Cats with FIV
What should I know about adopting a cat with FIV?
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is a virus that affects cats. It weakens the immune system over time and can make it harder for a cat to fight off common infections. But cats who are FIV positive (FIV+) can live long and happy lives, just like cats without the virus!
FIV at is a virus that only occurs in cats — it cannot spread to humans or other species. It is only transmitted from cat to cat through a deep bite wound or exchange of blood. Cat fights that lead to deep bites are a common cause of infection.
Cats who are spayed or neutered are much less likely to engage in serious fighting, so the risk of infection is lower in altered cats. There’s no cure for FIV, but with proper veterinary care, FIV+ cats can have normal life expectancies — and lives filled with love.
When adopting a cat with FIV, we recommend that you:
- Make sure your cat is spayed or neutered (all cats adopted from San Diego Humane Society are altered prior to adoption).
- Because FIV+ cats have weakened immune systems, avoid feeding them raw diets due to the increased risk of food-borne disease.
- See your veterinarian regularly for preventive care and catch signs of illness early. Your veterinarian may want to perform lab tests annually to monitor your cat’s overall health.
Can an FIV+ cat live with other cats?
Yes, cats with FIV can live successfully with other cats! FIV does not spread between casual contact between an FIV+ cat and a non-infected cat, so they can be housed together as long as they are coexisting peacefully (and not fighting). FIV+ cats can also live with other FIV+ cats.
It is the responsibility of the adopter to choose whether to house an FIV+ cat and a non-infected cat together. When done properly, they can lead happy lives together, but there is always a chance that if they fight and a deep bite or exchange of blood occurs, the virus could be transmitted.
Little-known facts about FIV:
- Cats who have been vaccinated for FIV can falsely test positive for the disease. For this reason, many shelters and veterinarians don’t vaccinate for it.
- Kittens with an FIV+ mother may test positive for up to 6 months because of antibodies from their mom. It is recommended that kittens who test positive are retested after 6 months old to truly assess their FIV status.
- Only about 2.5% of felines in North America test positive for FIV.
If you have more questions, please speak with your veterinarian.