FAQ Group: Feline Leukemia Virus

No. As of July 1992, all of the vaccines which are approved for sale in the United States are incapable of causing a positive FeLV test result. (Sorry, but I don’t have figures for vaccines in other countries. If anyone does, feel free to append them onto this FAQ.)

After your cat has gone through its more elaborate set of kitten-shots, the FeLV vaccine should be given once a year. If you adopt an adult cat and don’t know if it has been vaccinated for FeLV, start it immediately on its annual shots. If you are unsure if your adult cat needs be vaccinated,Continue reading Is the vaccine expensive and how often do my cats need to be vaccinated?

According to the literature, neonatal kittens are 100% susceptible to catching the virus from one exposure. 8-week-old weanlings are 85% susceptible from one exposure. There is serious debate over the likelihood of non-vaccinated, healthy adult cats becoming infected with the virus but it seems that ~40% of cats exposed become immune, ~30 percent become persistentlyContinue reading If I don’t get my cat vaccinated, what are its natural defenses against the virus?

Yes, there are several commercial vaccines available. Unfortunately the USDA does not have standard requirements for FeLV vaccines, so different manufacturers can publish ‘Effectiveness Ratings’ which cannot be compared with each other due to a lack of uniformity in testing terms and requirements. Estimating the effectiveness of the vaccines is difficult and most vets I’veContinue reading Is there a vaccine?

In sum, once the virus gains entry (usually via saliva or mucus membranes) it will reproduce in the lymph tissue which is your cat’s first system of immune defense. Some cats are able to mount a successful immune response against it and defeat the virus at this stage. In cats who don’t successfully destroy theContinue reading What does the virus do to a cat?

No. Not unless you were to go immediately from one cat to another, and have wet saliva, urine or blood on your hand. Even then the chances would be slim. FeLV needs to be transferred through the media above, and will not live long outside the host (the infected cat). Warm, dry environments will deactivateContinue reading Will I infect my healthy cat if I pet an FeLV+ cat, then pet my cat?

FeLV is transmitted via saliva, mucus, urine, feces and blood. This means mutual grooming and biting/fighting are the most likely methods of transmission, although sneezing, hissing, sharing food/water bowls and sharing litter boxes are also possible means of transmission.

Retroviruses carry with them an enzyme that causes a process to occur in the DNA known as “reverse transcription.” RNA normally pairs up with DNA, copies itself, and thus increases/replicates itself. When an RNA retrovirus does this, it fools the DNA to copy *it*, instead of the normal RNA, thus causing even more of theContinue reading What is a retrovirus?

People often use the “it’s like AIDS” phrase to describe a number of illnesses in the animal (and human) community with the idea that most people know so much about AIDS that this analogy is useful. Unfortunately most people don’t know much about AIDS and the resulting effect is to scare people out of theirContinue reading I’ve heard FELV is like AIDS. Can I catch AIDS or anything else from it?

Feline Leukemia Virus is a virus that is specific to cats    only.  It is considered to be the most common cause of serious    illness and death in domestic cats. It causes a breakdown in your    cat’s immune system causing your cat to become susceptible to many    diseases which it might otherwise be able to fightContinue reading What is Feline Leukemia Virus and can I catch it?