Calico Charlie Finds the Purrfect Forever Home – Understanding FeLV

The new year was looking up for Calico Charlie.  She came to The Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC) in January after she was discovered near a hospital in West Virginia.  She quickly received an adoption application along with another HSLC cat because, well, who could resist this multicolored beauty!

Sadly, after a routine pre-adoption blood test (commonly referred to as a “combo test”), Charlie tested positive for the Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) which brought her adoption process to a screeching halt.

FeLV is a viral infection in cats that affects their immune system and bone marrow. The virus is typically spread from cat to cat via saliva. It can also be spread by grooming, shared food bowls, and bite wounds. A mother cat can also transmit the virus to a kitten in utero or during nursing.

Charlie’s initial combo test told us that she was exposed and that the virus was circulating in her blood, but it did not mean that she was permanently infected. It is possible, especially for adult cats, to fight off the infection. To find out if it is a persistent infection the vet will run an IFA test. If this test is positive, the cat is positive for FeLV and always will be.

Cats that are infected as kittens do not have a very long life expectancy—85% do not live past the age of three. Cats infected as adults, like Calico Charlie, can live a relatively normal life indoors with proper vet care and a high-quality diet.

There is an FeLV vaccine that is fairly effective, but not 100%. If positive cats and negative cats live in the same house, it is recommended that they be kept in separate rooms to avoid transmission, even if the negative cats are vaccinated. The virus does not live long outside the body (only a few hours) making human to cat transmission less likely via hands or clothing. Because of her positive IFA test, Charlie went to a foster home to live with Wally Walrus, another FeLV positive cat rescued by HSLC.

Thankfully, it didn’t take long for Charlie her to find her purrfect forever “only cat” home with the most amazing family! After learning more about FeLV and how to care for these cats they welcomed her with open arms. Best of luck to Calico Charlie and her new family!

If you are interested in adopting a special needs cat such as Calico Charlie please contact HSLC at helpanimals@humaneloudoun.org.