October
As we begin to take in more kitties here at the new shelter, the staff has decided to designate a room just for FIV cats. FIV is something near and dear to my heart since I have been living with the disease for some years now.
I've noticed that it is common for people to think that a cat who is diagnosed FIV positive cannot live a long and healthy life. Also, people commonly think that if they adopt an FIV cat, they will be stuck paying enormous veterinarian bills.
Now that we have a designated FIV room here at the shelter, I figured it was time to let people know exactly what FIV is. As a 13 year old survivor who doesn't need any medication to treat FIV, I am the example of what life with FIV is like. I am just as healthy as any of these other young kitties, and I still have a lot of life ahead of me.
The only real issue with FIV occurs if the FIV cat is aggresive, since the disease can be transmitted through cat bites. But, if the cat isn't aggressive, then the spread of the disease is highly unlikely.
All of the FIV cats in this shelter are adoptable, so it is important to know the risks behind the disease--but it is also important to know that the disease does not handicap the kitty for life.
Here is a little more general information about FIV.
Overview
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) causes an infectious disease in domestic cats and cheetahs similar to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection) in humans. It attacks and weakens the body's immune system, making the animal susceptible to infections and diseases that don't affect healthy cats. There is neither a cure nor a vaccine for FIV. Though eventually fatal, an FIV-positive cat can live for many years without any signs of illness.
Prevalence
FIV occurs worldwide and its prevalence varies geographically. About 1.5% to 3% of cats in the United States are infected with FIV. About 5% of FIV-positive cats also have feline leukemia virus (FeLV).
Risk factors for FIV include:
age,
gender,
illness, and
time spent outdoors.
Older cats are more likely to be infected. The average age of cats with FIV is 5 years at the time of diagnosis.
Aggressive male cats that roam and fight with other cats are more likely to be infected than females and nonaggressive males.
Sick cats are much more likely to have FIV. In the United States, about 15% of all cats that show clinical signs of another disease are also infected with FIV.
Free-roaming cats are more likely to be infected than indoor cats.
Transmission
FIV is transmitted primarily through deep, penetrating bite wounds. A mother cat may transmit the virus to her newborn kittens during gestation, passage through the birth canal, or nursing. FIV can also be transmitted through the transfusion of contaminated blood.
FIV affects only felines. Some of the pathogens (i.e., bacteria, parasites) that cause opportunistic infections in FIV-positive cats may be transmitted from animals to humans and could cause illness in people with compromised immune systems.
