caring for a cat with FIV

[frog67]

I need some help. I am considering (seriously considering) adopting a cat who is FIV positive. Can anyone give me useful advice and tips about how to care for a cat with the disease? I know many people refuse to adopt a cat with this, but it's not his fault and I want to give him a good home and take the best possible care of him. Does anyone here have a cat with FIV? Please help. I do have experience with cats, as I lived with my sister's cats for years. I just want to do right and make sure the risks of the disease are kept to a minimum so he can live the longest, happiest life possible.

[kpickell]

I fostered two cats that were FIV positive for a little over two years until they got adopted (together to the same home!). My own cat is FIV-negative so I had to keep them seperated--when the Negative cat had run of the house the Positive cats had to stay in their bedroom and vice versa. Although there were a few occassions when a door wouldn't latch all the way and I'd come home to find all three cats out together. However, my cat is still FIV-negative, as FIV is almost-only transmitted via bite wounds--where an infected cat's saliva enters the bloodstream of a negative cat and my FIV cats were very friendly so risk of cross-infection was slim to none..

If you don't have any other cats, I think it would be very awesome if you could adopt an FIV positive cat. They don't stand much chance of getting adopted in most shelters, so we always hope for a kind soul to come along that's willing to overlook their disease.

Basically cats can live long healthy lives with FIV. The disease eventually weakens their immune system so when they get a lot older they can be more immune to other illnesses. For this reason (and because you don't want to infect another cat) it's highly recommended that you keep any FIV positive cats indoors at all times. Other than that all that is really recommended is to get regular annual check-ups at a vet and make sure that are attentive to any illnesses they do come down with later in life. Whereas a normal 10-year old cat may be fine with a sneezy cold and some owners may just ignore it and wait for it to go away, with an old FIV cat you should probably get some medicine from the vet whenever it comes down with an ailment. Other than that, they're no different than any other cat. Mine were only 1 and 2 years old when I got them (so 3 and 4 when they were adopted) so they were very healthy and had no problems.

[janie]

I can't help, but it seems like kpick has a lot of great advice for you!

I just wanted to say that it's wonderful you are willing to bring in another life into your home that needs help. You are a very kind person for wanting to care for him. :)

I wish you luck if you decide to care for him, and keep us updated if you do!

[rabid_child]

There are some supplements that help boost immune systems in cats with FIV. L-Lysine helps with virus control. (It's also good for cats with herpes) You put a 250 mg tablet into the water bowl every day.

[Jessica Alana]

I dunno, but good for you!

Before I got my fosters, I was at the humane society spending time with the animals and this one cat was adorable and so so so sweet. They were waiting for her FeLV test to come back though. I told them I'd take her if she came back positive, since I knew nobody else would and they'd put her down. They told me to call back at 4:30. I went home and called at 4:30. They said she tested positive and they'd already put her down. :(

[Ayrlin]

My FIV boy gets a dose of interferon once a day and a suplament of L-Lysine once a day.
He will have rough patches now and then but he is in very advanced stages.
Most of the time he is just a normal happy kitty.
You just have to use some common sense when you have an FIV kitty, keep things clean and keep a close eye on your kitty.
If they look like they are feeling ill take them into the vet do not wait a few days to see if it clears up.

Most FIV kitties can live a long healthy life, if they bite or are tempermental though do not have them with other cats unless the other cats are FIV also

[meatless]

They told me to call back at 4:30. I went home and called at 4:30. They said she tested positive and they'd already put her down. :(

oh that's so terrible. :-/ Why the hell did they do that.

[frog67]

I dunno, but good for you!

Before I got my fosters, I was at the humane society spending time with the animals and this one cat was adorable and so so so sweet. They were waiting for her FeLV test to come back though. I told them I'd take her if she came back positive, since I knew nobody else would and they'd put her down. They told me to call back at 4:30. I went home and called at 4:30. They said she tested positive and they'd already put her down. :(

I'm sorry. I know that must have hurt.

[catswym]

i have an FIV+ kitty.

i have to give him 250mg of lysine per day, but that is it right now. he's only 5-6 years old (found on the street so they don't know exactly) and does fine with that.

other than that, he is very active, playful and loving.

so, i would say do it.

[PetSounds]

I agree.... These cats are often not adopted and if he/she is your only cat you can give him/her SO MUCH LOVE.... :smitten: I suggest just getting all the information you can.... and then go ahead and adopt the loving little kitty. :)

[frog67]

good news, everything's ok with my landlord, and I can go ahead and adopt him.

but first, I have to visit him and make sure he likes me. I'm a little nervous. What if he doesn't like me? I know I'm being silly, but ...I just feel so many emotions right now.

thank you for all this good advice. I'll be checking back here often. :yes:

[Flurry]

I volunteer at a shelter and whenever we get a FIV/FLV infected cat, they are immediately put down.

