Feline Leukemia

Sorry to hear about your cat! I don't know if the cold may have messed up the test, but if you're really skeptical, it couldn't hurt to get another test when she's feeling better. One of my mom's cats has leukemia, and has had it for about a year or so. Each cat will respond differently to it, and there's not much you can do to treat them. Some cats die very quickly, some live for a while but don't feel very well, and some don't seem to be affected by it much at all. Fortunately, he seems to fall into the last category. I would just keep an eye on her health and how she seems to be feeling, and get any other cats you own vaccinated. I hope your cat stays well!

I lost my cat, Chloe, to feline Luekemia. It came as quite a shock as I got her from a shelter where she was supposedly tested before being adopted out, and she was up to date on all her vacinations. She got very skinny very quickly. Her nose turned a white color (normally it was pink) Her eyes became yellow and her gums and tongue became white. This happened very quickly. She was a very active happy cat, but within 2 weeks these symptoms emerged and she was rushed to the vet. They said there was nothing they could do and her liver had already shut down (hence the yellowing). We had to put her to sleep. I still miss her. The FLV is contagious to other cats so if you have other cats in the house you need to get them tested also and keep them seperated. It's spread through saliva, hairs, etc from the infected cat. They will need seperate litter boxes, food dishes, etc and should not be allowed near one another. There is no cure for FLV, there are medicines that can prolong the cat's lifespan but they will need to be on meds for the rest of their life and it's still not a cure (much like human diseases like cancer, aids, etc). I'm sorry to hear about your cat. there is no way her "nasty cold" could throw off the tests. The test is done by drawing blood and counting the amount of cells etc, No cold is going to mess up their blood. I'm sorry, but you're going to need to face the facts and get your kitty on some medicine before it's too late and she has to be put to sleep.

It's possible that the 'nasty cold' is actually the symptoms of the leukemia presenting themselves. If the immune system is depressed like it is with leukemia, then your cat may be suffering from a common cold which usually only affects cats for a day or two, but may have lasted longer in your cat's case, simply because she can't fight the virus like a healthy cat can. You can seek a second opinion if you'd like, but if it's positive, then the best thing you can do is make sure she has a happy life. Most infected cats will survive about another 2-3 years if the disease has just infected them. Don't allow your infected cat outside, as it may infect anyone else's cat who was not properly vaccinated. The same goes for if you have another cat in your house without vaccinations -- keep them seperated unless you want another kitty passing. Feed a healthy, well balanced diet avoiding uncooked meats and unpasteurized dairy products (the risk of food-borne bacterial and parasitic infections is much higher in immunosuppressed cats). Alert your veterinarian to any sudden changes in your cat's health, and try to be as kind as possible when it's her time to go. In the future, make sure you always do vaccinations. Most vets recommend doing 2 rounds of vaccines as a kitten.. one just after weaned from their mother, and the other about 4-6 weeks later. Then vaccinate only as required for that individual cat. Cats that don't go outdoors only require one at about a year and then 2-4 years later, depending on how many other cats are in the household. Cats that do go outside should have it at a year and then 3, 5, 7 and then stop. A good veterinarian won't vaccinate once the cat has become a senior citizen, since that does more harm than good for a cat with already lowered defences.