WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF FELV?
On rare occasions, the cat’s immune system may fight the disease without showing symptoms, and the infection resolves. However, it is more likely that your cat may show one or more of the following signs:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Tiny red spots on the skin
- Persistent diarrhea
- Swollen or enlarged lymph nodes
- Weight loss
- Inflammation in the mouth
- Skin abscesses
- Wheezing, sneezing, and difficulty breathing
If your cat shows two or more of these symptoms, it is essential to take them to the vet for testing. It may not be FeLV, but it is good to have it checked so you know how to proceed with treatment if necessary.
If FeLV persists, your cat is at risk of developing more severe diseases such as neurologic problems, reproduction issues, anemia, gastrointestinal problems, conditions associated with dysfunction in the immune system, including chronic infections, and cancers such as lymphoma, leukemia, and fibrosarcomas.
Fortunately, many therapies are available to treat the symptoms resulting from FeLV. Vets recommend keeping your infected cat indoors to protect other cats from infection. Additionally, if you can provide your cat with a stress-free environment and a healthy diet, this will improve their recovery.
To prevent your cat from contracting FeLV in the first place, you can consider housing them inside. However, if your cat escapes, you want them to be protected. Therefore, you can think about vaccination. Several vaccines available have shown substantial efficacy, provided you vaccinate your cat early. Talk to your vet about vaccines and what is most appropriate for your cat.
The Pet Cancer Foundation’s Website Editorial team is comprised of veterinarians, veterinary oncologists, and veterinary technicians, as well as scientific writers and editors who have attained their PhD’s in the life sciences, along with general editors and research assistants. All content found in this section goes through an extensive process with multiple review stages, to ensure this extended resource provides pet families with the most up-to-date information publicly available.
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Last Updated: October 9, 2022
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The following sources were referenced to write the content on this page:
Hartmann, K & Hofmann-Lehmann R 2020, ‘What’s new in feline leukemia virus infection’, Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract, vol. 50, no. 5, pp. 1013-1036.
Hartmann, K 2012 ‘Clinical aspects of feline retroviruses: a review’, Viruses, vol. 4. No. 11, pp. 2684-2710.
Richards, JR, Elston, TH, & Ford, RB 2006, ‘The 2006 American Association of Feline Practitioners Feline Vaccine Advisory Panel report’, J Am Vet Med Assoc, vol 229, pp. 1405-1441.
Sykes, JE & Hartmann K 2014, ‘Feline leukemia virus infection’, Canine and Feline Infectious Diseases, pp. 224–238.
The Pet Cancer Foundation’s medical resource for pet owners is protected by copyright.
For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.