Retro is a word usually bringing warm and fuzzy feelings of nostalgia. But for the more than 80 million cats living in North America, the word retro is anything but warm and fuzzy.
More frightening, many cat owners are unaware of these two significant and very deadly feline diseases. Hidden from the body's defenses, retroviruses can remain dormant for months or even years. Feline Leukemia is associated with more illnesses and deaths of cats than any other infectious agent. Although not actually a cancer, it can cause several types of cancer in your cat.
FeLV is considered a "social contact" disease generally spread through intimate contact between cats, such as grooming or sharing water bowls. Pregnant or nursing cats can pass the virus on to their kittens as well. Studies estimate the prevalence of FeLV in the United States at two to three percent of the cat population, meaning that 1.
Typically spread by fighting, FIV virus is caused by bite wounds between unfriendly cats. However, It should be noted that neither disease is spread from cats to people. Cats carrying either of these viruses may not show any signs of illness. In fact, due to the ability of these viruses to hide in the cat's cells, many cats can go years without any apparent symptoms. This can be a problem when new cats are introduced into the household, or if your cat ventures from home for a few days.
Testing is considered the mainstay of preventing transmission of both diseases. Any sick cat should be tested, regardless of any negative results from previous testing. Fortunately, there is good news. First, both of these viruses can't survive outside the body for long periods of time, making transmission from the environment unlikely.
