Questions about FIV

[caseysmom]

I mentioned in another thread that I was shopping for the dogs and another shopper was there, we started talking and it turns out she does cat rescue. I think she thought I had good potential because she was looking at a cat carrier and I said I didn't think it had enough room for a cat to turn around enough, it was kind of an a frame model.

Anyhow she asked me if I had a cat and I said no my cat had passed away almost a year ago. Turns out she works with a rescue and was trying to talk me into a kitty that was up for adoption at petsmart. I think I may have found the kitty, I told her my rb gigi was a calico, she said she had a declawed calico. This was the only declawed calico I found in my area and I am not sure why she didn't mention the fiv to me unless she didn't know, sounds like she just helps out she is not the main rescue person.

My question, it states they need to be inside, not sure if this is for the declawing or the fiv or both. Is fiv contagious to other cats? I don't plan on getting more than one but you never know, also can dogs get it, I am pretty sure not but I just don't know. The kitty looks really sweet.

edit to put the link:

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=5411792

[catnapper]

FIV is basically the feline version AIDS. Yes, they can pass it to other cats through sexual contact and fighting (deep puncture biting) for this reason, they prefer FIV cats be either homed with other FIV+ cats or live as a single kitty. But if none of the cats in the home is agressive, the two could live in peace without risk of passing the disease to another kitty. That would be up to the cat's owners to decide. Some people think its AWFUL to put an FIV+ kitty in the same home with a negative kitty, others say it doesn;t matter so long as nobdy's aggressive.

An FIV+ kitty can also live a long and healthy life, if the owner takes care to make sure their cat didn't get sick. That means, if you notice her to start sneezing, its much more important she get to the vets because in other cats the Upper resperitory infection could just work its way through the cat and they'd be fine, but in an FIV+ cat it could be life threatening because of their comprimised immune system.

For those reasons, its best to leave them indoor only. That and I think it would be mean to leave a declawed kitty outdoors without protection.

So are you going to adopt her????

[CathyBogart]

I would say she should be indoors both because of the declaw and the FIV. FIV can be contagious to other cats. I looked into adopting a little FIV+ tuxedo girl from a local rescue, but she got snatched up before I got a chance. :)

[caseysmom]

I looked at her bio again and it says she doesn't get along with other cats anyway,,,,,hmmm I wonder about an obnoxious puppy...maybe not. Actually he is 14 months old but still.

I would never let her outside anyway just wondering what they meant by that. I did some research on fiv, to be honest I am not sure if I could handle it, I hate to think about getting so attached and losing another kitty. She looks so much like my rb gigi though.

[catmandu]

We know that you willo your best to help that Poor Kitty.
You have to keep a special eye on her,but if you are careful,this Kitty could be your Friend for many years.
Wishing you All The Best,in what must be a very difficult decision.

[jenluckenbach]

FIV is not contagious in the same manner as a cold or feline leukemia would be. Cats cannot pass it to other cats through grooming or sharing water or a litter box. Just like if you knew a person with AIDS. And FIV is feline specific which means neither you nor the dog could get sick from the cat.

And FIV+ kitty is one who has been exposed to the virus. It does not mean they are sick. It does mean their immune system is comprommised so fighting off colds and such is a bit harder for them.

Our rescue group has several FIV+ kitties. One in particular I would like to mention as he is 12 years old and has always been one of the heathiest cats around.

You are not destined to be heartbroken by this kitty any more than if you adopted a cat who was not FIV+. After all, that FIV- cat could develop cancer at the age of 3 and leave this world. Nothing is ever for certain.

[smokey the elder]

We have several FIV+ cats in our rescue, and they are all healthy and robust. We just placed a litter of FIV+ kittens. A friend of mine had one show up on her doorstep last year. She's a big healthy brat. I think if they're kept indoors and you keep after their vet checks they should be just fine.

[Lizzie]

I will add my encouragement to that of other posters. As jenluckenbach said, there are no guarantees of long life with any pet, no matter how heartily healthy they are when you adopt them. When I was talking to the emergency vet last year about my 17 year old Artful Dodger, in tears because he was dying "so young", he said that he had to help people cope with losing their 6 or 7 year old cats to cancer every day.

As far as I know, and others can correct me here, an FIV+ cat, unlike an FLV+ cat, does not run the risk of getting cancer more easily. As others have said, you do need to be aware that if this cat appears unwell, you shouldn't wait a day or two to see if she get better by herself (as sometimes happens) but take her in right away. My Sesat had feline leukemia but lived for 7 very healthy and happy years from the simple recipe of copious amounts of love, no stress, and fast visits to the vet. FIV is far, far less debilitating and I wish that she had had that instead.

Can you offer to foster this cat to see if she and your dogs will get along? Or am I suggesting something too stressful for both you and the cat? I really hope you decide to scoop her up and take her home.

[doolittleky]

I would highly recommmend to you that you adopt an FIV+ cat. I have two and they are the loves of my life. Ivy has been with me since I trapped in in Oct 1999 and I just added Scooter a few months ago and him and Ivy get along great! They really love each other! Both of them if you didn't know it you would think they were just two "normal, heathly" cats. FIV+ cats can live a very long life as long as they are well taken care of. Plus the person that said you have no guarantees any cat living along life is right. I say go for it!
Melissa