Considering adopting an FIV+ cat

I am thinking about getting my cat a buddy and one of the candidates I've come across who seems like he would be a good fit personality-wise happens to be FIV positive.

My first question is safety for my current FIV- cat. FIV is only transmissible by deep bite wounds and Ciaran is not a fighter. Therefor, introducing an FIV+ cat with a good temperament seems pretty low-risk to me. However, given the degree of fear surrounding FIV in the pet owner community, I just want to make sure there isn't a risk I'm overlooking. 

My other question is care of an FIV+ cat. My understanding is that day-to-day care is no different than their FIV- counterparts and FIV rarely progresses to full immune deficiency. I will be working long hours for the next couple of years and I  want to make sure I can meet my cats' needs. Also, a concern more specific to my situation: I am starting a medical residency and therefor will have increased exposure to sick people. Will the possibility of zoonotic pathogens hitching a ride home from the hospital on my shoes or clothing constitute an undue risk for an FIV+ cat?

CanOpener said:

 

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Hi and congrats on the possible adoption and for considering a FIV+ cat!

Last question first. As far as bringing home anything to your cat (FIV+ or otherwise) unless you are exposed to (and carrying on your person) ringworm, coccidia, or giardia, there is really nothing else a human patient can communicate through you as a vector for a zoonotic illness.  If you were working with feline patients there would be other concerns (like URI's) but not with human patients.  You should still use all appropriate PPE and personally, coming back from any medical environment I would remove my shoes coming into my home.

You are correct that it takes a bite to transmit FIV, how deep a bite is subject to interpretation, but well tempered cats are a good and reasonable risk, ive had friends who have mixed FIV+/- and never had a problem.

You are also correct regarding care, but an FIV cat shouldn't go outside, regular exams, good nutrition (no raw diets).  And while FIV cats can live long healthy lives, the risk of a compromised immune system and illnesses is not zero.  There is often a long period of health, which can be followed by a decline. But this is not a reason not to adopt and a great reason to open your heart as you are.

If the FIV cat was tested pos using an in house snap test, it should be confirmed by a western blot test to make sure the snap test wasn't a false positive.

Lastly, you would want to do a careful and measured introduction both to increase the ease with which they become friends, and lower the risk of a fight. This starts by isolating the new cat.  I can give you introduction links if you wish.

See these links:

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC/health_resources/brochure_fiv.cfm

http://www.2ndchance.info/fiv.htm

I'm happy for you and happy you are considering this. FIV cats are harder to adopt so you are doing a great thing.

Oh THANK YOU for understanding that the issues surrounding FIV are almost all fear-based!

For ongoing questions, education, and support, there is NO BETTER site than http://www.fivtherapy.com and the associated yahoo group run by the site's founder. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/fiv-healthscience/info

And actually, there was a study recently published that tracked the transmission of FIV in a shelter where cats with FIV and FIV- cats were mixed. (Yeah, there wasn't any). It also tracked vertical transmission.

Here is info prior to publication but once the author (Dr. Litster) had the results. Also are links for the study (well, the abstract, you have to pay for the study itself) and an article ON it in plain English.

http://www.maddiesfund.org/update-on-fiv.htm

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090023314000847 Litster, A. 2014. "Transmission of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) among cohabiting cats in two cat rescue shelters," The Veterinary Journal Volume 201, Issue 2, August 2014, Pages 184–188

http://www.wivotersforcompanionanim...-can-live-harmoniously-with-fiv-negative-cats

Many members of the FIV-healthscience Yahoo group give their cats 250mg of bovine lactoferrin a day, as it slows down the progression of the virus. But all that info is on Joel's website. I - and many others - use Jarrow brand.

CanOpener said:

 
I am thinking about getting my cat a buddy and one of the candidates I've come across who seems like he would be a good fit personality-wise happens to be FIV positive.

My first question is safety for my current FIV- cat. FIV is only transmissible by deep bite wounds and Ciaran is not a fighter. Therefor, introducing an FIV+ cat with a good temperament seems pretty low-risk to me. However, given the degree of fear surrounding FIV in the pet owner community, I just want to make sure there isn't a risk I'm overlooking. 

My other question is care of an FIV+ cat. My understanding is that day-to-day care is no different than their FIV- counterparts and FIV rarely progresses to full immune deficiency. I will be working long hours for the next couple of years and I  want to make sure I can meet my cats' needs. Also, a concern more specific to my situation: I am starting a medical residency and therefor will have increased exposure to sick people. Will the possibility of zoonotic pathogens hitching a ride home from the hospital on my shoes or clothing constitute an undue risk for an FIV+ cat?

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what is your residency in?

detmut said:

 
what is your residency in?

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A specialty that traditionally doesn't deal directly with infectious agents but still involves the background exposure that comes from working in a hospital. So, if our main concerns are giardia and other parasites, I'm at low-risk for being a vector. More concerned if ubiquitous hospital bacteria like staph are an issue.

If you take normal cleaning precautions, it shouldn't be an issue.