If you have an FeLV-Positive cat that you have taken in, remember YOU are the one who has developed an emotional attachment. YOU are the one who cares about the cat. In this time of so many unwanted pets, the sheer numbers of animals that are not infected make it extremely difficult to find an FeLV-Positive cat a home. Before you decide to take in a stray cat and have it tested, be prepared to take on the responsibility of keeping the cat, finding it a home or euthanizing it, in case it does turn out to be Positive.

There is no reason why you cannot keep a FeLV-Positive cat, as long as you follow certain important guidelines. It must stay indoors the rest of its life to prevent it from infecting other cats. Since it is infectious, it could potentially infect every other cat that it comes into contact with. It does however have the potential for living a long, happy and fulfilled life, either alone or with other cats who are also FeLV-Positive.

Look for a hospice in your area and check it out before you take or refer any cat there. Make sure the animals are kept indoors at all times. Arrange a tour and be sure to get the name of the veterinarian that provides regular care. Find out if they ever euthanize any animals and under what circumstances. Make sure the animals are provided with reliable vet care and call the veterinarian to make sure that they can verify their work with the hospice and find out what relationship they have with them. Check to see that all of the cats are neutered or spayed, receive yearly vaccinations, fed a quality diet, receive lots of TLC and have a good quality of life. Since cats are so sociable, make sure there are people who spend time with them and that they do have contact with other FeLV-Positive cats. If there is no FeLV hospice in your area, consider starting one.

Transporting FeLV-Positive animals around the country is not the answer. Unfortunately, they are everywhere and in every community. It is not fair to the ones already living in an area who also need care, to not receive it because cats from somewhere else have usurped any limited resources. It is also against the law in most states to take an animal that has a disease across state lines. Legally, you must have a health certificate signed by a veterinarian certifying that the animal is in good health before you travel. Cats who test FeLV-Positive cannot legally get a health certificate.

There are still many questions about the types of testing available today. Some cats who test Positive may later test Negative, depending upon the test and the amount of time between tests. Feline Leukemia Virus is a highly contagious oncogenic RNA virus that causes both neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases in cats. Diseases caused by FeLV include: lymphosarcoma, myelogenous leukemia, thymic atrophy, nonregenerative anemia and panleukopenia-like disease. Because FeLV is immunosuppressive, it predisposes infected cats to a variety of secondary diseases.

Following exposure, a cat may test positive within as little as 14 days. Persistent infections will remain Positive while transient infections may turn Negative within 1 to 3 months. Infection may be transient in cats that develop immunity. Antigen-Positive animals should be retested in 1 to 3 months. A Positive second test indicates a persistent infection, a Negative test indicates clearance of the virus.

There are two types of tests available: 1) the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) which can be performed in your veterinarian's office. These assays test for the presence of FeLV using highly specific antibodies to a specific antigen found in high levels in cats that are infected; 2) the immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAB) which usually must be sent to a diagnostic laboratory, tests for the antibody to the disease. This test is more expensive and more accurate. It tests for the presence of the actual virus - the disease itself.

Antigen can be detected as early as 4 days after exposure/infection, but 14 days is the average. If it is transmitted in-utero, antigen could be present and detected at birth. FeLV vaccination will not cause a test to be Positive. On the other hand, a recent exposure to the disease, whether or not the cat becomes infected, could cause a Positive test to occur.

A saliva test sample will not be strongly Positive until the virus is amplified in the bone marrow, released into the circulation and has infected the epithelial tissues. This could take a period from 1 to 3 months following exposure and would indicate a persistent infection. A Positive result with a blood sample could indicate a persistent or transient infection. A Positive result with a saliva sample is indicative of a persistent viremia. Positive blood samples can be repeated using saliva to determine the state/stage of the disease.

If an ELISA antigen/antibody test is Positive and the IFAB test is Negative, the infection is not yet established and may become transient, latent or persistent. Retesting in 1 to 3 months is recommended.

It is especially important not to let animals with FeLV breed and pass on the disease. They must be neutered or spayed. Kittens born to FeLV-Positive mothers have been exposed to the disease through their mother's body fluids and can become infected during pregnancy or nursing.

NEVER take a stray cat in and put it in with your other cats unless you have had it tested for FeLV and are sure that it is not Positive. While many people try to do the right thing by rescuing stray cats, in doing so they risk the lives of the pets they already have. If you want to rescue a stray, make sure you quarantine it until it has been tested. Even if your other cats have been vaccinated against FeLV, NO vaccine is 100 percent and you should NOT consider this to be total protection against FeLV. All this does is put the odds in your favor that your cat would be able to fight off the disease should it be exposed to FeLV.

