I would do 7 days in a row then 7 days without. My vet told me to do this with
my cat Mimi.

Vets generally will tell you for a limited amount of time but my vet told me to
give it to her forever as she was FLV+.

I just give it via an oral syringe but I see no reason why you couldn't mix it
in a tiny bit of food so they get all of it. It tastes like water with a tiny
bit of salt (hope my vet isn't selling me saline solution!) As it must be
refrigerated you probably don't want to mix it into a big bowl of water which
will sit there for a while.

No experience with IF and cats, but my husband takes IF-B (betaserson) every
other day by sub-q injection for MS.  He will be on this regimen for the
rest of his life. No limitations to the number of months.

I'd have to say that a sub-q injectible form would beat to hell and back
trying to orally administer it to a fractioius cat.  Sub-q injections are
basically painless if administered with a small enough needle and you've got
the hang of doing it in the first place.  I'm on the medical committee of
our local shelter and administer vaccines to the new arrivals, and despite
following the new protocols of placing the vaccine in the more sensitive
designated legs for the type of vaccine instead of the less sensitive neck
area, I can still manage to inject 90% of the cats without any additional
help. I'm pretty good with pilling too, but injections are just so much
easier on both parties involved.

The idea behind the 7 day on/ 7 day off protocol was to decrease the
likelyhood of interferon antibodies developing.  While this can occur with
high dose subcutaneous protocols it apparently doesn't occur in the low dose
oral protocol.  Hence I prescribe it for daily use.

..

Again this probably relates to the development of antibodies.  In cats
antibody development limits the effectiveness of the high dose subcutaneous
protocol to about 7 months.

No it should not be diluted or mixed with food.  Interferon is absorbed
through the mucous membranes of the oral cavity rather than by digestion.
Diluting it or mixing it with food will significantly decrease the amount
absorbed.

The rational behind the 30 U/d/cat, 7 on/7 off protocol was extrapolated
from studies in which cats receiving high doses (>1000 IU/kg IM) of
recombinant human interferon-a (rHuIFN-a) developed antibodies which
inactivated the rHuIFN-a after 3-7 weeks.

The controversy arises from the theory that cats don't develop anti-rHuIFN-a
antibodies at such low oral doses and although the low-dose protocol does
not reverse viremia, it reduces the intensity of clinical signs and improves
the cat's overall condition.  Several studies have shown
that many rHuIFN-a treated FeLV+ cats survived longer with a better quality
of life than the untreated control cats.

My only question about the studies is were all the cats infected with the
same subgroup or strain?

Not at such low does as 30 U/day.

Not a good idea -- You want as much interferon as possible to bind to the
oropharyngeal mucosal receptors.  Mixing interferon with food will
drastically reduce - beyond having any effect - the amount of interferon
that actually comes in contact with the mucosa.

You can't put interferon in his water, either, because by doing so, you'll
dilute the dose by millions and render it absolutely useless.   The 30 U/ml
dose started out by diluting a 3 million IU vial with 1 liter of saline; and
then diluting that 3,000 U/ml again another 100 fold (1 ml of 3000 IU/ml
solution with 100 ml of  saline, or 10 ml with 1000 ml of saline) to get a
30 IU/ml solution.

I've read that you have to

*Absolutely*.  Interferon doesn't work by going through the digestive system
and into the circulation because a.: its destroyed by gastric acid in the
stomach; and b.: the concentration in the blood is so little that its
practically undetectable and too little to have any antiviral or
immunomodulating effect.

Oral interferon works by binding to mucosal receptors in the oropharynx
where it triggers the release of cytokines.  The cytokines, not the
interferon, then circulate through the system and stimulate the cat's immune
system.

That's why they don't make oral interferon in pills! :)

 I could probably do

Speak to your vet about injections - easier for the cat and easier for you.
Then you can use larger doses that might *really* work much better.

I wish everyone did their homework as thoroughly as you!

Best of luck,

Phil

Thank you all for your ideas...  There seems to be so many opinions about
use of interferon...  I have read that there is a feline version of
interferon now approved abroad and going thru FDA app process now???  I
wonder if its worth waiting for that.  Also, it sure sounds like the most
eff way of administering is thru injections--I guess folks with diabetic
cats go thru that & I could learn to do it though with BB it would really be
very tough at this point--as socialized as he is, he still won't let me pick
him up and while he will sit on my lap, he jumps off if he feels you're
trying to 'encircle' him--I'm sure with time that will change but right now,
I don't think I could hold him down for injection...