FAQs for owners

What is FIV?

FIV is a virus called feline immunodeficiency virus, which is similar to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). FIV only infects cats, so there is no chance of cross infection in humans. However, potentially immunosuppressed human patients, e.g. transplant recipients, should not have contact with FIV-infected cats because of the potential for shared opportunistic infections.

Does my FIV positive cat have AIDS?

Feline AIDS is the terminal stage associated with FIV. Feline AIDS does not occur in all cats and it is not known when or why some cats develop AIDS while others do not.

How did my cat get FIV?

FIV is primarily transmitted via biting, therefore cats that roam freely outdoors and become involved in fights cats are at the highest risk of infection. Kittens can also become infected from their FIV positive mother, but quite often not all kittens from the same litter will become infected.

What is the prognosis for my FIV positive cat?

At the moment it is not possible to predict how long an FIV positive cat will live. Cats can remain in the ‘asymptomatic’ stage of infection, showing no clinical signs of disease, for many years. Other cats may develop AIDS earlier in life and have many secondary health problems. Part of the FIV Prognosis Project is to find a way to help predict an FIV positive cat’s potential lifespan.

How prevalent is FIV in the UK?

FIV is endemic in the cat population worldwide, although the prevalence varies from region to region. One estimate is that approximately 6% of UK cats are FIV positive; that’s half a million cats! Urban areas with a higher population of feral, entire male cats have a higher FIV prevalence compared to lesser populated rural areas.

What disease does FIV cause?

FIV destroys the cat’s immune system by destroying the immune cells which help them combat infections. The diseases associated with FIV are related to their failing immune system. Some common clinical signs include:

• Gingivitis/stomatitis (inflammation of the gums and mouth)
• Weight loss
• Fever
• Poor appetite
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Vomiting and diarrhoea
• Chronic or recurrent infections

These are very non-specific signs, similar to those observed in many other diseases.

How is FIV treated?

Once infected, your cat will remain infected with FIV for life. At the moment, there is no specific treatment for the FIV virus. Treatment is therefore based on the prompt treatment of any secondary infections that arise throughout their life. Experiments with expensive anti-viral drugs have shown limited success.

I have other cats; can they get it from my FIV positive cat?

Yes, it is possible, especially if the cat is inclined to fight. All other cats in the household should be tested for FIV as well. The risk of transmission is low in stable households where cats do not fight each another. The virus does not survive long outside the host, so other cats are not likely to pick up the virus from the environment. However, it is advisable to feed FIV positive cats separately, as saliva can contain high viral loads.

Can my FIV positive cat still go outside?

Since most FIV positive cats are used to going outdoors, we consider it would affect adversely their quality of life and increase stress if they were to be denied access outdoors, especially urban areas where the prevalence of FIV infection is high. However, in lesser populated rural areas where the prevalence of FIV infection is low, a free-roaming FIV-infected cat may lead to the spread of FIV locally. Owners may choose to enclose their gardens, or construct interesting, stimulating cat exercise runs, providing limited access to the outdoors in such cases.

Is there a vaccine for FIV?

There is no vaccine for FIV approved in Europe at the moment. The FIV vaccine that is available outside Europe is not recommended, given the lack of evidence of efficacy against European isolates.

Should my FIV positive cat get his yearly booster injections?

In the majority of cases, yes. Although FIV-infected cats have a depressed immune system, they appear to be able to mount a good response to certain vaccines. Consult your veterinarian, who will assess your cat’s condition and decide if booster injections will be beneficial.

Should my cat be euthanased?

If they are otherwise healthy, absolutely not! Euthanasia is usually only necessary if the cats are in the terminal stage of the disease with severe clinical signs that are not responding to treatment. There is a period of time after infection where a cat will appear perfectly healthy with no clinical signs. This period can last for many years during which they can lead normal, happy lives.

How do I care for my FIV positive cat?

By providing your cat with a high standard of care- low stress, high quality diet, veterinary check-ups every 6 months with a full routine physical examination, regular de-worming and flea treatment, as well as preventative dental care. It is very important to react quickly to any illnesses that do arise, so that prompt and aggressive treatment for any secondary infections can be administered.

What is involved in participating in the project ?

Participation in the project is not expected to be onerous to either owners of FIV- infected cats or their veterinarians. The veterinarian will be contacted by project personnel upon registration to arrange for the collection of blood samples. Detailed guidelines from The European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD) are available at http://www.abcd-vets.org and advise that FIV-infected cats are examined at 6 monthly intervals so that complete blood counts and biochemistry profiles may be assessed.
This information will allow prompt and accurate identification of secondary illness, essential for veterinarians to successfully treat FIV infected cats. Samples from cats participating in the FIV Prognosis Project will be analysed using these guidelines and left-over blood samples will undergo further molecular analyses.

What will happen to the blood samples?

We will request follow-up samples from FIV-seropositive cats at approximately 6 monthly intervals. We will need 1-2ml of blood collected in heparin and a similar volume collected into EDTA. Samples from cats participating in this study will be analysed for haematology and basic biochemistry free of charge. Left-over blood samples will undergo further molecular analyses in the Retrovirus Research Laboratory. We will measure virus neutralising antibody (VNA) titres against a range of isolates with the aim of determining whether cats with high levels of VNA are less likely to show progression to the secondary stage of infection compared to cats with no, or only low, levels of VNA .