We are an all-volunteer, no-kill rescue group. We have 36 cats/kittens. Should we be testing for feline leukemia virus? We are on a shoestring budget and are worried about the expense, but do not want to spread the virus. How contagious is it and what precautions can we take?
Whether your small rescue group should invest in feline leukemia virus (FeLV) testing is a good question, and there is not a black-and-white response. The American Association of Feline Practitioners and Association of Shelter Veterinarians both state that the status of all cats should be known—so ideally, each individual cat would be tested. However, there are a few things worth considering:
- Accurate testing and interpretation of tests is vital. Especially in a shelter setting, where results of the tests may change how we re-home cats, it’s really important to be sure that it is understood that no test is perfect. A single test for FeLV or FIV is not considered sufficient to confirm either positive or negative status. Cats require regular testing at intervals depending on their risk for infection.
- In shelters where cats are housed individually throughout their stay, the risk of FeLV spread is minimal and testing is considered optional.
- In shelters where cats are group-housed, testing is recommended because of the risk of transmission cat-to-cat.
- It’s always recommended to inform adopters of shelter policies so that they are aware in case they are adopting a cat who has unknown retroviral status, and to recommend that they discuss further testing with their veterinarian before introducing a new cat to their current cats.
- If your program does a lot of foster home-based care, testing of cats and kittens prior to placement in foster (as well as of foster families’ own cats) might be a consideration.
- If your group provides extensive medical care, testing cats entering treatment would also be a consideration.
Regarding how FeLV transmits: Cats typically acquire the virus through the oro-nasal route. Cats shed infectious viruses in multiple body fluids, including saliva, nasal secretions, feces and urine, and milk. Examples of activities that might allow FeLV transmission include grooming, fighting/biting, blood transfusions between untested animals, use of unsterilized surgical equipment, or transfer during pregnancy and nursing. Transmission through use of shared litterboxes or feeding dishes is possible, but less common. You may sometimes hear FeLV called the “friendly cat” disease because it can be transmitted by grooming and cohabitating without overt fighting.
For more information on shelter medicine and infectious disease prevention in your program, check out the ASPCApro website: http://www.aspcapro.org/shelter-medicine.php
My question is about adopting a second cat. I found one on my local humane society's website, visited her in person, and we cuddled for an hour. During that time, I noticed that her fur was rough, she was skinny and shed a lot. She also sneezed about 10 times, and once, a bubble came out her nose. The other cat in the enclosure had none of these signs. I'm concerned about possible FIP, but this cat may just have had the bad effects of being sheltered for a while. The vet tech on staff said that her sneezing was just a regular upper respiratory infection, similar to kennel cough in dogs.
At the time, I didn't know about FIP and I submitted the adoption paper. Now, I am very concerned about possibly bringing this cat home to my healthy boy and getting him sick? The adoption comes with an initial vet visit, but if anything happened to my cat at home from my actions, even nice ones as in adopting a sister, I would be doubly heartbroken! What should I do?
It sounds like your potential sister cat has a fairly serious “cat cold.” This should be treated by antibiotics, decreasing stress, and any other therapies your veterinarian suggests after seeing her (if you adopt her, she should be seen by your vet as soon as possible). Shedding is common when cats are stressed, and she may not be eating well due to the cold.
As for FIP: there are no real tests for it, but this would not be a typical picture of a cat with that disease. Also, while a common virus is involved, FIP is a very uncommon disease. Cats don’t get sick from that virus until their own immune system responds badly to the infection. That is what causes FIP, not the virus itself.
If you decide to go ahead adopt the new cat, she should be put in an isolated location (like a bathroom or spare bedroom) away from your other cat for a period of time so he gets used to the idea of a new cat in the house and the new girl can have some quiet time to adjust to your home and the cold to get better.
“Cat colds” can take a while to go away and sometimes can recur if the cat is very stressed. I can tell you that my brother adopted a cat with a cold, and while it took several weeks for his cat to recover, it was well worth it! He turned out to be a wonderful cat who might not have otherwise been adopted.
Our group, Giles County Animal Rescue, volunteers at the county pound. We live in a rural area. Dogs picked up with collars can stay 10 days; those without collars stay five days. The animals aren't around long enough for a Meet Your Match-type of transaction (although we applaud that program). We foster as many as we can to save them from the needle, but do you have any advice how to promote adoptions of animals at the pound who don't have long to stay?
That’s a great question and a very common challenge encountered by shelters. When pressed for time, focus on the basics and promote, promote, promote! When people look to add a four-legged friend to their family, they are looking for a companion—and it’s your job to help paint your available pets as companions and not just homeless animals.
It’s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, but for an animal organization, a picture can equal a happy home! Great pictures of your shelter’s companion animals pull viewers in and make them want to know about the sweet brown eyes they are looking at. While you are working with animals to get a great picture, you learn more about their personalities and can help create better names and bios for them. Bios are what cinch the deal and make people get into their cars and come and meet your great animals. In the bio, share any available and pertinent information on the animal’s previous history, as well as preferences for toys, the amount of affection they seek out, etc. Draw on the creativity of your volunteers and have fun with these while keeping a positive tone! With these three basics, you have transformed your homeless animals into companions seeking forever homes. More information can be found at ASPCApro.org.
Now that you have great names, pictures and bios, the question becomes: Where do you show them off? Placing your available animals on the organization’s website is very important, along with utilizing other great outlets. Adoption websites such as Petfinder.com and Petango.com are great resources—and in addition, think about how to reach an even bigger audience than people who are actively looking to adopt! Use social media to your advantage and bring more eyes to your animals than you ever could before. Facebook pages allow content to be viewed and shared with a broad audience. There are many great examples of organizations who promote animals short on time, such as this one in Texas and this page created by an organization in Louisiana, which has seen almost every single animal posted on the page adopted! Create a page and share your available animals online and encourage others to share them with their friends. The more eyes that see each animal, the better the chance that animal goes to a forever home!