FIV

Hi guys

I have started fostering cats almost 5 months ago. With the classes I am taking, and the cats at home (there are 14 now at home ), I can not find time to spend across my PC as I used to do

7 of the kitties that I cared for have already found wonderful homes.

Now, I have a rescued Siamesse mix mama who unfortunately tested FIV (+). She has 5 kittens. The kittens were weaned 1-1.5 months ago. They are very big cats -absolutely not fat- like their mama; they will be 3 months old at the end of this month and they weigh more than 4 pounds already!

Anyway, they were tested for FIV today, and unfortunately they all tested (+) I know that this can be a false positif result; we are going to re-test them when they are around 5-6 months old. (Most of the sources say that, you get the most correct result at 6 months of age).

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about FIV tests? Can we still hope for a (-) result?

If well taken care of, FIV (+) cats can live up to 10 years of age. But people do not want to take them when they learn that they have FIV Hopefully, we will still be able to find good homes for them. aranoid2

Does anyone know of any other options for FIV (+) cats, such as special shelters/houses, etc ?

I am very sorry for them

I have an FIV+ cat that is 14 years old, and is vet says he will be ok for as long as he was going to be ok anyway. We have no idea how long he has had it, or how he got it. He is not a biter, and has never spread it to any of my others. I would not give him up for anthing. The others are tested when they get their annual shots and check ups, and for 7 years, everyone has been fine. I know a lady that rescues only special needs cats, so there has to be more than one! She started out with a FIV+ cat and needed a playmate for him, so adopted another. Maybe you could find someone who will do that, or maybe take them in pairs. If the vet had not told me Fred was FIV+, I would have never suspected a thing. He is a happy, healthy, (though a little senile) cat, and we love him dearly. I hope this works out for you.

Yup, bit like my Ferdy. When I brought him in (he was a stray), we had him tested and the test came back FIV +. I would never have taken him in if he was agressive and showed any signs of attacking my other cats, but he's docile as anything, and just keeps himself to himself mostly (cuddles both of us a treat though . . .)

I have been told here that there is a risk of transferring the disease even without biting - so in reality a single cat household or an all FIV household would be the best solution.

I know in the UK that there are fosterers/adopters that will take these animals, and the charities such as Cats Protection will fund all necessary vet care. Maybe you have similar charities operating in the US?

Thanks guys,

Yola, FIV spreads only by biting. Casual contact, or even sex doesn't transmit it to another cat. It can occasionally be transmitted from mother to her babies in the womb. They have just made a vaccine for FIV (in this August or something like that). But since it is very new, it is not found in every veterinerian yet.

Anyway, I hope the chance for false positive is high for the kittens & I hope they don't have any FIV. It will really be hard to find homes for them otherwise

I know that there is someone either Houston or Dallas who takes in FLV (+) cats. I will search for one especially for FIV cats.

FIV cats have long lives. I hope people who already have FIV (+) cats adopt them. Before the mother was tested, 2 of her kittens were 'reserved' by a couple (they did not have any other cats). But when we told them about the mother's result, they didn't want the babies