Previously Felv positive cat and other cats.

I got my cat, Pisces, in February. He was 8 months old at the time and intially tested positive for feline leukemia, which is how he ended up in my care. He was young and exhibited no symptoms. I work at a veterinary office, so we retested Pisces' blood 3 months later--this time he tested negative. The test we did was the standard SNAP test. Three months later, we took another blood sample and sent it to our outside lab to have a slightly more indepth test done--it too came back negative and he is the healthiest cat you've ever seen, now a year and a few months old and fully vaccinated. Negative testing meaning that he is not shedding the virus.

I have recently taken in a 12 week old kitten, Gemini. The kitten has tested negative and has no contact with Pisces--they live in separate quarters, eat out of their own bowls, use their own litter boxes. The kitten has received the first of two vaccines against Feline Leukemia, as well as her first Feline Distemper.

I wonder, will it be safe to allow her contact with Pisces after she's older and finished with her vaccinations? Not neccessarily living together, but playtime?

A cat that was exposed to another cat with FeLV can test positive on the Elisa test. The Elisa only tests for exposure to the disease (looks for antibodies), not that they have the disease. It takes about 30-60 days for an exposed cat to either fight off the virus, or to have it turn into FeLV (sort of how HIV turns into full blown AIDS).

I assume that the subsequent extended blood test was an IFA test? That is the only test that confirms FeLV, as it is testing for the presence of the virus in their blood stream (not just the antibodies that a cat develops to fight it off). If the subsequent Elisa test is negative and the IFA test was negative, the cat doesn't have FeLV.

I would feel confident that he doesn't have FeLV, but totally empathize with your concern about not exposing the kitten. Do the full round of vaccinations for the little one, and run another Elisa and IFA test on the adult before you introduce them. I think you'll be fine.

The interesting thing about these 2 tests is that most vets don't understand their implications, and many vets diagnose FeLV after the Elisa. The Elisa doesn't prove FeLV.

what did the vet at the veterinary office where you work say? he/she would be a good resource

Originally Posted by Momofmany

The interesting thing about these 2 tests is that most vets don't understand their implications, and many vets diagnose FeLV after the Elisa. The Elisa doesn't prove FeLV.

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That and FIV as well. I asked my vet what they do about false positives, and he and his tech look quite taken aback that anyone would consider a test could be wrong. What is it with doctors putting so much faith in tests first?
I asked him this because my intuition, which turned out to be correct, was telling me that Siri had vet care in her past and likely prior vaccinations. If she'd been FIV positive I would have wanted further testing.

But apparently they trust the first tests done for both and usually suggest people euthanize instead of further testing. So much for your vet being someone to ask in this situation.


And I agree, go ahead and test the older kitty again. But chances are if he's healthy and has been healthy all this time he doesn't have FeLV.