus is related to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), so the course of the disease can be similar.  Often a cat is infected for a long period of time without showing any signs of disease, but these cats can spread the disease.  Eventually, the cat does start getting sick.

The most common signs of disease are: Loss of appetite; slow, progressive weight loss; inflammation of the gums and mouth; infections of the skin, urinary bladder and upper respiratory tract; and persistent diarrhea.

There are quick blood tests that can check for FeLV. Roughly, 2-3% of all cats in the United States have FeLV.  That statistic appears to be true for Lewis County as well.

The virus can be spread from cat to cat via saliva, nasal secretions, urine, feces and milk from an infected female.  So once two cats are living together, it quickly gets transferred from one cat to another through normal daily contact.  Kittens are especially susceptible to the disease. 
The virus cannot live long outside the body, and can be killed with regular household cleaners.

There is a vaccination against FeLV, however it is not considered a core vaccine because not every cat needs it.  The cats most at risk for FeLV are cats that have access to the outdoors where they may encounter feral cats. The best way to decide if your cat should be vaccinated is to talk to your veterinarian.  Also, if your cat is FeLV positive your veterinarian may have some tips that can help you keep them healthy for as long as possible.