Cats

Cat Feline Leukemia Virus Prevention and Management

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) causes immunosuppression and cancer in cats. Vaccination, testing and management strategies protect individual cats and prevent spread.

Key Facts

FeLV is transmitted through prolonged close contact including mutual grooming and shared food bowls
Around 2-3% of UK cats are FeLV positive with outdoor cats at significantly higher risk
Vaccination provides good but not complete protection and is recommended for all at-risk outdoor cats
FeLV-positive cats can live years with good quality of life with appropriate preventive care
Testing all cats before introducing new individuals prevents unwitting transmission to negative cats

Welfare Considerations

FeLV causes progressive immune failure leading to secondary infections, lymphoma and other cancers that cause significant suffering. Early detection through testing enables appropriate management protecting both individual cats and preventing spread to naive animals. FeLV-positive cats deserve good quality palliative care and management appropriate to their status rather than automatic euthanasia. Indoor management and separation from negative cats prevents spread.

What You Can Do

Vaccinate all outdoor cats against FeLV as a core non-core vaccine for lifestyle risk
Test all cats for FeLV before introducing them to a household with existing cats
Manage FeLV-positive cats indoors separated from negative cats to prevent transmission
Provide excellent preventive care for FeLV-positive cats including vaccination against other diseases
Monitor FeLV-positive cats closely for early signs of secondary infection or lymphoma development