You wouldn’t know by looking at him but this handsome boy above called Wally is FIV positive.

– Photo by Rachael Daniels

On presentation as a stray cat Wally passed his physical examination and temperament assessment with flying colours. However he raised a few flags for us to do some blood tests. Due to no fault of his own Wally was an entire adult male who had obviously been living an outdoor lifestyle for at least some of his life. These risk factors increase the chance of Wally having contracted FIV from fighting with other similar cats. Unfortunately Wally’s test was positive. So what does this mean for Wally?

What is it?

FIV is a contagious viral infection that is very similar to the HIV infection in humans. The viruses are related and behave similarly however they only cause disease in their specific species. This means you cannot catch FIV from your cat.

How is it spread?

The virus is found in the saliva of infected cats and is primarily spread through bite wounds. The virus does not live for long outside the body so very close contact is required for spread.

Why do we rehome cats that are known to have a viral disease?

FIV infected cats can have a long period of normality, we are talking a number of years, commonly 5 years or more. They carry the virus for a period of time (known as a latent period) where it may have no effect at all. After this period of latency the virus will start to suppress a component of the immune system and can then cause AIDS, a syndrome of immunosuppression.

Signs that then may start to appear are related to the virus itself or due to secondary infections. Cats with AIDS are then less able to fight off these secondary infections.

What special care is required?

Unfortunately there is no specific treatment for FIV. However it is very important to try and stop the spread of the virus by:

  • Keeping FIV positive cats confined to indoors or a secure cat run
  • Desex all cats to help reduce roaming and fighting
  • House FIV positive cats in a stable household (ie a group of cats who are known to each other and who do not fight) or with other FIV positive cats

Specific care for the FIV positive individual

  • Ideally house with no other immunosuppressed individuals (including humans)
  • Prompt treatment of any illness or infection that may arise, sometimes longer treatment will be required
  • Keep parasite control up to date to reduce the load on the immune system
  • There are some antivirals that are available to help suppress the virus in some situations

Prevention?

There is a vaccine available for pet cats to protect against FIV. Speak to your veterinarian if this is of interest to you, keeping in mind only outdoor cats are at risk.