During the third stage of FIV, called the AIDS stage, cats typically develop chronic illnesses or cancers. As of now, there is no cure for feline AIDS, but cats with FIV can have a good quality of life if they live indoors and have good veterinary care.
There are three phases of infection with FIV - the acute phase, the asymptomatic (or latent) phase, and the progressive phase. The acute phase of infection generally occurs 1-3 months after infection.
Three main phases of FIV infection are generally recognised: primary (acute), subclinical and clinical (Figure 2). The three phases of FIV infection in cats: Primary, subclinical and clinical. Adapted from the 2020 American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) feline retrovirus testing and management guidelines.
In the terminal phase of infection, signs of immunodeficiency develop and plasma viremia increases. Some infected cats never reach this phase. Antibody production declines, and antibody tests may be negative in cats with advanced terminal-phase disease, but PCR assays are more likely to be positive.
Cats with FIV often have similar life spans to cats without it: Studies conducted in 2010 and 2022 found that an FIV diagnosis wasn't associated with decreased lifespans. In fact, cats can remain asymptomatic for years or even their entire lives.
A cat who tests positive for FIV at a veterinary clinic or shelter should not be euthanized unless she is already ill or suffering beyond what can be treated. FIV testing should be done with a plan to help the cat if she tests positive, not to end her life.
Adopting an FIV positive cat
FIV cats will need prompt veterinary assistance for even minor symptoms. With good care however, many FIV+ cats can live normal lifespans. These days, it's not unusual to find FIV+ cats reaching 15 years or more.
Symptoms & Signs
The signs of FIV infection and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection are very similar. 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.
FIV initially results in a short-lived illness that's often not even noticed by a cat's owner. Cats then enter a stage of progressive immune system decline, but many remain without symptoms for many years. In fact, research shows that FIV cats may have a similar life expectancy to uninfected cats.
FIV infection activates neuroinflammatory pathways including cytokines, chemokines, proteases, and ROS with accompanying neuronal injury and loss. Neurobehavioral deficits during FIV infection are manifested as impaired motor and cognitive functions.
FIV infection was significantly linked to extreme aggressive tendencies and the extremely aggressive FIV‑infected cats were more likely to have an unhealthy status compared to the non‑aggressive individuals (p = 0.022).
FIV causes a lifelong infection and gradually progressive decline in immune function that leads to an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Manifestations include chronic weight loss, opportunistic infections, chronic inflammatory conditions, and increased risk for malignant neoplasia.
FIV-infected cats are more like to acquire other types of infections that can affect other parts of the body, including the gums, mouth, digestive tract, urinary tract, and skin. They also have an increased risk of developing certain types of blood cancers.
With proper management and care the contacted cat can still lead a comfortable life. Cats with FIV can have normal life spans, while those with FeLV often have shorter lifespans, less than three years after becoming infected.
FIV is known in other feline species, and in fact is endemic in some large wild cats, such as African lions. Three main clades of FIV are recognized as of 2006, FIV-Ple (lion), FIV-Fca (domestic cat), and FIV-Pco (puma).
Although the ability of FIV or HIV to establish a latent infection in the CNS is controversial, several studies have reported a sustained proviral burden in FIV-infected cats in the brain [72,89] even in the absence of significant viral RNA.
FIV-infected cats spent 50% more time awake than the sham-inoculated controls and exhibited many more sleep/waking stage shifts--i.e., 40% more than controls. In addition, FIV-infected cats showed approximately 30% of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep reduction compared to controls.
While FIV itself does not typically result in death itself, it does cause increased susceptibility to diseases that can sometimes be fatal, especially in cases where the virus has progressed to feline AIDS.
Caring for your cat with FIV
While there is no specific antiviral treatment currently available for FIV, your vet may recommend some types of therapy to help keep symptoms at bay and manage her condition. These include anti-inflammatory and antibiotic medications, parasite control and immune-enhancing drugs.
Like HIV in humans, FIV weakens the immune system, making it difficult for the animal to fight off other infections. This can lead to a wide variety of symptoms, such as weight loss, swollen lymph nodes, fever, and diarrhea.
Another viral disease which can be a culprit is FIV, or feline immunodeficiency virus. Closely related to human immunodeficiency virus, FIV is a chronic, not necessarily terminal, condition where a cat's immune system doesn't work like it should and can result in not gaining weight, despite eating as per usual.
The study confirms that there is no reason for FIV cats to be adopted only into homes with other FIV-positive cats. The disease is transmitted only by deep bite wounds, which happens only if the cats get into intense fights, which can usually be easily prevented by taking the necessary steps.
FIV is most common in outdoor, aggressive, male cats
Outdoor cats fight more frequently over territory, and male cats in particular can be very aggressive. If you have a male cat who likes to go outside, consider neutering your cat: This tends to reduce aggression.
Firstly the virus is very fragile, and does not live for long once outside the body - it is destroyed by drying, light, heat and basic detergents - normally the virus will be long-dead before any surfaces come to be cleaned, it is the initial drying that sees off the vast majority of the virus, and this will normally ...