What’s the difference in personality between an average cat and a cat with FIV? The answer is-none. While cats with FIV have slightly different medical needs, their level of lovability remains the same. Their lifespans are typically about the same as other cats as well, so you can still collect on a lifetime of love and snuggles.
Unfortunately, adoptable cats with FIV are usually left waiting longer for their forever homes. If we shatter some of the misconceptions regarding their care, perhaps we can change that.
What is FIV?
FIV stands for “Feline Immunodeficiency Virus” and cats across the world have it. FIV in cats is an infection that affects the strength of a cat’s immune system, putting them more at risk of illness. An FIV-infected cat will also have a harder time fighting off illness once it occurs. Contrary to popular belief, FIV is not the “cat form of HIV” and transmission from cat to human isn't possible.
In fact, even transmission from cat to cat isn’t easy. Unborn kittens may contract the virus in utero and, while transmission through bodily fluids is possible, the primary rcan bek of infection is through a bite wound. Recent studies have shown that other forms of transmission are highly unlikely.
What are the symptoms and how is FIV diagnosed?
The first step towards treating FIV is a proper diagnosis. FIV can be tricky to recognize, as not every cat with FIV is going to appear sick. In fact, the virus can lie dormant in a cat’s system for months or years, showing no symptoms at all.
Complicating matters more, a vaccine preventative for FIV was available in North America until recently. Cats vaccinated with this returned false-positives on blood tests, so a healthy, vaccinated cat could appear infected if a new family adopted the cat and didn’t have the vaccination records.
That is why it’s so important to get your cat routine care. Veterinarians can test for FIV with a simple blood test but will combine these diagnostics with your cat’s history, risk factors (such as going outside) and symptoms to produce a formal diagnosis. Your veterinarian can also help you assess your cat’s exposure risk and make a recommendation for how often your cat needs to be tested if they test negative.
If your cat tests positive and the virus starts to progress, you may start to notice other symptoms including:
- Weight loss
- Changes in eating habits
- Lethargy
- Changes in mouth, such as bad breath, pale gums, and/or oral disease
- Eyes tearing or runny
- Runny nose
- Vomiting
Before you bring a new cat or kitten into your home, be sure to get them tested to eliminate exposing your resident cats unknowingly. If you find your cat has been exposed, you’ll want to have him/her tested at that time and follow up with a second test 60 days later. A positive result does not necessarily mean that care for your cat should change immediately, but it will help you and your veterinarian keep an eye out for symptom progression and give you the earliest possible chance of providing supportive care.
My cat tested positive. Now what?
If your cat tests positive for FIV, there is no need to panic! Modern medicine and being an attentive pet guardian make it possible for FIV+ cats to live long and happy lives (all 9 of them!). After being given the diagnosis, there are steps you can take to keep your cat with FIV healthy and happy:
- - Monitor them for any changes in appearance, such as for example weight loss
- - Get them spayed or neutered if they’re not already
- - Continue to test for parasites
- - Keep them indoors
- - Monitor their mouth, gums, teeth and lymph nodes for changes
- - Discuss what vaccines would be best with your veterinarian
- - Do yearly blood tests to monitor organ function and blood count
- - Monitor hydration levels by reviewing urine specific gravity, capillary refill or skin tenting
- - Perform cardiac testing to check heart function
- - Keep your cat as stress-free as possible (do so by providing access to food, water, clean litter box and enrichment)
- - Feed your cat a balanced commercial diet (no raw diets for these kitties, as raw food could contain bacteria that they are more susceptible to)
- - Treat them with a monthly parasite preventative
It’s important to remember that cats who test positive for FIV tend to live just as long since cats who are not infected, as proven in studies done over the past 10 years. Quite often, they don’t even end up passing away from complications of FIV, and often pass from common old age.
Can FIV cats live with other cats? Is it contagious?
Another common misconception of FIV is that an infected cat cannot live with other cats, which often is the reason that a cat lover or guardian may refrain from adopting one into their multi-cat household.
The transmission of FIV between cats is primarily via a bite wound. FIV is contagious between cats, but while there are some rules of thumb that help reduce the ris certainlyk of contagion, the disease does not necessarily rule cats with FIV out from living with other cats in a home.
Cats with FIV are very much in need, as many misconceptions keep them waiting to find their forever homes longer than most.
Even though there is a minimal chance of transmission via non-bite related contact, FIV can live in an environment for a few hours at a time, so you should take proper precautions to sanitize if bringing a fresh cat into a home where an FIV cat is present. That can be done so by using properly diluted bleach (4 ounces to one gallon of water) to clean all hard surfaces, including litter boxes and dishes. New cats coming into the home should altherefore be vaccinated for easily-transmissible diseases as to not spread other infections to your resident cat. Being thorough and proactive is always the best course of action.
Can FIV be transmitted to humans?
A common question is whether humans and other animals can contract FIV. The answer is really a simple NO. The disease cannot be spread to other species, so you and your other non-feline pets are in the clear.
Is there a vaccine to prevent FIV?
Medical advancements have produced vaccines that help to protect against FIV, but there are definite advantages and disadvantages. Likewise, the vaccine is no longer on the market in the U.S. and Canada. An FIV vaccine is not a core recommended vaccine. The vaccine can affect the accuracy of future FIV-testing, along with increase ris usuallyks of particular kinds of cancer. Cats who receive the vaccine may also still be susceptible to certain forms of the virus.
Why should I consider FIV cat adoption?
Adopting a cat with FIV is incredibly rewarding. A cat with FIV is just a normal, lovable cat at the end of the day. They have every opportunity to live a long and healthy life with a dedicated pet parent, and they have an enormous quantity of love to offer, just like any other cat. In fact, pet parents of cats with FIV often report them to be even more loving and sweet than other cats. While no studies can back this up, it shows how strongly pet parents of cats with FIV connect to them. Recent studies have shown that other forms of transmission are highly unlikely, which means if your cats can live harmoniously and do not fight in the home, there’s a low chance the disease will be transmitted. By rescuing one, you are conserving the resources of the shelters caring for them. If you are able to adopt a cat with FIV, you’re in for plenty of unconditional love!
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