At the shelter where I volunteer, they use the snap test for FIV/FeLV and consider it almost totally reliable for FIV. No test for humans or animals is absolutely accurate every time because there is always room for human error. If a cat tests positive for feline leukemia on the snap test, they send a blood sample out to confirm. If a kitten tests positive on the snap test they keep them isolated from other cats for six weeks and repeat the snap test. If that is positive, they send out blood to confirm.

It's not unusual for kittens that were raised in less than ideal circumstances to test weak positive for leukemia at 6 weeks and then negative at 12 weeks.

If your kittens test positive to FIV you can keep them with your other cats, as long as the kittens don't give deep, penetrating bites. Quite a few of us here have FIV+ cats with FIV- cats and that's fine. If you want more information on up-to-date thinking on FIV, just ask and we'll post some good web sites. There are still plenty of vets, and shelters, who believe all FIV+ cats should be euthanized.

If your kittens test positive to FeLV, then you have a problem. Your choices are to euthanize the kittens, keep the kittens isolated for several more weeks and re-test (which you don't want to do), or make sure your adult cats have been vaccinated for feline leukemia and hope for the best. I've had a leukemia positive cat live with 9 other adult cats, as have a few friends of mine, and the virus was never passed on to the others. It's quite a risk. You and our cats could be lucky, or you could find yourself shelling out more than $300 if your cats become sick.

If you are lucky enough to have a spay/neuter only clinic in your area, they will often do those procedures, vaccinate and test for much lower prices than your vet.