My cat had FeLV symptoms, but now seems normal. Does she need a test?

Having a cat test positive for Leukemia can be very stressful. I would definitely get the IFA test done so you know for sure. I think cost depends on the lab and your area, but generally around $100. Cats can definitely have FeLV and not feel ill at all... even for years. You could even vaccinate your negative cats and prevent them from getting it if the cat is truly positive.

I'm so sorry that your foster is not doing well. It sounds like she has been through a lot in her short life. Certainly, kittens that have a severe upper respiratory infection young in life can take a while to bounce back. You can perform a FeLV and FIV test at any time, but the results will have to be taken with a grain of salt at her age. The FIV test is an antibody test, so she could test positive if her mom was positive, but she may not have the virus. The FeLV test is usually a little more accurate in young kittens, but not always. The FeLV test looks for virus in white blood cells, so if her white blood cell count is low from her infection if may appear negative even if she has the virus. So while you can test at any age, you may need to repeat the tests again because of the reasons discussed above. So, I would recommend discussing it with your veterinarian to decide on the right route to go for your foster. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your questions. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that Stassi has been diagnosed with lymphoma. If Stassi and all of your other cats have been indoors only, and were all negative for FeLV to start with, there is next to no chance that your other cats have contracted or will contract FeLV. It is statistically improbable that Stassi has tested negative for FeLV four times and would still have FeLV, unless she may have been exposed to another cat in the past 4-5 years that has FeLV. Lymphoma is a fairly common type of cancer that can occur in cats with or without FeLV. I hope that helps to clarify your concerns. I'm really sorry that you and Stassi are going through this situation.

Most tests are fairly accurate if the results are negative. However there can be false positive test results if done early in age due to antibodies from the mother. I would recommend a vet visit and discuss your concerns with Cagney's vet. But many times it is worth testing earlier and start vaccines. If the test is positive then further testing or quarentine may be required but if negative he may be able to be intetgrated into the rest of the household.

I recommend to have a follow up test done to see if he was able to clear the virus. Without a follow up test, it's impossible to know what is happening in his body. Here is some good information: https://www.petcoach.co/article/feline-leukemia-virus-a-cause-of-immunodeficiency-in-cats/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/vaccinating-felv-fiv-infected-cats/ I suspect the big appetite is ok and is a good thing (as long as he is not getting heavy). This article has good information about diet and living conditions for Felv + cats: https://www.dvm360.com/view/living-with-felv-infected-cats-guide-veterinarians-and-their-clients I hope this helps and that sweet Scruffy continues to do well.

If the diarrhoea is persistently present you could try to start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken or white fish and rice for the next 4 days. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist after that or you notice vomiting, lethargy or inappetence. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

The best thing you could do for the other cats is to isolate them until they. An be tested and vaccinated for the FeLV virus. The virus is spread through direct contact with saliva, blood, and urine. Routine veterinary care is the best way to make sure the FeLV cat stays as healthy as possible - periodic blood work and exams can catch problems more quickly.