Feline leukemia (FeLV) is a complex disease that blocks cats' natural ability to fight off germs. It does not yet have a cure. Most cat owners are familiar with this deadly disease, but many are unaware of how serious it is.

Now cat owners have more options because researchers have discovered so much about FeLV. Your cat's life depends on your efforts to fight the disease. The more you know about FeLV, the better your strategy will be.

Feline leukemia most commonly is transmitted through saliva, but it also is transferred through urine and feces. Some cats are more likely to become actively infected than others.

Feline leukemia goes through several stages after entering a cat's eye and nose membranes, says William D. Hardy Jr., V.M.D., of Cornell University. About 56 days after invading its host, the virus becomes present in the cat's saliva and urine, and can be passed to other cats.

About 40 percent of exposed cats - usually those who are healthy and stress-free - manage to destroy the disease and become immune to it. The other 60 percent divide into carriers and symptomatic cats.

In carriers, the cat's immune system weakens the virus enough that it doesn't make the cats sick. But symptomatic cats receive the full force of the infection and die in three months to three years.

Until symptoms start to appear, clinical testing is the only way to detect feline leukemia. Six years after FeLV was discovered, researchers developed a blood test to determine the presence of the virus.

Although we do not have ways to stop the disease, we can slow its progress by treating specific symptoms. Carriers, cats that test positive but do not have any symptoms, can now live normal lives. Now that we have a vaccine, owners have the option to keep their infected cats if the cats are not suffering. But infected cats must be isolated as much as possible because carriers can still pass the disease to unvaccinated cats.

Fighting feline leukemia involves three steps: testing, vaccinating, and isolating.

• Testing
  Veterinarians generally test cats for FeLV before vaccinating them. (Vaccinating an infected cat will not stop the infection and will give the owner a false sense of security.

 
• Vaccinating
  The FeLV vaccine provides cats with 80 to 90 percent protection from contracting the disease. The vaccine must be re-applied yearly in order to stay effective.

 
• Isolating
  To cover the vaccine's protection gap, isolating the cat from unknown cats will reduce chances of exposure and help the vaccine work as thoroughly as it can.

By staying current with your cat's yearly vaccines and keeping it away from unfamiliar cats, you can give your feline friend the best chances possible for an FeLV-free life.

For more information about feline leukemia and cat care in general, visit Web Resources For Cat Lovers.