FIV — Kitty “Aids”
At CFC, we typically house between 15-20 FIV+ cats at any given time; AND have a very long waiting list of cats with FIV in need of a space. If you are considering adding a cat to your family, please don't let the fear of FIV dissuade you from selecting a cat testing positive for FIV. It is not an immediate death sentence and cats can live many years symptom-free. Providing a low-stress indoor living environment, healthy diet, and regular veterinary checkups are key to keeping your FIV+ cat (or any cat for that matter) in good health!
What Is FIV?
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is a retrovirus, in the same family as HIV. Retroviruses such as FIV tend to be species specific and not transmittable from a cat to a human or cat to a dog, for example. Both FIV and HIV are lentiviruses which progress slowly but result in life-long infection. Researchers have found that FIV virus has been in existence for many years (the Cornell Feline Center found that stored feline serum dating back to 1958 has been tested and found to be positive for FIV). However, it was first identified in 1986 by Janet Yamamoto, PhD, a professor of pathobiology at the University of Florida in Gainesville together with Niels Pederson, DVM, PhD, of the University of California at Davis.
Early signs of FIV are typically mild and transient — in fact, you may not even realize an FIV positive cat is sick. They may run a brief fever or not eat for a couple of days or, in general, feel blah. Then the cats become free of signs. A basic blood test can be done by a veterinarian to determine if a cat is positive. Accuracy is very good with cats and kittens over 12 weeks of age. Although rare, FIV can be transmitted from an infected mother to her kittens during gestation or by the newborns drinking her infected milk or by blood transfusion. Kittens may carry antibodies from their mother without actually having the virus — so any kittens testing positive should be retested once they are more than 3-4 months old.
FIV is not easily spread to other cats and is much less communicable than another retrovirus — feline leukemia virus. If you have an indoor cat that has tested negative for FIV, he or she has virtually no chance of becoming FIV positive. However, if your cat roams out-of-doors, there is a good chance he or she will be involved in a cat fight and be bitten by a cat that is infected. The major mode of transmission is through blood or cells in saliva, mainly via cat-to-cat bites.
In July 2002 a vaccine to protect cats from developing this disease became available. Not all veterinarians are in favor of giving this vaccine — except to cats at high risk — because the vaccine will result in a positive test for the virus. This would mean that a cat may appear to have the disease but in reality, is not infected. Cats at high risk are those who roam out-of-doors regularly and are at risk of fighting with an infected cat. Research continues and it is hoped that a test will be developed that may eventually provide clear indication whether or not a cat has FIV.
FIV positive cats make wonderful companions — for humans and for other felines. In our experience, a positive cat can safely live with a healthy cat, IF they are compatible personalities. For over 10 years CFC has been in a position of having both FIV+ and healthy cats living together. On a regular basis we spot test the negative cats for FIV and we always re-test a cat that suddenly becomes ill. We have NEVER had a negative cat test positive in a re-check situation. The key is introducing an FIV+ cat into a home with one or more other cats in the proper way. If you are considering adopting an FIV+ cat, we would be happy to talk with you about a procedure for introducing a new cat to an existing cat companion.
Please take a moment to view the photos of our FIV+ cats — we are proud of these handsome purring machines and know they will make loving companions for years to come. Also, take a moment to read “One Adopter's Story” written by Gail Maas. Gail & her husband Dan are the proud parents of two FIV+ cats — one of which was adopted from CFC.
Reference: Catnip, A Magazine for Caring Cat Owners; Tufts University School Of Veterinary Medicine; October 2003.
[Note: CFC subscribes to this monthly publication and if you are interested in a timely and well-written newsletter covering all aspects of feline health and behavior, we would recommend that you subscribe. The editorial office is in Greenwich, CT (Belvoir Publications) and their e-mail address is: CatnipLetters@hotmail.com.]
One Adopter's story with FIV
by Gail Maas
It was sometime in late October of 1999 when I had a message from my buddy, Alec, about a stray cat living in front of a friend's condominium. My boyfriend Dan (he's now my husband) and I drove out to meet the creature. When we arrived at the condominium, our soon-to-be new friend was perched happily on the friend's back porch.
