Dolores

Dolores is a lovely female cat with a heart full of love and a spirit that shines brightly. Despite being diagnosed with Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), Dolores is full of life and affection, and she's looking for a special home where she can be the only cat. Dolores needs a dedicated and understanding adopter who can provide her with the care and love she deserves. Background: Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), is a virus that attacks the immune system of a cat. It isn't a form of cancer, but is actually a virus that weakens the immune system. Cats with FeLV can live normal, happy healthy lives-they just have a shorter life expectancy than FeLV negative cats. Historically cats with this disease have been euthanized as soon as they are diagnosed. HHS has taken a different stance, allowing FeLV cats to live out the time left to them with dignity. Is FeLV contagious? Only to other cats. For this reason it is recommended that FeLV+ cats are kept indoors only. They can only cohabitate with other FeLV+ cats as it is spread from cat to cat via saliva (sharing food bowls, grooming each other, etc.), urine, blood, and from mother cat to kittens during pregnancy. Feline leukemia is species specific so other animals such as dogs cannot contract the virus. The virus itself is not airborne and dies rapidly in the environment so you won't have to worry about carrying the virus on clothes when you leave the house or have friends over. How is FeLV diagnosed? The screening for FeLV is generally an snap test (often in combination with the feline immunodeficiency [FIV] test). Are the FeLV+ cats available for adoption sickly? No. The FeLV+ cats are just as healthy as the other cats. They do, however, have an increased risk of getting sick. This makes protecting them from stress, feeding a high quality diet, taking them to the vet regularly, and addressing health problems as soon as they arise absolutely critical. Do FeLV+ cats need special medication or care? Not while they are healthy. When and if they do eventually get sick they will usually get very sick quickly and may need more care than a normal cat since their immune system doesn't work as well.