hi, laura--

as much as i hate to disagree with my pal, deerhounds, i'm about to do just that....

it is FIV, not FeLV, where kittens will test positive based on their mom's immunities while being negative themselves. sadly, that is NOT the case with FeLV... unlike FIV, FeLV can be transmitted easily from mom to kitten. kittens both with FeLV have the worst prognosis as they do not have mature immune systems to fight the virus.

there are different strains of the virus, but i think what you're seeing has more to do with the individual constitution of the kittens. the one who made it to one year--which is NOT that uncommon if they make it past 6 months (for reasons no one has addequately explained to me yet!)--may come from heartier stock, or just had enough immune function to keep the virus at bay. with FeLV, the virus can lie dormant for years with no symptoms until it is activated. the younger one--small, less healthy in general--is showing a common young-kitten response to the virus--just not thriving.

like HIV in humans, FeLV is a virus that in itself doesn't do anything per se. it attacks the immune system and makes the cat unable to fight off infections of any kind. certain cancers, aneurysms, anemias are things that often take hold in a FeLV cat once the virus is activated. from what i know, there isn't enough research yet to know if any one of the various strains makes a cat more susceptible to, say, lymphoma, than another strain.

FeLV cats are just like normal(!) cats until the virus is activated--which is why even the sicklier one is enjoying life so much. unfortunately, they do not know yet exactly what activated the virus. considering the little one's medical history--and her successful response to treatment for so many things, she surely seems to be winning her battle.

the IFA test is sometimes considered more reliable than the snap test done in the vet's office; however, they now know that a cat can test positive on the IFA and still just be processing the virus out of their bodies--80% of healthy, adult cats DO throw off the virus. so even a positive IFA doesn't really mean anything unless it's repeated at a minimum of 120 days. there are cases of positive IFAs clearing after as long as seven months!
because both these kittens have been in custody for more than 120 days, tho, an IFA would be an excellent tool to use.

there is no real way to determine life-expectancy in a FeLV--first of all, you need to know they really are positive (which the IFA will help determine). from there, the variables are just not predictable: genetic history, personal immune-system strength, whether or not the virus is activated.

the very best source of experienced, knowledgable folks--those who actually live WITH FeLVs on a day-to-day basis--can be found at the link below. join their mailing list, and you will get answers to questions you haven't even thought about! in addition, there is a place there to post positive kitties for adoption.












Feline Leukemia info


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PHCatByte

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