Madison Cat Project

Today's the day! Our weekly Adoption Fair starts at 11:00 AM and goes until 3:00 PM!

Another Saturday, another adoption fair! Come by the shelter between 11-3 to meet some of our available kitties!

If you did an internet search for "FeLV Awareness Day", you'll read in the top results that it's observed every July 15, and that it's a day to spread awareness about this DEADLY disease.

"Deadly disease"? Doesn't that seem like kind of an extreme description?

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is usually spoken of in a way that sounds like the equivalent to a death sentence for any cat found to be positive. And while FeLV infections can become severe with some cats, that's not the outcome for every cat who tests positive - this illness is so much more nuanced than that! For example, there are 3 different types of FeLV infections, and only 1 type of infection matches the description of the really sick, super contagious FeLV+ cat. The majority of cats who end up infected with this virus end up acting perfectly happy and comfortable for many years!

Some people have a strong fear of FeLV because of how easily they believe it can be passed from cat to cat. But recent research has shown that this virus isn't passed through cats sharing bowls or allogrooming as much as previously thought - only progressive cats can pass it through saliva alone, and even then the virus would need to stay alive for long enough outside the infected cat's body to be able to infect another cat. But despite the possibility of it being passed between cats via shared saliva, there's a very effective FeLV vaccine that cats at risk of contracting the illness can get that's shown to be anywhere between 80-93% effective at keeping uninfected cats uninfected.

So whether you're thinking about adopting an FeLV+ cat, you find out your new cat has FeLV, or if you're worried about your FeLV- cat coming into contact with an FeLV+ cat, hopefully this information has put your mind at ease somewhat! Just realize that most FeLV infections are very manageable, and mixed infected/uninfected households can successfully exist when the right steps are taken!