Feline Leukemia. Cat Leukemia.

Cat Leukemia (Part Two)

The Feline leukemia virus has two stages of infection. The first is called
primary viremia, which is the early stage of the infection. In the early stages
of the virus, it is possible for some cats’ immune systems to halt the virus
from going into the second stage. At this stage, you are not likely to even be
aware that the cat has contracted the virus.

Secondary viremia is the stage of the virus where you are likely to notice
your cat having continuing infections and other problems. Once the virus has
gone to the second stage, the cat will be infected for the remainder of its
life with the virus.

How Cats Are Diagnosed With Feline Leukemia Virus
There are two ways feline leukemia virus is detected in cats. Both of these
are blood tests used to detect proteins in the blood stream. The first blood
test is called ELISA or enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. This test is
usually done in the veterinary surgeons clinic and can test both primary and
secondary stages of the virus.

The second test is called IFA or indirect immunoflorescent antibody assay.
This test is sent to a laboratory. The IFA test is only used to determine
second stage infection of the feline leukemia virus.
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How To Prevent Your Cat From Infection
The best way to prevent your cat from being infected from the feline
leukemia virus is to prevent them from having contact with cats that may
have the virus. You may want to keep your cats indoors, only allowing them
access to outdoors under your supervision or in a secure area to reduce the
likelihood of your cat fighting or being bitten by an infected cat.

Make sure that if you are bringing a cat home to your other cats, it is
infection free. For those who have more than one cat and find that one of
them is infected, you should stop an infected cat from having contact or
sharing food bowls and litter boxes with uninfected cats.

There are also vaccinations available for the feline leukemia virus in non-
infected cats. Although your cat is vaccinated, there is still a risk that it
could be infected. So the best way to keep your cat safe is to prevent it from
wandering around unsupervised.

Life Expectancy Of An Infected Cat
A cat that has contracted the feline leukemia virus may, in ideal conditions,
remain healthy for up to a few months, although most cats have at the very
best a life expectancy of only a few years after they have been infected.

For those who have lost their cat due to the feline leukemia virus and wish to
get a new cat, it is safe to bring a new addition into the household once the
cat has been vaccinated and the areas the infected cat have been, thoroughly
cleaned and disinfected.

It has not been proven that feline leukemia can be passed on to humans. But it
is recommended that pregnant women, elderly people, small children and those
who have immune system problems stay away from infected cats.

Questions About Feline Leukemia?