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Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

FIV

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Updated on September 26, 2024
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a retrovirus in the same family as feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It attacks the immune system, and, as a result, the cat is unable to fight off various infections and cancers.
SEVERITY:
Severity is moderate to severe
  • Time to Cure
    Never resolves. Once a cat is infected, it remains infected for life.
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian. Supportive care provided and secondary infections may be treated by a veterinarian
  • Prevention Icon
    Separating positive cats and keeping cats from roaming outside are ways to prevent FIV infection
  • Spread Icon
    Transmission is possible between cats but not between cats and people
  • Lab Icon
    Diagnosis requires physical exam, blood work
VERY COMMON IN
FIV is found worldwide in domestic cats. It is most common in outdoor, free-roaming cats.

Symptoms & Signs

Cats with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) may show nonspecific symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, swollen lymph nodes and weight loss. The signs of FIV infection and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection are very similar. Cats may not show clinical signs until years after infection. Chronic oral infections occur in approximately 50% of cats with FIV-related disease. Cats may show pain when touched on the face, have difficulty eating or refuse to eat, and may have a bad odor around the mouth. Approximately 30% of FIV-infected cats have chronic upper respiratory disease with sneezing and nasal discharge. These symptoms may be due to chronic infections with feline herpes (rhinotracheitis) or calicivirus. Some cats may have a cough, difficulty breathing or develop pneumonia. Along with signs of upper respiratory disease, cats may also show ocular signs such as redness of the eyes, discharge, swelling of the eye and cloudiness of the cornea. Chronic diarrhea is seen in 10-20% of FIV-infected cats. Recurrent or chronic infections of the skin and ears may be the first sign of an FIV infection. Because of the immunodeficiency, parasites, yeast and bacteria overgrow and cause symptoms such as hair loss, itching and pustules on the skin.

Diagnosis

FIV infection is diagnosed through tests which detect the cat's antibodies against FIV. The screening test most commonly used in veterinary clinics is called an ELISA, and the confirmatory test is called a Western Blot. A test to detect antigens (proteins from the virus) is called a PCR test, and it can also be used to determine if a cat is infected with FIV, but it is more expensive.

Causation

FIV is spread through saliva from a bite wound. It is uncommonly spread through friendly interactions. Therefore, FIV-positive cats in a stable, non-fighting household may not need to be segregated. Rarely, FIV can be transmitted from a mother to kittens as they pass through the birth canal. All FIV cats should be neutered or spayed to decrease risk of fighting and disease transmission. FIV infection in cats has three stages. The initial or acute stage of FIV infection is often characterized by fever, swollen lymph nodes and a susceptibility to skin or intestinal infections. This stage generally occurs 4-6 weeks after being exposed to the virus. The second stage is a latent or subclinical stage in which we see no signs of disease. This stage can last for many years. During this stage, the immune system may be slowly destroyed. When the immunodeficiency becomes severe, the third stage of infection occurs. The third stage is the final or AIDS-like stage, and it occurs most commonly in cats 5-12 years of age. During this final, clinical stage, the virus kills the cells of the cat’s immune system. These cats are prone to chronic bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections. Often, they are caused by organisms which normally do not cause severe disease in cats. Since the immune system cannot keep them in check, they rapidly multiply and cause disease. These are called opportunistic infections. We can see chronic upper respiratory tract infections, intestinal infections and skin or ear diseases. Other cats may show neurologic signs, although FIV generally has less effect on the nervous system of cats when compared to the effect of HIV in humans. Anemia can occur and may be a result of a parasitic infection.

