The occurrence of the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) was investigated in domestic cats from two shelters of Belo Horizonte. Samples from 145 cats were collected and tested for FIV by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Forty out of 145 samples were tested for FeLV p27 antigen by a commercial ELISA kit. Two females (1.4%) and four males (2.8%) were positive for FIV. For FeLV tests, 13 cats (32.5%) were positive, being nine females (22.5%) and four males (10.0%).
cat; feline immunodeficiency virus; feline leukemia virus; PCR; ELISA