To me, that flies in the face of medical knowledge. Just plain DUMB!
FeLV is spread by saliva and nasal secretions; and by bites. Also urine, feces, and mother's milk.
FIV is spread by bites.
FeLV source:
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/felv.html
FIV from SAME source:
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fiv.html
The primary mode of transmission is through bite wounds. Casual, non-aggressive contact does not appear to be an efficient route of spreading FIV; as a result, cats in households with stable social structures where housemates do not fight are at little risk for acquiring FIV infections. On rare occasions infection is transmitted from an infected mother cat to her kittens, usually during passage through the birth canal or when the newborn kittens ingest infected milk. Sexual contact is not a major means of spreading FIV.
So they definitely ARE putting the FIV cats at high risk of contracting FeLV, a form of cancer, which is more potent. Plus, w/ FIV, those cats have weakened immune systems so can't fight it off as well.
I for one would not rely on the FeLV vaccine to keep the FIV cats safe.
BAH! Makes me angry that they are doing this!
I've always heard that you can have an FIV cat living w/ other cats (I have on, Bobby), but that FeLV cats should only live with FeLV cats - cats already infected. This quick research just confirmed that in my mind.
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