Open your heart to an FIV+ cat
FIV stands for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. You can spot an FIV+ cat right away. They usually have soft fur, can be cuddly and affectionate, may display charming cattitude, come in all sorts of beautiful colors, patterns, sizes....
Wait, that sounds just like a regular cat.
Yes, it does.
That's because, in appearance and behavior, cats with FIV are pretty much indistinguishable from non-FIV cats. The only way to know if a cat has been exposed to the virus is by testing for the presence of FIV-antibodies in its blood.
Indeed, FIV is the kitty equivalent of HIV in humans. But FIV cannot be passed from cat to human (or to non-felines for that matter). (And it is different from
FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus), which is more serious.) FIV weakens a cat's immune system, making it be more susceptible to infections.
FIV was discovered in 1986, when human AIDS fear was running high. Consequently, a positive test for FIV became a certain death sentence for cats - many, many kitties were euthanized to stop the spread of the disease and because they were considered sickly. But in recent years, we have learned more about FIV.
How FIV is, and isn't, spread
The virus is present in cat saliva and blood. The main route of cat-to-cat FIV transmission is through deep bite wounds during cat fights, where the infected cat’s saliva enters the other’s bloodstream. It does not appear to spread by
friendly cat behavior, like mutual grooming or sharing bowls and litter boxes. Although FIV can also be passed from mother to kittens,
recent evidence suggests this is relatively rare.
An FIV+ cat can live a normal happy life
Fortunately, an FIV positive test result is no longer a reason to euthanize a cat. We now know that FIV cats can live long lives - typically into their teens and beyond - and their lives are usually pretty normal. The FIV cat owner should keep the cat inside (away from fights), get prompt veterinary care for any wounds or infections, and provide good sources of nutrition (avoiding raw food that might contain harmful bacteria).
An FIV+ cat can live with other cats without infecting them
The previous conventional wisdom was that an FIV cat should be your only cat or be isolated from other cats. But as more and more data about cat-to-cat transmission is gathered, it's becoming clear that FIV does not often spread during normal friendly cat contact. Therefore, a mixed (FIV+/-) multiple cat household should present no problem as long as they get along. And you can’t transmit FIV by petting the cats. FIV is a fragile virus and cannot survive outside the body, in the carpet, etc. It is readily inactivated by soaps, disinfectants, heat and drying.
Treatment options
Although any secondary infections should be treated promptly, there is no treatment for the FIV itself. A healthy cat could be given a vaccine for FIV – but it is not widely recommended because of limited efficacy and because the antibodies produced by the vaccine will make a healthy cat appear to test positive for FIV in the future.
