Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is as misunderstood an illness as its human counterpart, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Just like humans with HIV, cats with FIV can live long and healthy lives. Contrary to popular belief, carriers of the virus may not necessarily fall victim to the symptoms associated with the disease, and they are not always destined to succumb to the virus. In fact, cats with FIV can often thrive in a healthy, caring environment.

The virus is extremely difficult to transmit from one cat to another. The only proven method of transmission is through bite wounds and in vitro (from pregnant mother to kitten), though many kittens who are born with FIV can shake the virus during adolescence. A small percentage of stray cats test positive for FIV (although the numbers are growing), and we believe that these cats deserve as much of a chance as any other.

Tenth Life encourages families and individuals to consider adopting an FIV cat. Although we cannot recommend uniting FIV and non-FIV cats in a household, we have heard numerous reports of cats living their entire lives with FIV positive siblings without contracting the virus.

Feline Leukemia, also known as FeLV, is the most infectious disease agent producing fatal illness in domestic cats today. About 60 million cats in the U.S. have this virus. Once a cat has contracted FeLV its life span can range from several months to even years, but unfortunately the majority will last for only a few weeks.

FeLV is a retrovirus that interferes with the cat's natural ability to ward off infectious disease agents. A retrovirus is a virus that connects itself to a strand of DNA, tricking it into thinking that it´s just another normal strand, and then it begins to copy itself. People and animals other than felines are not susceptible to Feline Leukemia.

FeLV is spread through a cat´s direct contact with another infected cat. The reason this virus is so contagious is because it transfers itself in saliva, tears, urine and feces. For individuals who have seen two or more cats playing together, it is easy to see how easily the virus can be transferred. Since outdoor cats are more likely to get into fights, they are the most likely to come into close contact with a cat carrying the virus. It can be passed during normal activities as well, however, such as mutual grooming, sneezing, playing and nursing.

After a cat has come into contact with the virus, the virus will begin to replicate in the tonsils and pharyngeal lymph nodes. It then spreads via the bloodstream to other parts of the body, especially the bone marrow, and intestinal tissue, where it continues to replicate. It takes only 2 to 4 weeks after the initial infection for the virus to show up in the blood stream.

The best way to protect your cat from contracting FeLV is to keep him or her indoors. Because of the frequent contact with other cats, an outdoor cat is almost three times more likely to get the virus than an indoor cat.

The only way to know for sure if a cat is FeLV positive is by having a veterinarian administer a series of blood tests.

You can help protect your cat by having him/her vaccinated. There are several vaccines now available to aid in the protection of your cat against Feline Leukemia. Although none of these vaccines are guaranteed to be 100% effective, it´s still a good idea to talk to your veterinarian about getting your cat protected. Even if your cat has been vaccinated, it is still not recommended that he or she live with another cat who is FeLV positive. The vaccine will certainly increase the chance of your cat withstanding a prolonged exposure to an infected cat, but it is a chance that is not worth taking.

The current vaccine against FeLV is safe. Many people have heard that a cat who has been given a certain type of FIV vaccine will test positive for the disease. Since the FeLV vaccine does not contain a living virus, it will not cause your cat to show a false positive on the ELISA of IFA tests.

**This information is compliments of Tree House Humane Society