FIV and FeLV
I quite often get asked whether Craig Street Cats tests for FIV and FeLV. The answer is no, we don’t usually test healthy adult cats, and there are a good many reasons why.
FIV (feline immuno-deficiency virus) and FeLV (feline leukemia virus) are terrible diseases that kill many cats, and it is important that cats not be allowed to perform the behaviours that spread them. Since fighting and breeding are the most common forms of transmission for both viruses, spaying and neutering are the most effective means of preventing the spread of these diseases. It is important to note that rates of infection for both feral / stray and pet cats are about the same: 3% to 4%. Neither Alley Cat Allies nor Neighborhood Cats, the major feral cat advocacy groups, support testing of feral cats for FIV or FeLV because testing is prohibitively expensive, and not terribly accurate.
FIV is similar to HIV, in that it is spread through exchange of fluids. Cats typically spread it through bite wounds inflicted during mating or fighting over mating or territory. Sterilized cats don’t fight very often, so they are at low risk of either getting or spreading the disease.
FeLV is more contagious, being spread through saliva (bite wounds, grooming, etc.), nursing, and shared litter boxes. That said, most healthy cats that come in contact with the virus do not become ill from it. Many that do become ill, recover and go on to live long healthy lives. In “at risk” populations (poor general health, poor nutrition, poor sanitation, etc.), the disease may kill the entire population. Kittens are the most vulnerable to this disease, as their immune systems are not fully developed.
There is a kit available to test for both viruses at the same time. It is very expensive, and the test must be repeated at least 3 times, over a period of several months, in order to identify a probable infection. Once a probable infection is identified, a further, more expensive test is required in order to determine whether the cat is truly infected. Most vet clinics and shelters do not follow that protocol. Tests are administered once, and the cat is identified as positive or negative based on the results of the one test. Many healthy cats and kittens are euthanized because they test positive for FIV or FeLV on one test. Others are labelled as “positive” and ’unadoptable’ when they are actually healthy and very adoptable. Additionally, many cats carrying FIV or FeLV are identified as negative because they test negative on one test . Neither of these results is acceptable.
At Craig Street Cats we do not test kittens under 6 months of age, because they carry their mother’s antibodies, and may, or may not actually have the disease. We DO test cats under the following circumstances:
- the cat has been exposed to FeLV
- the cat has been in a fight and has deep bite wounds
- the cat is ill and does not respond to appropriate treatment for the illness
In addition, all cats and kittens coming into Craig Street Cats are kept isolated for at least 2 weeks in order to identify any health concerns. During this time kittens are seen by a vet, and any health concerns addressed. Any adult cat showing signs of illness is also seen by a vet before being allowed into the general population.
UPDATE:
Vaccinations for both FIV and FeLV are now available. While this is good news for pet owners wanting to protect their cats from these diseases, it makes testing more problematic because it is now impossible to tell if a cat actually has a disease, or has been vaccinated against it.
