We usually talk all things dog, but today I wanted to discuss cats because cats are important too and we love them too here at Laber of Love Pet Rescue. Today’s topic is feline leukemia. Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is a fatal disease found only in cats; it cannot be passed to people or to dogs. It is passed from cat to cat through fluids, usually saliva. It can also be passed from a mother to her kittens at birth. This disease virtually wipes out a cat’s immune system leaving them open to many other infections/diseases. It’s not the leukemia that ends up killing the cat, it is some other secondary infection or disease. If caught early, the cat is properly cared for, it is kept inside and taken to the Vet regularly, and the cat can live a relatively long and normal life.
We had the privilege to be the final home for a FeLV positive kitten, Tilly, recently. She was a tiny little thing who came to us with a poor prognosis. She was already sick and had an ulcer under her tongue. Our best guess is that she is one of the unlucky ones that was passed this disease from her mom during birth. She was found as an only kitten by a good Samaritan and taken to the Shelby County Animal Shelter. Thankfully that was the case so that she could find comfort and peace in her last weeks. Too many stray cats and kittens don’t have this good fortune; they die alone.
We had the privilege to be the final home for a FeLV-positive kitten, Tilly, recently. She was a tiny little thing who came to us with a poor prognosis. She was already sick and had an ulcer under her tongue. Our best guess is that she is one of the unlucky ones that was passed this disease from her mom during birth. She was found as an only kitten by a good Samaritan and taken to the Shelby County Animal Shelter. Thankfully that was the case so that she could find comfort and peace in her last weeks. Too many stray cats and kittens don’t have this good fortune; they die alone. are available, is it something you can do on your own? There are plenty of resources online that will walk you through how to get started.
Please see the attached article for more info:
Let’s all be part of the solution; we can do it together.
Nicole Laber, Fospice Mom and Board Treasurer