FIV (Feline immunodeficiency virus)

For reference; FIV+ is a cat who has the virus.

FIV- is a cat who does not have the virus.

What is FIV and how do cats get it?

FIV affects the cat’s immune system and with that, after several years of having the virus, they will likely be at an increased risk of cancers, gum problems and other conditions associated with a lower immune system. That does not mean to say that all cats will be greatly affected by the virus and have these problems in later life, because many cats will live long and healthy lives and providing they are looked after well, they can often live as long as a cat who does not have FIV.

There is no cure for FIV and no vaccination.

FIV cannot be passed onto any other animal or human. It is strictly a feline virus. It is only passed between cats by either mating, or fighting, in which deep wounds are created by the cats to each other. This is why the virus is common amongst cats that are not neutured. Male cats that are still intact will often fight over territory.

Of course if there’s an un-neutured Tom cat in the area with FIV who is attacking cats that are neutered, then they will be at risk of FIV as well.

Many domestic cats will have the virus for many years and the owners will not even know without a snap test or blood test conducted at the vets.

Looking after an FIV+ cat:

FIV+ cats can often live alongside FIV- cats.

Providing the cats are neutered and are not getting into serious fights with each other, there is little chance of spreading it. Grooming each other, sharing food/water bowls and even getting in play fighting and into small arguments with each other are not ways that the virus is spread.

Modern research has been undertaken on FIV+ cats and FIV- cats living amongst each other for years and has shown that when the cats are neutered the virus has not been transferred. You can read more about this ethical research that was undertaken on the website https://fivcats.com

The misinformation on FIV:

Many vets today still insist that FIV+ cats should be separated from FIV- cats. This is the old advice though from when little was known about the virus. There is nothing wrong with you having an FIV+ cat and FIV- cat living together. There is more chance of your FIV- cat getting the virus from a FIV+ cat in the local neighbourhood than from your FIV+ who lives with you.

Unfortunately many vets are not up to date with current information and research. Some vets and rescues will even euthanise an FIV+ cat. There is absolutely no need to do this in any circumstance, unless the cat is suffering in pain from an untreatable condition, the same for an FIV- cat.

There is also a virus called FeVL (Feline Leukaemia Virus).

It is not very common though, unlike FIV.

FeVL can be spread the same way as FIV but it can also be spread more easily by sharing litter trays, grooming other cats and sharing food and water bowls. However, that does not mean to say every cat who lives alongside an FeVL+ cat will get it as some cat’s immune systems can fight the virus off continually. But often this is not the case.

There is no cure for this virus but there is a yearly vaccine that can be given to prevent a cat from catching it from an FeVL+ cat.

The virus is more serious than FIV, but cats can still often live several to many healthy years with it before the virus causes cancer.

It is important to not get FIV and FeVL confused, as many people do.

If a cat tests positive for this virus on the snap test, it can give false positives so it is then advisable to get a ELISA and qPCR test done on a blood sample at an external lab which the vet will use. But even then if the cat tests positive it is best to still have the same test done 6 weeks later to confirm if the cat is FeVL. This is because if the FeVL- cat has been in contact with a FeVL+ cat recently, the FeVL- cat may have the viral antibodies. In other words, the cat’s immune system may have fought the virus off.

Unfortunately a lot of rescues will euthanise straight away a cat that has tested positive on the snap without further testing. This is just lazy and unethical.