My cat has feline leukemia.....

I just found out my approximately eight month out kitten has feline leukemia. My vet was shocked because he seems so healthy (we went to the vet to get him microchipped). They took his temp and everything. I'm so worried what do I do?

Hi bourbonsmom !

I'm going to presume that Bourbon, your first cat, is still with you and that you've recently taken in a kitten.

Feline Leukemia is a viral disease that is transmissible to/among other cats........there is no cure for it.....you MUST take some immediate precautions.

The very best advice on what to do will come from people who have been dealing with this dangerous virus for many, many years.

You are very fortunate - and your new kitten is even more fortunate - that your Vet did not recommend euthanizing the kitten.....because, that's exactly what most Vets appear to do.

I won't dare to give you any advice....except to recommend that, you keep the kitten separated from Bourbon until you're able to get informed and reliable information from other Feline Leukemia (FeLV) caregivers. (I lost the love of my life to this disease 11 years ago - because of my own ignorance and an incompetent Vet -  at a time when I didn't know about these specialized online groups and resources. Today, I'm still haunted by that experience and the what-if's of if only I had known about them. I am convinced that, had I been able to access those resources back then, my cat would not have passed 'before his time'.)

These people have their own website: Feline Leukemia Support

They operate a specialized online discussion forum - you can join it and put your story to them - you'll find it right here: FeLV Talk     (To join the group, see "Subscribing to Felvtalk" on that page)

The format they use is called a 'mailing list'.......it looks different from this site and takes a little getting used to. I'd recommend that you get a new, separate email address to use exclusively for this group - it will make it easier for you to manage the info flow.

Whatever you do, don't delay and take action now to inform yourself so that you can adequately manage this disease and keep both cats as healthy as possible.

First thing to do: don't panic.  Easier said than done, I know, but it's important to know that a felv diagnosis isn't the end of the world.  Many kittens born with felv will remain healthy for a number of years before displaying symptoms of the disease.  

One of the best things you can do is get your kitty on the healthiest, most species-appropriate diet possible, and I recommend using only foods containing human grade meat.  Do everything you would do for a child with a compromised immune system, from nutritional support to keeping your home environment as green and non-toxic as possible.  Air purifiers if you've got the budget for it and definitely consider a good water filtration system that removes every last trace of potential toxins, down to fluoride and pharmaceuticals.  Cats with felv are far more susceptible to developing cancer, so keeping the food, air and water as pure as you can is going to help win this battle.

And speaking of avoiding toxins, vaccines are now permanently off the table, so kitty will have to stay indoors and avoid contact with other animals.  You'll definitely want to continue vaccinations for your uninfected cat, but do get him tested ASAP and vaccinated for felv if he's clean.  Even if he tests positive, you don't have to panic.  Cats infected as adults usually fight off the infection within a few weeks, so assuming he tests positive, you'll want to have him retested at the six month mark.  If he remains infected, he may become a carrier and never get sick, or he may suffer a milder form of the disease and cycle through periods of illness with periods of good health.  There's generally a much better outcome for infected adults.

You can't bring another cat into the household now that you've got a felv+ kitty, unless you decide, as many with infected cats eventually do, to adopt another felv+ kitty.  With love, nutritional support and good veterinary care, these kitties can actually live long, healthy lives!

There are drugs, most still in the experimental phase, that have given felv+ kitties back their health or improved the quality of their lives significantly.  I think it's crucial to find a vet that has experience working with these cats and is open to trying various treatments.  You can find out more about them at the link provided by White Shadow.  

Another wonderful group you'll want to join is here: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FeLVPositiveCats/info

I have four felv+ kitties with the substrain that causes nonregenerative anemia.  One was at death's door almost a month ago and is doing much better today, thanks to his fabulous internist at the specialty hospital.  I was even able to educate her about a few different treatment options she was unaware of, so your best weapon in combating this disease is knowledge.  Ask lots of questions, research as much as you can, consult those in the know every time an issue arises, and best of luck to you 

Feel free to PM me if you need an empathetic ear/shoulder.