Feline Leukemia
Feline leukemia (FeLV) is a deadly virus that affects cats. Although it cannot be spread to humans, it is sometimes known as “feline AIDS” because it often attacks a cat’s immune system. Unfortunately, there is no cure for feline leukemia.
Symptoms and Diseases Caused by Feline Leukemia
Cats with feline leukemia don’t necessarily show symptoms that they have the disease at first. Over time however, infected cats will usually suffer from decreased appetite, anemia, fatigue, weight loss, poor coat condition, and diarrhea. As the disease progresses they will often develop different types of cancer, eye disease, infections of the mouth, gums, and tongue, renal failure, and other chronic illnesses.
Transmission of FeLV
Feline leukemia is a contagious disease, and is spread through bodily fluids. Saliva that is exchanged during cat fights is the most common way cats infect each other, but blood, urine, and feces can also transmit the disease.
Not all cats that come in contact with the feline leukemia virus will become sick. An estimated 40% of cats’ immune systems will destroy the virus before it does any damage. 30% of cats will contract the virus, but store it in an inactive state in their bone marrow until it emerges and causes sickness years down the line. The other 30% of cats will become persistently infected immediately. Feline leukemia is fatal, and 25% of cats that are persistently infected will die the first year; the rest will most likely die within 3 years.
Prevention
Feline leukemia is very preventable. A simple blood test done at a veterinarian’s office will determine if a cat has the virus or not. For those that test negative, a yearly vaccine can keep them from becoming infected. Outdoor cats have a higher risk of becoming infected with feline leukemia because of their increased exposure to other cats, but all cats are potentially at risk.
Even an indoor cat that likes to sit in a screened-in window in the summer could become infected with feline leukemia from an infected stray cat that is sniffing around outside. Because of the seriousness of this virus, some veterinarians recommend that all cats get vaccinated for the disease, but many cat owners find they are able to completely isolate their indoor cats from other cats, which is the best means of prevention.
