Animal Welfare Professionals

One of our vet offices that provides reduced pricing services to our cat rescue informed me that based on one of the Feline Veterinary associations recommendations that all cats, regardless of whether they are indoor or indoor/outdoor cats should be vaccinated against feline leukemia and therefore are going to require that all of our rescue cats that go through their clinic will have to be vaccinated, beginning at 12 weeks of age, for a total number of two. At a time when we are contemplating not administering combo testing any more due to the local shelters no longer testing, this is overly burdensome for our rescue. The logistics of managing our cat care among 4-5 vet offices, figuring out which kittens have received the vaccines vs. the ones who don't is mind-boggling. 

I googled feline veterinary practioners guidelines for vaccines and the most recent guidelines are from 2020 and nowhere do they state that this should be required. We have a board meeting tomorrow and I'm really baffled how to even start the conversation. 

We've used this vet office since 2008, they perform pediatric spay/neuters (2 lb.) and are our go-to for every non-spay surgical procedure (enucleations, amputations, etc.) We've enjoyed a great relationship with them over the years and I don't want to jeopardize it, but after 8 years we raised our adoption fees three years ago and adding this to the cost will once again put us in the negative with our adoption fee. 

Help! Thanks.

#Medicine,SurgeryandSterilization

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Candy Sullivan
Founder/Executive Director
Candy's Cats, Inc.
Orange County, Florida
www.candyscats.org
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Hi Candy:

What a dilemma! The AAFP/AAHA 2020 vaccine guidelines do suggest that FeLV vaccines should be considered "core" for all kittens and young cats less than a year old. This does extend to their recommendations for shelter cats, especially for those in group housing. That said, our rescue does NOT administer FeLV vaccines, although we do still test (as it sounds like you do as well). 

I would ask the clinic owner why he/she feels the FeLV vaccines should now be mandatory for coming to the clinic. As long as the cats are individually caged, there's no danger of a positive cat spreading FeLV while at the clinic. Maybe they just need to think it through out loud as well as hear your perspective on both the medical and (especially) the financial implications of making this a mandatory vaccine.

Good luck!

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Kirsten Cianci, VMD
Palmetto Animal League
Ridgeland, SC 29936
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The BOD didn't really make any decision as we continue to do our research.  I reached out to Dr. Levy, and her statement to us is

We don't recommend routine FeLV vaccination in shelters for several reasons that are described in the 2020 AAFP Retrovirus Guidelines (attached). The exception would be sanctuaries where cats stay a long time in high-intensity comingled groups and FeLV can be introduced by accident.

I'll be finding other resources as well, to bolster what I believe is our position and present to the vet's office.

We went through this years ago with another of our rescue vets who required the bordatella vaccine on every cat that came in for medical services, so we were vaccinating the pediatric spay/neuter patients who were then getting very ill and in a couple of cases requiring hospitalization, so we quit using that office.  But at a time when the other vets charge upward $800-$1,000 to amputate a leg, and they charge us $300, we really can't afford to lose this office. 

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Candy Sullivan
Founder/Executive Director
Candy's Cats, Inc.
Orange County, Florida
www.candyscats.org
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-09-2025 08:51 AM
From: Kirsten Cianci
Subject: Feline Leukemia Vaccines

Hi Candy:

What a dilemma! The AAFP/AAHA 2020 vaccine guidelines do suggest that FeLV vaccines should be considered "core" for all kittens and young cats less than a year old. This does extend to their recommendations for shelter cats, especially for those in group housing. That said, our rescue does NOT administer FeLV vaccines, although we do still test (as it sounds like you do as well). 

I would ask the clinic owner why he/she feels the FeLV vaccines should now be mandatory for coming to the clinic. As long as the cats are individually caged, there's no danger of a positive cat spreading FeLV while at the clinic. Maybe they just need to think it through out loud as well as hear your perspective on both the medical and (especially) the financial implications of making this a mandatory vaccine.

Good luck!

------------------------------
Kirsten Cianci, VMD
Palmetto Animal League
Ridgeland, SC 29936
=^..^=
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