In our case, it's probably for the better. Back when we were full, we had four FL cases turn up, one of the cats was in a room with eight others, and the other was in with four. Luckily, none of the other cats became ill, but the those two that got put down were real sweethearts.

[Ayrlin]

Oh I forgot to mention FIV kitties tend to get mouth sores at a much higher rate than other kitties, it is important to keep an eye on thier teeth and gums and tounge.

[Jessica Alana]

I volunteer at a shelter and whenever we get a FIV/FLV infected cat, they are immediately put down.

In our case, it's probably for the better. Back when we were full, we had four FL cases turn up, one of the cats was in a room with eight others, and the other was in with four. Luckily, none of the other cats became ill, but the those two that got put down were real sweethearts.

Yeah, but when someone tells you beforehand that if she's positive, they'll take her..it seems they would keep that in mind.

I guess it all worked out for the best. If I'd gotten her, I wouldn't have gotten my foster mama cat and her 6 kittens, and now i've kept 3 of them, so instead of being a home for ONE FeLV cat, I'm a home to 3 cats.

[Flurry]

Yeah, but when someone tells you beforehand that if she's positive, they'll take her..it seems they would keep that in mind.

Nobody gets to see the new cats. Stray cats go into the recieving room for fourteen days while previously owned cats and mothers go into isolation. There they get tested and/or vaccinated.


But on another note, he'll like you :yes: I wish your kitty a long happy and healthy life.

[Jessica Alana]

Nobody gets to see the new cats. Stray cats go into the recieving room for fourteen days while previously owned cats and mothers go into isolation. There they get tested and/or vaccinated.


But on another note, he'll like you :yes: I wish your kitty a long happy and healthy life.


Ah, not at the humane society. At least not the one I volunteered/worked at. The cats are on the floor, and instead of having their page of info, it says something like "Awaiting test results. See front desk." That's how I got to play with her and be with her.

[frog67]

Ah, not at the humane society. At least not the one I volunteered/worked at. The cats are on the floor, and instead of having their page of info, it says something like "Awaiting test results. See front desk." That's how I got to play with her and be with her.


I visited him two days ago, and he was the sweetest cat, purring and rubbing his head against me, lol. He can't get enough petting. I don't want them to think I've changed my mind, so I have to arrange a time within the next two days to go and bring him home with me. :D

yay!! :vebo: :vebo:

[kpickell]

Congratulations. :smitten:

[Jessica Alana]

Yay!!

[Flurry]

Ah, not at the humane society. At least not the one I volunteered/worked at. The cats are on the floor, and instead of having their page of info, it says something like "Awaiting test results. See front desk." That's how I got to play with her and be with her.

I wish they did something like that here. We just started using saliva tests for feluc, which give pretty much instant results.

frog67, please let us know how he makes out when you get him home!

[Jessica Alana]

I wish they did something like that here. We just started using saliva tests for feluc, which give pretty much instant results.

frog67, please let us know how he makes out when you get him home!


Not I. That's how people are falling in love with animals that they can't have because as soon as that positive result comes back the animal's going to be put down. :brood:

[Flurry]

Not I. That's how people are falling in love with animals that they can't have because as soon as that positive result comes back the animal's going to be put down. :brood:

Not here. Nobody sees the cats when they are brought in, unless there happens to be lookers in the main part of the shelter when the cats are brought in. Cats go immediately into recieving. Employees are only allowed in recieving. I'm a volunteer and I'm not even allowed in recieving. While in recieving, the tests are conducted and if any animals need to be put down, they are. They stay in recieving for 14 days and if there is no sign of illness, they are brought out to be adopted.

When we first started using the saliva tests, all of the cats recieved it. The ones who tested positive, their tests were sent to the vet for clarification. The four cats that tested positive that time were out for adoption. Two of them were in rooms with other cats. All of them got put down, and the cats that were exposed were tested later on. Thank goodness none of the other cats picked it up. Although they were out to be adopted, none of them were held for anybody. This was also back when the shelter was full. I think between recieving, isolation and the adoption area, we had 70 odd cats.

Then again, that's just the way things work around here. This isn't the SPCA or the Humane Society. It's a low kill shelter.

We had one exception. Someone happened to take a glance inside recieving and saw Samson, a VERY lovable orange and white cat. They inquired about him... after his period in recieving, after he passed his tests and had his needles, they put him out on the floor and held it for that person. He's in a good home now.