Zidovudine (AZT) and other antiviral medications have been used to treat some cats suffering from the effects of FIV infection. These drugs can reduce a cat's viral load, but the side effects of treatment may outweigh the benefits.
Antiviral therapies like interferons or antiviral drugs like AZT (azidothymidine) can help extend the periods when your cat does not have symptoms. Early treatment of FIV can extend an FIV-infected cat's life expectancy and allow them to have a fairly good quality of life.
Veterinary and health needs for FIV positive cats
Make sure that you provide regular preventative healthcare, such as anti-parasite treatments, as recommended by your vet.
General and supportive treatment should include: Neutering all FIV-infected cats to reduce the risk of fighting and spreading infection. Confining FIV-positive cats indoors where possible, and keeping them away from non-infected cats.
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 is the virus that causes and can eventually progress to feline acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), usually years after initial infection.
Cats infected with FIV may live for months or years. On average, life expectancy is 5 years from the time of diagnosis depending on how active the infection is. There is a FIV vaccination given twice initially, then yearly thereafter for outside cats or cats exposed to outside cats due to the potential of cat bites.
Although many veterinarians understand that FIV-positive cats can live long, healthy lives, some still recommend euthanasia even if the cat is otherwise healthy.
According to estimates, the cost range from $150 to $2,000 per treatment. This cost varies depending on the medications your veterinarian prescribes, whether or not you have pet insurance, whether or not your cat needs surgery, and the time in which your cat undergoes treatment.
There are three stages of FIV infection in cats: the acute stage, the latent stage, and the chronic clinical stage.
Though there is no known cure, FIV is far from a death sentence. They have weaker immune systems, but cats who test positive for FIV can live fulfilling and happy lives like any other cats, and can live for many years, often without harmful symptoms.
FIV can be found worldwide however, the prevalence in Australia is particularly high. Studies have shown between 7% and 32% of Aussie cats are FIV positive.
There is no effective treatment, but supportive care and treatment of signs is important. This includes visiting the veterinarian at least every 6 months, promptly treating secondary infections, providing a balanced diet, controlling parasites, and removing tumors. FIV-infected cats should be spayed or neutered.
Cats Protection recommends that FIV-positive cats are kept indoors and only allowed outside in an impenetrable garden or safe run. They should not be allowed direct contact with FIV-negative cats.
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 simply means a cat's immune system MAY be compromised somewhere down the road. FIV is a lentivirus, which is very slow acting and usually won't affect a cat for 7 to 10 years. Most FIV cats live long, healthy, normal lives with no symptoms at all. FIV cats need the exact same good care you give to ANY cat.
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 Cats Need to Be Indoor Cats
Any cat that has the FIV virus can spread it to other cats, which is why it's so important to keep them indoors as soon as you know they have the infection (or suspect infection and are waiting for confirmation from the vets).
Cats with FIV will need to live in an environment that is relatively stress-free. A stress-free environment for a cat includes minimal extra pets in the household. A home with only one cat and no other pets is best, but if there are other cats or dogs, it is best to restrict the numbers and avoid taking in new pets.
During this third phase, FIV‐infected cats are predisposed to chronic and recurrent infections of various types. Gingivostomatitis is often present and is classically more severe and refractory to treatment than in FIV‐uninfected cats, and oral resorptive lesions are more common in FIV‐infected cats (Figure 4).
Secondary bacterial and fungal infections are a common problem in cats with FIV. The appropriate use of antibiotics and antifungal medications can often improve a cat's condition for a period of time.
The FIV Vaccine Offered Limited Protection
The vaccine contained certain strains of inactivated virus, which offered protection against some (but not all) FIV infections. In other words, vaccinated cats that were exposed to any of the strains not included in the vaccine were at full risk of getting infected.
Yes, as long as the cats get along and do not fight. The risk that a FIV-positive cat could spread the virus to a FIV-negative cat can be minimized by having them live in separate rooms until you are confident that they will not fight with each other.
There is absolutely no evidence that any person has ever been infected with FIV.
The cat may have a mild fever for a few weeks and there may be enlargement of the lymph nodes (the little lumps often referred to as “glands”). But often, cats infected with FIV appear completely normal. Months or years later, as infection progresses, the cat may develop fever, lethargy, poor appetite and weight loss.