Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) Information
Feline Leukemia and FIV (“Aids”) are non-treatable viral infections that can affect cats. The viruses are spread by the transfer of infected body fluids including blood, saliva, nasal secretions, and nursing milk. Your kitten or cat could have been exposed to either virus from its mother or if your cat has been outside it could have been exposed through fighting or grooming of other infected cats. Once exposed, there are three possible outcomes:
  1. The cat is able to get rid of the virus.
  2. The cat stays persistently infected, never becomes ill, BUT transmits the virus to other cats.
  3. The cat stays persistently infected, becomes ill at some point, and usually dies within 1-5 years.
Symptoms can include loss of appetite and weight, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, pale gums.
There is no cure for either viral infection, only supportive care.
 
Kittens are considered most at risk because of their undeveloped immune system and the greater likelihood of escape and potential interaction with infected outdoor cats. Based on the recommendations of several Feline Advisory Boards, we are also recommending the following protection protocol:
Kittens- test* at 8 weeks old.  Vaccinate for Leukemia if negative.
Initial vaccine series- vaccinate every 3-4 weeks x2
Boosters- 1 year later and repeat annually IF at risk of future exposure to outdoor or positive cats.
Adult cats at risk- test* and if negative, vaccinate as above. If considered low risk, can booster after first annual every 2 years.
*Testing- Recommended for all kittens initially and then adult cats at risk annually since the leukemia vaccine is not 100% guaranteed.
If either feline viral test comes back positive, the recommendations are:
  1. keep your cat indoors to prevent the spread of the virus , and retest 3 months later
  2. adopt the cat to a cat-free home ( you must arrange this yourself) or a Felv-positive home and retest in 3 months or
  3. last case scenario- euthanize the cat because you are unable to isolate and retest in 3 months
FIV- unfortunately there is no effective vaccine available to protect against FIV.