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Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)

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Lili Duda, VMD
Last Modified: November 1, 2001

Dear OncoLink "Ask the Experts,"
My cat was diagnosed with FeLV (feline leukemia virus) with associated lymphosarcoma. His eye is affected. The vet said he will never see out of it again and that it should be taken out.

Any information on this would be greatly appreciated.

Lili Duda, VMD, Editor of the OncoLink Veterinary Oncology Section Menu, responds:

Cats with FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus) associated lymphoma will have the same response to chemotherapy as do cats with FeLV without the lymphoma. The prognosis is 9-12 months median survival but that varies with the case. If the eye is not bothering the cat, it can stay in place, but if it is painful (as they can be), and truly no longer visual, then it should come out. Cats do not require binocular vision to function, and can do very well with one eye. Since this cat has FeLV, he should be strictly confined indoors anyway, because it is very contagious to other cats.