FeLV-positive cats can live good quality lives for extended periods with appropriate management, and accurate information prevents unnecessary euthanasia.
FeLV management welfare closely parallels FIV management: accurate prognostic information saves lives by preventing unnecessary euthanasia decisions made on assumption rather than evidence. FeLV-positive cats require more careful management than FIV-positive cats due to higher transmission risk and more direct cancer predisposition, but many live extended periods of good quality life with appropriate infection prevention and prompt secondary treatment. The welfare obligation includes honest assessment of life expectancy and quality, not reflexive euthanasia based on diagnosis alone. Shelters that maintain FeLV-positive adoption programmes with appropriate information and placement support prevent enormous numbers of unnecessary deaths annually.