Myth #5: FIV positive cats should stay indoors only. True!
The majority of cats that we diagnose with FIV are cats that have spent time outdoors and gotten infected from another outdoor cat
. It is very important that if your cat is infected that they no longer go outside, to prevent transmission to other cats.
Can FIV positive cats go outside?
Cats primarily pick up the virus through fighting via bite wounds or through mating behaviour. Cats Protection recommends that FIV-positive cats are kept indoors and
only allowed outside in an impenetrable garden or safe run
. They should not be allowed direct contact with FIV-negative cats.
How contagious is FIV to other cats?
Dr. Woyma explains, “Unlike HIV, it [FIV] is not typically spread through sexual contact and also
very rarely transmitted from a mother cat to her kittens
.” FIV is also rarely transmitted through casual contact, like sharing food bowls and litter boxes, social grooming, and sneezing.
How easily is FIV spread?
FIV is a lentivirus, which means it moves very slowly, and it gradually affects a cat's immune system. It is passed from cat to cat through blood transfusions and serious, penetrating bite wounds. FIV
cannot be transmitted to humans
.
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.
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.
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.
How do you treat a FIV positive cat?
Feed a nutritionally complete and balanced diet
. Avoid uncooked food, such as raw meat and eggs, and unpasteurized dairy products to minimize the risk of food-borne bacterial and parasitic infections. Monitor your cat's health and behavior very carefully – alert your veterinarian of any changes as soon as possible.
Do cats with FIV need medication?
If FIV symptoms start to show up, they treat any secondary illnesses that result from the virus. Treatments often recommended to help cats with FIV include:
Medications to help with any secondary infections
. Fluid and electrolyte replacement therapy.
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.
Why can't cats with FIV 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.
What does FIV positive mean in a cat?
An FIV-positive diagnosis means that
your cat has been infected by the virus
, but it may be years, if ever, before your cat develops the clinical signs referred to as feline AIDS.
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.
Should FIV positive cats 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
.
How long do indoor cats 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.
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.
Can a FIV positive cat live with FIV negative cats?
A FIV-positive cat can live with a FIV-negative cat as long as neither cat is a fighter, or the FIV-positive cat has no teeth
. (FIV-positive cats commonly have severe dental disease, which often means it is necessary to remove all their teeth.)
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.
Is it expensive to care for 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
.
