Can a cat have FIV with no symptoms?

Can a cat have FIV with no symptoms?

Because the cat FIV virus can move slowly in a cat’s system, your cat may go on for years without exhibiting any noticeable symptoms. Once a cat starts showing signs of illness, the disease can cause bouts of illness followed by long periods of apparent good health.

Can FIV be dormant?

A cat can actually be infected with FIV for a prolonged period before becoming noticeably ill. This period is known as “viral dormancy.” In fact, this dormancy, or incubation, can be as long as six years! This means that FIV is generally not diagnosed in very young cats.

How old do cats with FIV live for?

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.

How long does it take for a cat to show signs of FIV?

An adult cat can test positive as early as two to four weeks after exposure, but Best Friends Society reports that it can take up to eight weeks in some cases. According to the ASPCA, once a cat is determined to be FIV-positive, that cat is capable of transmitting the virus to other cats.

Do FIV cats need medication?

There’s no cure for FIV, nor is there a specific medical treatment for the disease, even as the cat’s health declines. 1 A vet might try anti-inflammatory drugs, immune-enhancing drugs, and medication for secondary infections to keep the cat as healthy as possible.

Can a cat with FIV live with other cats?

Don’t Test Community Cats for FIV and FeLV (FIV-positive cats can live with other cats who don’t have FIV as long as they get along and don’t fight, causing bite wounds.)

Is FIV treatable?

Treatment and Management Unfortunately, there is currently no definitive cure for FIV. However, it is important to realize that while it is impossible to predict the survival of a given cat infected with FIV, cats infected with FIV can live very normal, healthy lives for many years if managed appropriately.

Is it expensive to have a cat with FIV?

Treatment for the feline immunodeficiency virus is quite expensive. According to estimates, the cost range from $150 to $2,000 per treatment.

How contagious is FIV to other cats?

Can positive cats be kept with other pets? Although FIV isn’t easily transmitted between cats (only through deep bites and not via sharing food and other normal interaction), the risk means that a FIV positive cat should be adopted into a single cat household only.

How does an indoor cat get FIV?

How do FIV cats get infected? The virus passes from cat to cat in saliva, usually through biting in fights. Un-neutered male cats are considerably more at risk of getting FIV because a single bite may be enough to infect a cat. And a cat can be infected by biting an FIV-infected cat.

What is wrong with the FIV test for cats?

One final problem is that cats who were inoculated against the virus — upon Vet advice that was valid 10 years ago — now produces the identical test result: a positive for FIV antibodies. For many shelters this means yet another kill order is needlessly issued. This flawed test (ELISA aka SNAP) has been used to justify thousands of deaths a year.

What is the life expectancy of a non FIV+ cat?

FIV+ cats can live long, healthy lives as beloved companions. They are susceptible to the same ailments as all other cats. While they may become ill due to progression of the virus after many years, NON-FIV cats may die young, too. Our Sammy died of congestive heart failure at 2 years. She was NON-FIV.

Can a cat with feline immunodeficiency virus show symptoms years later?

In this Article. Cats who are infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) may not show symptoms until years after the initial infection occurred. Although the virus is slow-acting, a cat’s immune system is severely weakened once the disease takes hold. This makes the cat susceptible to various secondary infections.

Can a mother cat pass FIV to her kittens?

A mother cat infected with the cat FIV virus can pass it to her kittens. While FIV is contagious, cats typically do not transmit the virus by sharing an eating bowl with other cats or through other feline contact actions like: A cat can’t transmit the FIV virus to a human. They can only pass FIV on to another cat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFx6YWLL96M