How is fiv spread

Ideally, cats in a rehoming facility should be housed separately and, if not, then kept in the smallest groups possible. Neutering all cats before rehoming will help in reducing transmission of FIV. Boarding catteries should be properly constructed and managed so that cats from different households can never come into contact with each other, or use common exercise areas. In this situation there is no risk to other cats, and no reason not to board an FIV-positive cat.

The prognosis for FIV-infected cats is guarded, but depends on the stage of disease. If FIV is diagnosed early, there may be a long period during which the cat is free of clinical signs related to FIV, and not all infected cats go on to develop an immunodeficiency syndrome.

Infection is almost invariably permanent, but many infected cats can be maintained with a good quality of life for extended periods. All our advice is freely accessible to everyone, wherever you are in the world. However, as a charity, we need your support to enable us to keep delivering high quality and up to date information for everyone. Please consider making a contribution, big or small, to keep our content free, accurate and relevant. Your purchase directly supports the leading global cat welfare charity, International Cat Care.

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Our Other Sites Close. Our Other Sites. What is FIV and how is it spread? How does FIV cause disease? How common is FIV infection? What are the clinical signs of an FIV infection? Some of the most common signs seen in FIV infected cats are: Weight loss Recurrent fever Lethargy Enlarged lymph nodes Gingivitis and stomatitis inflammation of the gums and mouth Chronic or recurrent respiratory, ocular and intestinal disease Chronic skin disease Neurological disease in some cats the virus can affect the brain Other disease may also develop such as neoplasia eg, lymphoma and other infectious agents may be more problematic in FIV infected cats such as toxoplasmosis, haemoplasma infections, feline infectious peritonitis, etc.

How is FIV diagnosed? Yes, as long as the cats get along and do not fight aggressively. The virus is delicate and easily killed by disinfectants, therefore simple precautions and routine cleaning procedures will prevent transmission of the virus in normal household environment. FIV-positive and FIV-negative cats can live happily together, grooming each other and sharing food bowls and litter trays.

Cats are far more at risk of being bitten by an unknown feral or stray FIV-positive cat than by a friendly, neutered, FIV-positive cat living as part of the family.

This is a decision to be taken on a case by case basis, depending on the natures of the cats involved. Since most FIV positive cats are used to going outdoors, it would affect adversely their quality of life and increase stress if they were to be denied access outdoors.

Keeping your cat indoors is helpful as it reduces the likelihood of your cat picking up infections from other cats as well as reducing the spread of the virus from your cat to other cats.

What can I do to help my FIV cat? FIV does not survive well outside the body; it is mostly transmitted through bite wounds and blood transfusions, or is passed to kittens during birth. It is also spread through breeding, so cats that are spayed or neutered have a much lower chance of contracting the disease. Zoran highly recommends that cats with FIV become indoor-only cats, both for their own safety and to reduce the risk of transmission to other cats.

Pet insurance companies should be informed if your cat is infected with FIV - just as with any other pre-existing conditions. Each insurer offers different terms and conditions but many do not provide payouts for pre-existing conditions or illnesses.

Be sure to fully discuss FIV with any potential insurers. Contact your vet promptly if you have any concerns that your cat has caught an infection, or shows any other signs of ill health. Visit your vet for an annual check-up and keep up to date with vaccinations.

Make sure that you provide regular preventative healthcare, such as anti-parasite treatments, as recommended by your vet. FIV cats can enjoy a happy life and can make wonderful companions. However, we'll only rehome FIV cats whom we believe can be happy as indoor-only cats.

To prevent the disease from spreading, the FIV cat must be the only cat in the household, so if you would like to have a one cat home, a FIV cat might suit you.