FeLV causes serious immunosuppression in cats but vaccination and management allow affected cats to live comfortable lives. Understanding the virus improves welfare for infected cats.
FeLV management welfare considerations span prevention, diagnosis, and long-term care for infected cats. Vaccination prevents infection entirely in vaccinated cats — a direct welfare investment that protects cats from a progressive, ultimately fatal disease. For cats already infected, prognosis depends on infection category: regressive FeLV cats may live normal lifespans with appropriate monitoring, while progressive FeLV cats face a more guarded prognosis requiring active management of secondary infections and cancer surveillance. The welfare of FeLV-positive cats is best served by indoor-only management (protecting both infected cats and uninfected cats they might contact), regular veterinary monitoring, and prompt treatment of secondary infections that would rapidly overwhelm compromised immune systems.