Treatments

icon AT-HOME CARE
Stress and exposure to ill animals should be avoided. FIV-positive cats should be kept indoors both to protect them from exposure to disease and also to prevent them from spreading FIV to other cats. Maintaining good nutrition will help support the immune system.
icon SUPPORTIVE CARE
Sick cats may benefit from intravenous (IV) fluids or antibiotics.
icon MEDICATIONS
Cats with FIV-related disease will need to be treated according to the signs of disease they are showing. Infections which occur as a result of the immunodeficiency should be treated aggressively. FIV-infected cats with cancer can receive chemotherapy, radiation therapy or immunotherapy.
icon DEVICES
None
icon SURGERY
None
icon SPECIALISTS
Most cases of FIV can be managed by a general practice veterinarian.

Cost Of Treatment

Treatment for FIV infection is largely supportive and may cost $500 per year for an average sized cat.

Recovery

FIV-positive cats can live for many years. Once a cat is in the late stages of disease, life expectancy is less than one year

Monitoring

Complete blood counts and physical exams should be done at least every 6 months.

Prevention

Testing and identifying positive cats is the only means by which FIV infection can be controlled. Although FIV is less transmissible than FeLV, any FIV-positive cat should be separated from non-infected cats. Cats in the terminal stages of the disease can shed large amounts of the virus in their saliva and can pose a greater threat to uninfected cats. Since cats who roam are more likely to sustain cat bites, cats should be kept inside or supervised when outside.

Questions about Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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My 3 year old long haired tuxedo female pees just fine in the litter box, but she preferred to poop on the bathroom rug or on the carpet behind the sofa. Then, she will go weeks and everything is fine only start pooping outside the box again. I have 4 litter boxes and 3 cats. I clean all several times a day. She is the youngest. I've put wee wee pads down and she lifts them up and poops under them. Any ideas to help? Thanks!

A good first step, if you haven't already, is to rule out any health issues with your vet such as arthritis that may be causing the accidents. Secondly, making sure none of the other cats are bullying her away from the litter box may also alert you to any issues. Thirdly, a good enzymatic cleaner may help reduce the smell/discourage use of these areas in the future. That said, if you've done the above and the issue is still happening, it's probably time to call in a veterinary or animal behaviorist that can visit in person to see what may be going on. They may be able to check for stressors that could be causing the accidents where they are, look for issues with refusal to defecate in the box, or see if there is a cycle that is happening that is triggering this reaction. From there they may be able to set up a more tailored plan to help reduce the accidents and encourage use of the litter box at all times. If you're in the US, you can use this website to help find someone available in your area: https://www.dacvb.org/page/about

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There seems to be two wounds underneath my cat’s ear. There is not one on the other side. Does it look like ringworm or caused by fleas? What can I use to help her? It was smaller a week ago.

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Tor and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. Yes, I see the two wounds, and they could be caused by her scratching at her ear. While that could be due to fleas, it may be she has an ear infection causing her to scratch at her ears. Continually scratching at them would cause the wounds to get bigger. This does need to be checked out by a vet, as if she does have an ear infection, it could be caused by ear mites, yeast, or bacteria. In addition, the ear drum needs to be visualized through an otoscope to make sure it's still intact before any medication is given. Ear problems can be considered an emergency as leaving them untreated can lead to hearing loss. Given that these wounds are getting bigger, I'd see if you can get her into her vet asap. I hope this helps!

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My cat is having trouble passing a turd... He keeps producing small amounts of this brown mucous on the pee pad I have in front of the litter box, but hasn't been able to completely eliminate the actual piece. He's eating normally & drinking plenty of water, & he's at a healthy weight. I realize that I'm going to have to take him to the vet if this doesn't clear up, but in the meantime, is there anything I can do to help him?

Seeing your vet ASAP is definitely a good idea to make sure there isn't an impaction causing the severe constipation that may need an enema or stool softeners to resolve. In the meantime, you can try offering a little bland yogurt to try and help the soften the stool, as well as make sure he's drinking plenty of water by mixing some into his food, but if Booboo is in severe distress, hasn't passed any stool at all, or is having other symptoms such as abdominal pain or stops eating, you should seek out veterinary care from your vet or a local ER clinic immediately.

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. This medication should only be given under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.