How to Care for a Cat with Feline Leukemia - Confirming FeLV

Feline Leukemia Virus (FELV) is a relatively common viral disease of cats. Some cats acquire this infection at a very young age by being born to an FELV-infected female cat, others contract this disease through direct contact with saliva from an infected cat. Most cats with FELV lead full, normal lives, but these cats do have special environmental and health requirements and are susceptible to some health consequences once infected.[1]

1. Make sure that your cat actually has FeLV. Take your cat to a veterinary clinic so that your cat's blood can be drawn and tested. The test for FeLV is very sensitive and accurate.
- They will often also test for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).
- The FELV (and FIV in cats 6 months of age or older) tests are routinely performed by animal shelters prior to adoptions, so the results of this testing should be included with the cats veterinary records when adopted.
- If you found your cat or kitten, or obtained them from a private party, then viral testing should be part of your immediate health care plan. This is especially important if you plan to bring them to a home where cats already live.

2. Look for symptoms of infection. Cats who have recently come in contact with the virus may show signs of the initial viral infection, with non-specific signs such as low energy, fever, or a decreased appetite.
- After the initial ‘viremia’ (virus multiplying in the bloodstream), some cats’ immune systems will actually fight off and clear the virus completely, others will progress into a persistently infected or ‘latent’ infection stage. At this stage, cats are often asymptomatic and can remain asymptomatic for many years.[2]



3. Understand the complications that can arise should your cat have FeLV. 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.[3] It can also contribute to breeding abnormalities and arthritis abnormalities with red blood cells.[4]

4. Be ready to take extra precautions and care measures if your cat has FeLV. He or she can live for several years without the disease causing major problems if given appropriate care.[3] In some cases, the cat may even become leukemia-negative, meaning that they will live a long and happy life.[5]