If you have a kitty, you’ve probably heard of FeLV, the female leukemia virus. But how much do you really know about it? According to the Cornell Feline Health Center, about two to three percent of cats in the U.S. are infected with it.

Cats that have FeLV can pass it to other cats. It’s spread through secretions like urine, feces, and milk, as well as from biting. Outdoor kitties who have the possibility of coming into contact with others who are infected are at risk, as are cats who live indoors with infected ones.

FeLV is the most common cause of cancer in cats, and signs of disease include loss of appetite, weight loss, gum inflammation, skin infections, and diarrhea. There are two types of blood tests a vet can use to diagnose.

The best way to prevent your furbaby from getting sick is to keep her indoors and away from any potentially infected cats. There’s also a vaccine you can ask your vet about.

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Millions of cats are infected with the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) across the globe, but how much do you really know about it? FIV is a disease spread mostly through biting, so generally, indoor cats who grow up in loving homes are not super at risk. What’s more, it can take years for any symptoms to appear. According to the Cornell Feline Health Center, 1.5 to three percent of kitties in the U.S. are infected.

Eventually, an FIV-positive cat’s body won’t be able to protect itself against other viruses as well as it did pre-infection. If you have an FIV-infected cat, you may notice her coat is in poor condition and that she has a fever, inflamed gums, and diarrhea.

So how do you know if a cat is FIV-positive? A simple test at the vet. If she does indeed have FIV, you’re going to want to keep her indoors so that she does not infect other cats and closely monitor her health. Have her spayed if she hasn’t been already, too. The good news is that your cat can live a long life with FIV, if you take the right steps.

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It’s pretty much inevitable: From time to time, you can expect your cat to get a hairball. After all, she spends most of her waking hours grooming her pretty coat, so it makes sense, right? And that’s especially true if your furry friend has long hair.

Hairballs happen when your kitty swallows loose hair while grooming. Normally, the hair is passed through the poop, but sometimes it’s vomited out instead. Hence, that hacking up a hairball sensation you’ve probably seen your cat go through. (We know, kinda gross.)

There is something easy you can do to make it less likely for your cat to barf out a hairball. Brushing your cat will get rid of any loose hairs before she can ingest them.

As far as treatments go, it’s always best to consult with your vet.

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