Is Feline Leukemia Contagious

A cat is said to have feline leukemia, when the feline leukemia virus is found in its body. Though feline leukemia is not a very common disease, it is the most dangerous disease which affects cats. This is also the reason because of which feline leukemia disease is likened to AIDS which affects mankind. It has been observed that the changes that HIV brings to the human immune system are similar to what feline leukemia virus (FeLV) does to the immune system of the cats. Also, the cat infected by this virus is likely to die within three years of having this infection. As feline leukemia is such a dangerous disease, it is important for cat owners to know about the details of this disease. Moreover, if you have many cats as pets and one of them has been detected of this virus, it is extremely crucial for you to know the answer.

Feline Leukemia Transmission or Causes

Feline leukemia virus can be transmitted to a cat from another who has this FeLV virus. It has been observed that feline leukemia is usually found in stray cats because usually feline leukemia transmission takes place during cat fights and mating, through saliva and blood. Also, cats which groom each other and share their food, litter box, etc. can also transmit this virus to the other. Infected cats that are pregnant may also transit this virus to the kittens while they are still in the womb. It has also been found that this virus can be transmitted from the mother cat to the kittens during nursing and caring. However, though this disease is likened to AIDS, feline leukemia virus can never by transmitted to humans.

Feline Leukemia Symptoms

Not all cats which get infected by the feline leukemia virus start having health problems. It has been said that most cats have the ability to put up a fight against the infection, from which many of them succeed to get rid of the virus from their system. However, the cats which are not able to do so will start showing the symptoms of this disease within a year or two. While some cats who have this infection will not show any major illnesses, they will still carry the virus in the blood and are likely to spread the virus to other cats. Some of the symptoms that are seen in felines which have this disease include loss of appetite, anemia, gum inflammation, feline diarrhea, poor coat, weight loss, weakness and enlarged lymph nodes. Other signs that may indicate the presence of FeLV virus in the blood may include reproductive disorders, still born kittens, abortion, kitten deaths, etc. Moreover, cats having feline leukemia diseases are at a high risk of developing diseases like anemia, cancer and other such viral and bacterial infections as their weakened immune system is not able to fight these diseases. More on feline leukemia symptoms.

Feline Leukemia Treatment and Prevention

Sadly, there is no treatment or medication that can get rid of the feline leukemia virus or can cure this disease. However, there are certain medications that can help in subsiding the symptoms as well as improving the feline's quality of life. Other treatments will be recommended by the vet according to the health problems faced by the cat. This leaves cat owners with only one option and this is to take all the precautionary measures to prevent one's cat being affected by the feline leukemia virus. The best way of doing so is to keep one's cat indoors. If one has two or more cats and one of them has been tested positive for FeLV, then it is important to keep this cat isolated from the others. There is also a vaccination for feline leukemia, however, they come with certain side effects and can cause other health problems in the pet. Hence, this vaccine is recommended only to cats which have a high risk factor of getting this infection.

As it is a contagious disease, the only way you can save your cat from getting infected is by taking the proper precautionary measures. Even if your cat has been tested positive for feline leukemia, you do not have to euthanize it immediately. Rather, consult the vet who can recommend certain treatments with which your cat will be able to live a long as well as healthy life.