Madelein would like some more information on cat aids, otherwise known as FIV.

Question

Hi,
I recently had to put my cat to sleep after it was diagnosed with cat aids. I was not familiar with it and came as a complete shock. The cat was adopted from a shelter and must have picked it up from there. Is there any symptoms that I can look out for in future when I decide to adopt another cat? What is the prognosis on cat aids and how does it work?
Kind regards
Madelein

Hi Madelein
So sorry to hear about your loss.
“Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), or cat aids, 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.

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.

Symptoms may vary, but the most common appear to be severe gingivitis (gum disease); frequent and recurring skin infections; weight loss; fatigue, and frequent and/or recurring infections of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, and uro-genital tract.

The FIV blood test only takes about 10 minutes to run at a Vet and there is really no other way to diagnose it.”
Kind regards
Glynne