Thank you for some clarification on this note.
Cherie
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
<<<Thank you for posting the article, but now that verifys my concern about
shared dishes and litter boxes. I have been told different things, one is
the virus can not live outside the body for a long period of time (15
minutes) and weakens as time passes, and I am also told, in this article too
that shared dished and grooming can is the most common way of transmission.
I am confused, can anyone help me muddle through the facts. >>>
FeLV is primarily transmitted between cats via saliva, but it does take
direct and prolonged contact in most cases. The virus is fragile and won't
survive more than a few hours in the environment. But if virus contaminates
food/water bowls, it can be infective for a short period of time. Grooming
is a! risk because of saliva - the infected cat spreads its saliva on the cat
it grooms, and that cat then licks its own haircoat and picks up the virus.
The other main mode of transmission is from queen to kittens, either in
utero, during delivery, or during nursing/grooming.
FeLV is called the disease of friendly cats, as it takes prolonged social
contact between cats to spread it in most cases. That's why in an ideal
situation, we would always separate positive from negative cats. FIV is the
opposite; it is a disease of unfriendly cats, being transmitted mostly by
bite wounds. FIV positive cats can live with negative cats as long as there
is no fighting. The chance that FIV won't spread would be extremely small
(although not zero) in a peaceful household.
Dr. Susan
Chapter Author, A Home Veterinary Guide, in:
The CFA Complete Cat Book
http://www.cfainc.org/catalog/books.html#completecatbook
Feline Reproduction Manual:
http://catvet.homestead.com/ReproCD.html
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Susan Little, DVM
Diplomate ABVP (Feline)
Bytown Cat Hospital
Ottawa, Canada
http://catvet.homestead.com
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