We decided to take him home. After the drive, we brought our new acquaintance up to my apartment and did the first thing that came to mind. Dan and I put the poor creature in the bathtub and began to give the little guy a bath. It was awful. I don't know who hated it more Ð us or the cat! In a spray of suds, water and definitely blood (ours!) the cat bolted from the tub and into the living room! I caught the cat up in my arms and tried to soothe him. We put him back into the tub again and closed the door before rinsing him off.
I gathered him into my arms with a beach towel and began talking softly to him. He didn't fight or scratch but sat and allowed me to cuddle him inside the warm towel. I laid down on the sofa and closed my eyes. I don't remember falling asleep, but I do remember waking up with my new friend curled up beside me. A few minutes later I went to the cupboard to find something for dinner and, during my search, came upon a can of garbanzo beans. Years ago, my parents and sisters adopted a tabby cat from the pound and “Garbanzo” was one of the names they considered for him. “Chester” eventually won out for the tabby and I thought I could safely take the runner-up now, nearly twelve years later.
An appointment was made that week with a veterinarian who performed a complete exam. Aside from a few ear mites, he seemed perfectly healthy and was estimated at being between eight months to a year old.
Later in the week, I received a voice mail message from the veterinarian who asked me to call him as soon as I could. Garbanzo had tested positive for FIV. I had never heard of that and asked him to explain. He said it was the feline equivalent of HIV.
AIDS? The vet explained that about 40 percent of the stray cat population carries it and it is not uncommon. “What do I do?” I asked. He said to keep him inside and to be sure he was an “only” cat. Other than that, he said to feed him high quality cat food and fresh water and to just enjoy him. I didn't do well with the diagnosis initially, but my dear friend Alec, who has the most wonderful sense of humor, taught me to lighten up about it. “Just tell anyone who asks that 'Bonzo had a brief tryst with a shady gal named Mittens on the streets while he was a stray.”
Garbanzo and I moved in with Dan in June of 2000 and we noticed the cat was showing signs of boredom: he was grooming himself too much. One of his legs began to look like it had been shaved! We asked the vet for his advice and he said that Garbanzo was probably a bit lonely as both Dan and I worked full time. I reasoned, “He's not supposed to be around other cats for fear of spreading the FIV, but what if a companion cat also had FIV?” Not a problem, we were told.
“Herbie” arrived two weeks into June of 2000 from an organization known as ASAP (Alliance for Stray Animals and People. Herbie took to me immediately and initiated “cheek to cheek” caresses. I wish I could say Garbanzo was as fond of him as I was. It was a long three weeks before we could leave them alone together without the screaming and tumbleweeds of fur.
'Bonzo and Herbie learned to tolerate one another and I think they eventually became friends. They lived for two years in “tolerance” if not friendship. Sadly, though, in July of 2002 Herbie left us due to a massive urinary blockage that we could not reverse. It had nothing to do with his FIV.
It was during that difficult time that I discovered Caring for Creatures. I found Tommy on their website under the “Special Dogs and Cats” heading. When we saw him in the cattery with the other cats we were struck by how affectionate he was with them. When Dan picked him up to place him in the carrier, one of the other cats viciously attacked Dan's leg! We asked the staff member, Deborah, if we were doing the right thing in adopting him Ð he was clearly an established member of the cattery! She assured us he'd be happy with us. Tommy's trip home was long, but it only took him a day to become used to his surroundings, his new feline buddy, and his new people.
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| Tommy & Garbanzo |
Tommy is a beautiful 6-year-old orange tabby with the most loving personality Ð and Garbanzo is as fond of him as we are. Dan and I often find them cuddling together on the sofa. Tommy particularly likes to snuggle with me on the bed and has adopted a special spot on our papasan chair for himself. He is also FIV positive though he is showing no symptoms save for an occasional respiratory wheeze that seems to have more to do with hairballs, our vet thinks, than anything else.
We don't even think about the cats' disease nine days out of ten, they're so normal. We take Garbanzo and Tommy for checkups every six months or so and they are about to have dental cleanings, which our vet believes is particularly important in terms of preventing unnecessary infection through their gums.
I guess my message to you is this: Don't be afraid of FIV. If you get this diagnosis for your cat, realize that it is NOT necessarily a death sentence. S/he has PLENTY of healthy life to live!
God Bless!
— Gail Maas