DO NOT EVER knowingly put an FeLV-Positive cat in with any cat who is not also Positive. Putting an FeLV-Positive cat in with one that is Negative, even though they have been vaccinated, puts them at risk for getting the disease. The constant exposure to the FeLV cat on a daily basis - using the same litterbox, drinking out of the same water bowl, and eating out of the same food bowl, is asking for trouble.

If you have other cats and they have already been together for a long period of time and one of them is diagnosed as FeLV-Positive, it's more than likely already too late to prevent your other cats from being exposed. Since the cats have already been exposed to each other, there is no point in separating out the positive one, unless it is sick. If they have just been together for a short time, it would probably be best to separate them in order to keep the exposure to a minimum. Remember that every cat is different and some fight off the disease and never come down with it. All FeLV-Positive cats do not die of the disease. Some just harbor the disease itself and are contagious to all other cats. We have also seen those cats who tested Positive at first and then later on tested Negative.

If one of your cats does test FeLV-Positive, keep them as healthy as possible by feeding a high-quality diet and getting regular veterinary care. Do NOT bring any other cats into the group. Not only would it be dangerous to a new cat if it is FeLV-Negative but the disease itself is stress-related and the stress of adding a new cat to the group might be enough to cause a problem if one of the cats is already harboring the disease.

In our experience, we have known cats that at first tested Positive for FeLV using the standard ELISA test and then when retested later on using an IFAB test, they were Negative. Just because a cat tests Positive with one test does not always mean that the cat is FeLV-Positive, as already stated above. There are reasons that it might test FeLV-Positive and not be. We recommend that you find a veterinarian who will retest the cat in 1 to 3 months or as recommended by the company that made the specific test that was used. It's important not to condemn the cat to death based on the outcome of one test. If your vet is not willing to retest and decides that the cat should be put to sleep right away as a result, find another veterinarian. As long as you keep the cat quarantined from other cats (FeLV-Positive as well as FeLV-Negative, because if it turns out that it is Negative, you don't want to have already exposed it to a FeLV-Positive cat) and indoors while you wait for it to be retested, it should be fine. After all, it takes only a little more time and a little more money to give it a chance that it might not be FeLV-Positive at all. Each cat deserves that and we have known it to happen. If it turns out that it is FeLV-Positive, then you haven't lost anything and at least know that the cat has been diagnosed based on accurate results.

There are some new treatments and drugs out there that are being used to treat FeLV-Positive cats. According to the latest info that we know about, what is now being tried and seems to be working is the use of ImmunoRegulin, antibiotics and prednisone, all in combination with one another. This is the latest therapy that seems to be helping many cats to seroconvert to FeLV-Negative. You will want to discuss these with your veterinarian.

How to go about finding an FeLV-Positive Cat a home:

It's not going to be easy to find these pets a home. But then again, it's not easy to find ANY animal a home if there is the least thing "wrong" with it. There are so many animals who need homes who are not positive for FeLV or have a health problem that the odds of placing an FeLV-Positive cat are not good. But here are some suggestions:

1) Tell everyone you know that you have a cat that is looking for a home. Be honest about the cat's condition and educate them about the disease. This is a disease that only cats get. Also explain why it is important to keep the cat inside away from other cats.

2) Every animal shelter and veterinarian's office usually has a bulletin board in the waiting room area. Make up some 4 x 5 cards with information about the cat and your name and phone number and post them.

3) Many newspapers have a column where people can advertise animals that are looking for a home, FREE of charge. Check with your area publications and see if they offer this kind of service. If not, you might want to pay for a small classified ad and run it for a week or two.

4) When you write your ad or make up your 4 x 5 cards, emphasize the positive. Describe the cat using "fluffy" wording like: gorgeous, sweet, loving, etc. Be absolutely sure to say that the cat is looking for a "special home, inside only" because it has tested Positive for FeLV. Have your name and phone number for a contact but do not put your address in the ad.

5) The most important thing you can do to ensure that this cat finds a loving home where it will be taken care of by someone who is a responsible pet owner is to SCREEN the callers. Tell them about the cat, ask them why they are looking for a pet, do they have any other pets and if they have cats, ask about their FeLV status. People will tell you more than you ever wanted to know if you let them talk. As you talk to them make a few notes. Somewhere in the conversation catch them off-guard and ask "oh by the way, who's your veterinarian", get the vet's name and write it down. Get the person's name and phone number as well, before you end the conversation and tell them that if you don't call them back, they should assume that you already found a home for the cat. This gets you off the hook from having to return any phone calls.

