Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a retrovirus that infects cats.
As a retrovirus, the genetic information of FeLV is carried
by RNA instead of DNA. FeLV is usually transmitted between
infected cats when the transfer of saliva or nasal secretions
is involved. If not defeated by the animal’s immune system,
the virus can be lethal.
The disease is a virus, not a cancer. The name stems from the
fact that the first disease associated with the virus was a
form of leukemia. By the time it was discovered that the virus
was not the same as leukemia, the misnomer had already found
its way into the vocabulary of pet owners.
Not to be confused with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (F.I.V.),
As a retrovirus, the genetic information of FeLV is carried
by RNA instead of DNA. FeLV is usually transmitted between
infected cats when the transfer of saliva or nasal secretions
is involved. If not defeated by the animal’s immune system,
the virus can be lethal.
The disease is a virus, not a cancer. The name stems from the
fact that the first disease associated with the virus was a
form of leukemia. By the time it was discovered that the virus
was not the same as leukemia, the misnomer had already found
its way into the vocabulary of pet owners.
Not to be confused with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (F.I.V.),
