FIV is transmitted between cats by either a deep penetrating bite wounds and sexual contact.
FIV cannot be transmitted to humans or dogs
.
How long does it take for FIV to show up?
It takes the body
between 2 and 6 months
to develop enough antibodies against FIV to be detected, so if a cat had been infected very recently, it may test negative for FIV even though it is truly infected.
How long can a cat with FIV live?
Cats infected with FIV may live for
months or years
. On average, life expectancy is 5 years from the time of diagnosis depending on how active the infection is. There is a FIV vaccination given twice initially, then yearly thereafter for outside cats or cats exposed to outside cats due to the potential of cat bites.
How easily is FIV spread?
Transmitting FIV
The virus is
primarily transmitted through bite wounds, and it can also be spread through blood
. Although any feline is susceptible, un-neutered, outdoor males have the highest risk of being infected because of their propensity to fight. FIV is not usually transmitted through mating.
What are the symptoms of FIV?
- Poor coat condition.
- Fever that keeps coming back.
- Lack of appetite.
- Inflammation in the mouth and gums.
- Chronic or recurrent infections in the eyes, skin, upper respiratory tract, or bladder.
- Constant diarrhea.
Can FIV be spread through water bowls?
FIV typically does NOT spread through cats grooming each other, sharing food and water bowls
, or sharing a litter box.
What are the stages of FIV?
Cats infected with FIV often experience three stages of infection:
acute, subclinical and chronic
. In the early or acute stage, lasting 3 to 6 months, the virus is carried by the lymphatic pathways, where it spreads to other lymph nodes throughout the body, resulting in the enlargement of the lymph nodes.
Is FIV a death sentence?
Although it can be fatal if left untreated, a positive test for FIV is not a mandatory death sentence for your pet
. With a high-protein diet and aggressive treatment of secondary infections, an FIV-positive cat can lead a reasonably normal life for a number of years after diagnosis.
Is FIV curable?
Unfortunately,
there is no cure for FIV in cats
, but there are treatment options that can help your FIV-positive cat live a healthy life.
Can I take my FIV cat on walks?
However, they are carriers of the virus and so could potentially infect other cats. The best situation for an FIV cat is to come into a stable home, with no other cats, where it lives mainly or completely indoors, but
maybe has access to an outside exercise pen, or walks outside on a harness and lead
.
Do cats with FIV sleep more?
FIV-infected cats spent 50% more time awake than the sham-inoculated controls and
exhibited many more sleep/waking stage shifts
–i.e., 40% more than controls. In addition, FIV-infected cats showed approximately 30% of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep reduction compared to controls.
Can you have a cat with FIV and one without?
The virus is transmitted mainly through bite wounds such as when cats fight. It is possible, but less common, for an infected mother to pass the virus to her kittens before they are born or while they are nursing.
Cats with the virus can live a lifetime without developing FIV-related conditions
.
Is it expensive to have a cat with FIV?
Treatment for the feline immunodeficiency virus is quite expensive. According to estimates, the cost range from
$150 to $2,000 per treatment
.
Can fleas transmit FIV?
Dr. Levy finds
little evidence to support the notion that FIV can be transmitted by fleas
and other such blood-sucking parasites.
Should cats with FIV be vaccinated?
FIV is most commonly diagnosed in outdoor cats, and once a cat is diagnosed as FIV-positive, they remain infected for life. It seems logical that you would just need to get an FIV vaccine to protect your cat, but
the vaccine is no longer used
.
Can you tell if a cat has FIV?
FIV is diagnosed through blood tests that detect antibodies to the virus
. The most common screening test is called an ELISA test (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). A positive test result means that the cat has produced antibodies to the virus, and it is likely that it has been and still is infected by the virus.
How do you prevent FIV in cats?
- Have your cat spayed or neutered (to prevent spread of FIV).
- Keep your cat indoors.
- Test any new cats for FIV before you bring them into your household and allow them to interact with the cats already there.
Is FeLV and FIV the same?
Although they are both viruses that attack the immune system,
they are not the same
. FIV is commonly transmitted via blood and saliva e.g. bite wounds, whereas FeLV is commonly transmitted via body secretion exchanges e.g. mutual grooming, sharing of litter boxes, sharing of food and water bowls.
Why can’t FIV cats go outside?
There are two main reasons put forward for the policy: that
outside, an FIV cat would pick up infections from neighbouring cats; and that the FIV cat could spread the virus to the neighbouring cats
.
How common is FIV in stray cats?
Most feral cats enjoy excellent health and are no more likely to be infected with disease than house cats. In fact, house cats and feral cats contract FeLV and FIV at an equally low rate (
about 4%)
.
Is FIV a big deal?
First,
FIV is no big deal
, it’s simply a virus. Most FIV cats live long, healthy, happy lives when given loving homes. FIV cats will live as long as other cats and die of the same old-age diseases. It is primarily spread by deep, penetrating bite wounds, not though play bites or saliva.
What can I give my cat for FIV?
Zidovudine (AZT) and other antiviral medications
have been used to treat some cats suffering from the effects of FIV infection. These drugs can reduce a cat’s viral load, but the side effects of treatment may outweigh the benefits.
How does an indoor cat get FIV?
How do FIV cats get infected?
The virus passes from cat to cat in saliva, usually through biting in fights
. Un-neutered male cats are considerably more at risk of getting FIV because a single bite may be enough to infect a cat. And a cat can be infected by biting an FIV-infected cat.