6) Find out if they rent or own their place of residence. We have had people tell us that their landlord does not allow pets but they are going to get one anyway or that they are supposed to pay a pet deposit but they are not going to. You know what will happen when the landlord finds out - the pet will be dumped out on the street. Get the landlord's name and call them to see if it's okay for the person to have a cat.

7) If people aren't willing to give you information about their landlord or their veterinarian, then they must have something to hide and are not going to be a good home for any pet. You are simply trying to find the best home possible for a pet and anyone who really is going to provide them with a good home will understand that you are concerned and will be happy to give you this basic information.

8) If someone seems strange or something does not seem quite right about the person, it probably isn't. Go with your gut feeling here. DO NOT tell anyone where you live. DO NOT let them come and take a look at the cat. You DO NOT have to give the cat to anyone who calls. Remember, there are unscrupulous people who will lie and take the cat and sell it to a research facility or worse.

9) After you run the ad for a time and you have gotten some calls, go through your notes and see if there's anyone you would consider placing the cat with. Call the veterinarian and tell them that you are not asking for any confidential information but that this person gave you their name as a reference and you are considering placing a pet with them and you would like to know if they are a responsible pet owner. The veterinarian should have no trouble checking the client's records and giving you the information you have requested. Things to watch out for are if the veterinarian has no idea who that person is or has not seen them for several years even though they have pets. What you want to hear is that they have taken excellent care of their pets and if one has recently passed away or they recently got a new pet, etc. The story that the vet tells you and the one that the person told you should agree. The veterinarian's reference is the MOST important one that you can get. Make sure the vet that you call is listed in the telephone book and has a legitimate practice. Anyone who wants to use the animal for fraudulent purposes or sell it to a research facility might give you the name of a friend who will pose as their veterinarian when you call.

10) ALWAYS deliver the cat to the prospective owner. That way you can see where they live before you even get to the door and have the opportunity to keep on driving or get back into the car. DON'T leave the cat if you don't feel comfortable for ANY reason. You don't have to even make an excuse. Just politely pick up the cat, place it back into it's carrier and leave. It's YOUR cat and you don't have to give it to anyone if you don't want to. The last thing you want to do is leave the cat somewhere you're not sure about and worry. Once you leave the cat it will become difficult to get it back if you should want to.

11) It's always good to give the people a couple of weeks to try the cat out. Tell them if it doesn't work out, you want the cat back. The last thing you want to find out is that for some reason they decided not to keep the cat and took it to a shelter where it was euthanized. Call them several times and see how things are going. Assure them that you will take the cat back at any time, for any reason.

12) Unless you can find a home where the cat will be taken care of by a loving responsible pet owner or a hospice in your area where it will be cared for in a loving environment, keep the cat yourself or make a decision to have it humanely euthanized by your veterinarian. You are the one who took on the responsibility and so you must be responsible for its well-being. A bad home is NOT better than no home at all. The final outcome is something only you can decide. Cats depend on us to make the best decisions for them.

References:

1. Hardy, W.D., Jr., 1974 Veterinary Clinics of North America 4:133-146.

2. Hardy, W.D., Jr. McClelland, A.J., Zuckerman, E.E., Hess, P.W., Essex, M., Cotter, S.N., MacEwan, EIG., and Hayes, A.A., 1976, Comps. Leuk. Research (Karger, Basel) 43:511-514.

3. Lewis, M.G., Wright, K.A., Lafrado, L.J., Shanker, PIJ., Palumbo, N.E., Lemoine, E.D., and Olsen, R.G., 1987, J. Clin. Micro. 25:1320-1322.

4. Ettinger, S.J., Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co.,1959, pp. 328-329.

If your organization would like to know more about FeLV test kits and vaccines available mail-order, if you know of any individuals, shelters or hospices in your area who take in FeLV cats and provide them with a loving home for the rest of their lives, or if you have specific questions or would like more information about MILLER-ROTH, please feel free contact us snail-mail (via the U.S. Postal Service - please enclose a SASE - a self-addressed stamped business-sized envelope - for a reply) or the fastest and most efficient way, via E-mail at: miller-roth@oocities.com and we will try to address a specific problem or make a referral. Thank you for taking the time to care.