What causes FIV in cats?

How long does it take for a cat to show symptoms of FIV?

Cats who are infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) may not show symptoms until years after the initial infection occurred. Although the virus is slow-acting, a cat’s immune system is severely weakened once the disease takes hold.

How is FIV spread?

The most frequent way FIV is spread is through a bite from another cat, when the virus in the saliva of an infected cat is introduced directly into the blood of the cat it bites. For this reason, male cats that fight often are most likely to be infected.

What does it mean if a cat is FIV-positive?

If you have ever been to an animal shelter or rescue, you have probably seen an adoptable cat labeled as FIV-positive. These cats are typically isolated from the other cats and need to go to homes with other FIV-positive cats or with no other cats. So, what does FIV mean? And what does it mean for a cat to FIV-positive?

When to take your cat to the vet for FIV testing?

Any number of these symptoms should add up to taking your cat to the vet for testing. The only way to diagnose FIV is through a blood test that looks for specific antibodies to the virus. they show up anywhere between two to weeks after exposure to FIV.

What to do if your cat tests positive for FIV?

What to Expect at the Vet’s Office Confirmatory testing should be run on every apparently healthy cat that tests positive for FIV. A Western Blot test is a good confirmatory test unless the cat has been vaccinated against FIV, in which case a Polymerase Chain Reaction test is a better choice.

What are the risks of contact with FIV-positive cats?

Thus there is no risk of infection for people in contact with FIV-positive cats. Cats are most commonly infected with FIV through bite wounds. Once infected, a cat will remain infected with the virus for life, and after a period that may last several years, the virus may damage the cat’s immune response and lead to signs of disease.

How old do cats have to be to get FIV?

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Infection (FIV) in Cats. There is no genetic susceptibility for infection, although genetics may play a role in the progression and severity of the disease. The average age is five years at the time of diagnosis, and the likelihood of infection increases with age.

Is it possible to measure a kitten for FIV?

That statistic applies to adult cats; errors in measuring kittens is far higher. One final problem is that cats who were inoculated against the virus — upon Vet advice that was valid 10 years ago — now produces the identical test result: a positive for FIV antibodies.

What is the life expectancy of a cat infected with FIV?

Although the life expectancy of a given cat infected with FIV is highly variable and is impossible to predict, they can live normal lives for years if managed appropriately. Many succumb at an older age from causes unrelated to their FIV infection.

Is it worth adopting a FIV positive cat?

Adopting a FIV positive cat can be really rewarding. Although no-one can predict the future, many FIV cats can potentially live long, healthy and full lives, just like a non-infected cat, and have all the usual needs such as a nutritious diet, mental stimulation and plenty of love!

What does FIV positive mean?

What does FIV positive mean? An aggressive and potentially life threatening virus, feline immunodeficiency virus is a relatively recent feline discovery. It was first isolated in the mid-1980s in a community of feral cats, but it has since been transferred to domestic cats.

How long does it take for a cat to test positive for FIV?

Adult cats can test positive for FIV as early as two to four weeks after they’ve been exposed to the virus. To diagnose FIV, a cat’s blood is examined for antibodies, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot, immunofluorescence assay (IFA), or buccal swab.

What does it mean if a cat has FIV?

Being FIV-positive means that the cat has antibodies that have been exposed to the virus, although it can take years, if ever, before the cat develops any FIV infection and clinical signs referred to as Feline AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome of Cats). If a cat has FIV, it does not necessarily have Feline AIDS.

How long does it take for a cat to test positive for FeLV?

It can take 30 days or more after initial exposure for infected cats to test positive for FeLV and up to 60 days for cats infected with FIV. Cats can also test positive for FeLV at first but end up fighting off the virus, which means they become FeLV-free and will test negative later.

What can I do to protect my cat from FIV?

Prevention is the key to avoiding FIV infection. So, even though the FIV vaccine is no longer on the market, there are several steps that you can take to safeguard your cat against the disease. Spaying and neutering is recommended for all cats. This will help reduce fighting behavior and, therefore, the risk of infection.

Is FIV a deadly virus?

FIV is not a deadly virus. FIV is not Feline AIDS. (See Myth #2). Over and over we shall see this: Most cats with so-called “Advanced cases of FIV” are indistinguishable from cats with normal aging symptoms.

How does FIV affect cats?

The ongoing damage of FIV in cats eventually leads to a weakening of the immune system. Once that happens, cats with FIV can become vulnerable to secondary infections. People often think that FIV and the feline leukemia virus are the same illnesses because they can cause similar symptoms in cats.

What is the life expectancy of a cat with FIV?

Cats who are infected with FIV may not show symptoms for several years and often have a normal life expectancy. However, they are prone to developing secondary infections and even certain types of cancer, especially during the advanced stages of the disease.

How common is FIV in male cats?

Once a cat is infected, then infection is permanent. Just as in human HIV infection, carriers of FIV may show no symptoms of the disease for years. Between two to five per cent of the UK cat population is thought to be infected, but there is a lot of regional and local variation. Un-neutered male cats are more at risk.

Is it normal for a cat with FIV to lose weight?

But often, cats infected with FIV appear completely normal. Months or years later, as infection progresses, the cat may develop fever, lethargy, poor appetite and weight loss. Any recurrent illnesses may suggest that the cat has FIV – or another virus, such as FeLV .

Can you adopt a cat with FIV positive mother?

FIV-positive cats should only be homed to households with no other cats, or with only other FIV-positive cats. Kittens with FIV-positive mothers may give positive test results because of antibodies from their mother’s milk.

How accurate are FIV tests for cats?

Antibodies against FIV are produced by the cat’s immune system during infection, and the test works on the principle that cats cannot eliminate the virus so if antibodies are present in the blood then the virus will also be present. These tests are generally highly reliable, but no test is 100% accurate.

Should I euthanize my cat with FIV positive?

FIV-positive cats can live a long time without suffering any related illness. That’s why many veterinarians, including the feline medicine experts at the American Association of Feline Practitioners ( AAFP ), suggest owners never opt for euthanasia based on a positive test alone. These kitties do, however, require some special considerations.

Can I live with an FIV-positive cat?

If your cats do not fight with each other, they can live in perfect safety with an FIV-positive kitty. This is strictly a cat strain; neither humans, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, or other pets can become infected. The “F” in FIV stands for “Feline.”

Can a kitten test positive for FIV without the virus?

The test does not detect the actual virus; only the antibodies against it. Kittens may show false positives because of antibodies gained from the mother cat through nursing ( if the mother cat had an actual active FIV virus )