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Dear Ellen, why does NOVA Cat Clinic require my cat to have a documented FELV/FIV test on file? Don’t you keep all of the cats separated at the clinic? He was tested as a kitten and I lost the paperwork. Why is this so important? Do you care less about my cat if he is positive?
Good question, and I have a valid answer for you! The reason why we require it is because it is a very important part of looking at your cat’s overall health.
First, here is a link about FeLV (feline leukemia) that goes into great, yet, understandable detail about the disease.
There is a vaccine against FELV and we carry it here at NOVA Cat Clinic. Each cat is different and our veterinarians will discuss with your whether or not your cat needs this. The AAFP considers this vaccine NON-CORE (your cat’s lifestyle is the main factor which determines if they need this vaccination), but it is very important that our doctors know your cat’s status! If you look at the “signs of disease” on the Cornell link, all of those signs look very similar to every other disease in the book! Knowing if your cat is positive or negative gives our veterinarians a larger picture to look at if your pet does become ill. It’s very helpful to be able to rule it in or out when there is a sick pet with symptoms that could stem from a variety of disease processes.
The main thing to remember about FeLV: It is a CONTAGIOUS but PREVENTABLE disease by way of vaccination.
Now let’s take a look at FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus)
Just as with FELV, knowing your cat’s personal status on this disease allows us to treat them accordingly.
There is vaccine against FIV, but there is some question of its efficacy. The vaccine does make those inoculated test positive for FIV. The only method of not contracting the disease is to minimize aggressive contact with other positive cats (ie- no bite wounds!). We do not currently carry this vaccine at NOVA Cat Clinic.
What you need to know about the test:
Only a few drops of blood are needed.
We can have results in 10 minutes if an in house test is performed.
ALL cats should be tested. Even if the parents are negative, there have been documented cases that a cat will be positive for one of the diseases.
If your cat has received a bite wound from another cat and you do know its FELV/FIV status (i.e.- cat fight) Your cat will need to be retested in a few months since both diseases have an incubation period of a few weeks to a few months before it shows in the blood.
What changes (if any) for your cat if they are positive while staying at the clinic:
Your cat is still loved and doted on just like all of our other cats that come here.
Your cat is still given the appropriate medical care it deserves.
Your cat may still board, but cannot be allowed out to mingle in the main boarding room since we have floor level kennel cubicles. Don’t worry; the staff will make sure your cat gets personal attention and play time in another room.
The treatment protocol might change, especially if we are sending your cat to a specialist! They would find your cat’s felv/fiv status equally as important.
Things to remember:
You can have an FIV positive cat in your house living in peace with your other non-FIV positive cats! As long as there is no aggressive fighting that exchanges blood/saliva in a deep bite wound.
You can have an FELV positive cat in your home, just make sure your non-positive cats are current with their FELV vaccination (remember, no vaccine is 100%)
Test yearly if your cat goes outside or if they share a home with a felv/fiv positive cat.
If your cat is positive for either disease, we recommend twice yearly examinations. The earlier we catch problems that can be caused by these diseases, the more help we can provide you and your cat enjoy a longer life span.
Here is more information about vaccines and more about the diseases themselves.
If you have any questions about either FeLV or FIV do not hesitate to contact us!
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