Protect Your Cat from Feline Leukemia

Feline leukemia is a common and highly contagious disease. It’s fairly easy for your outdoor cat to contract leukemia. In this article, you can learn about leukemia in cats, its two different forms and how to keep your cat safe from leukemia.

Steps

 * 1)  Understand the two types of feline leukemia. Feline Immuno-Deficiency, or F. I. V., and Feline Leukemia Virus, or F. E. L. V., are dangerous and deadly diseases. They're highly contagious, making identifying these diseases early on very important. Both viruses are spread from cat to cat, and surveys show that up to 15% of sick cats are infected with these viruses. Problem is, even healthy cats may harbor infection and spread the virus to other cats.
 * 2)  Be aware of how feline leukemia is spread. As they're both very contagious, the feline leukemia virus is one that has high mortality. It's transmitted through direct contact with an infected cat. F. E. L. V. is spread when the saliva or urine of an infected cat comes in contact with another cat. This can happen when cats groom each other, or when they share food or litter boxes.
 * 3)  Take preventative measures. There are some simple but important measures you can take to help your pet cats:
 * 4) *Determine whether your cat is F. I. V. or F. E. L. V. positive by asking the vet to do the Snap Test, or doing it yourself. It's available at your local veterinarian, and costs you about forty dollars in the USA. If you're introducing a new cat to your household make sure you test them first, or if you've got an outdoor cat, make sure you test them yearly.
 * 5) *Know the signs of feline leukemia. The signs of F. I. V. and F. E. L. V. are subtle, but very important to recognize. These signs include:
 * 6) ** decreased appetite
 * 7) ** less frequent grooming; and
 * 8) ** an overall decrease in energy.
 * 9) *Test often and avoid exposure to situations where the cat can become positive.

Tips

 * One of the easiest ways to prevent either of these viruses is to keep cats indoors and always test a new cat before bringing them into your home. However,though cats are naturally indoor/outdoor creatures, but it is better to be vigilant and keep them inside. A romp in the grass is not worth contracting a deadly disease.

Warnings

 * It takes at least three months for a cat to test positive after exposure to the virus.

Things You'll Need

 * The snap test done at your local vet or shelter.

Related

 * How to Give Subcutaneous Fluids to a Cat
 * How to Know if Your Cat Is Sick
 * How to Care for Your Cat
 * How to Take Care of Your Aging Cat
 * How to Take Care of Kittens

Sources and Citations

 * VideoJug Video demonstration of article, featuring Mitch Wilder. Original source of article, shared with permission and appreciation.