Cat with FIV?

mydarkstar

Hi, I am just looking for a little advice or any stories people may like to share about taking care of an FIV cat.

I am thinking of adopting a cat from a shelter and am trying to weigh up the pros & cons of it. He has FIV and I was wondering if there were any problems that I may have overlooked. The shelter insists he is rehomed as an inside-cat but we dont have a garden anyway. There are no other pets in our household so it wouldn't be a problem of him infecting other cats. He has been in the shelter a long time with not much room so I'm thinking (hoping) that our small home would be enough for him. I have read up a few websites regarding the illness and it seems to be mostly positive regarding life-expectancy and quality of life, so I was curious if there was some major care issue I was overlooking. Anyone here have a cat with FIV??

Rockiemalt

Hi there
here's a link to a website which should hopefully be really helpful http://www.kittenadoption.org/fiv.htm

I got my current cat through them and the people who run it are incredibly helpful and very very knowledgeable about many cat related issues such as FIV

hadook

We had a cat with end stage FIV and he had developed stomach cancer before we got him (the rescuer didn't know as he had a false neg on the snap test).

We had several weeks with him before his quality of life had deteriorated to the point where he had to be pts. Had we known in advance that he was FIV positive (the bloods mid treatment came back pos - my vet just didn't believe that he was FIV neg and insisted on a more accurate test) the treatments given would have been different. We wouldn't have been quite so aggressive in how he was treated and he would have endured less invasive care in his last few weeks. That still eats me up a little really.

If you take in an FIV cat then you might end up spending a lot of time at the vets. But that could happen if you had a "healthy" cat too. On the other hand - you know he's got it so you'll be watching out for signs of it developing further, your vet will know he's got it so they'll be treating him with that in mind if he even so much as develops the snuffles and you'll be giving a home to a cat who will be overlooked because of an illness that's asymptomatic right now.

MurrayMint

We had a cat that was diagnosed with FIV. We found this out when he was struggling with cat flu and was near deaths door. They didn't think he would make it and the vet wanted to put him down. We brought him home as the vet said they could do no more and my dad fed him (via syringe) a protein mix and lots of water. He ended up pulling through against the odds. At that stage he was aged 10. He lasted another 8 years, with no problems infact when he did pass away the vet at the time thought he was in great condition. The one thing that we did was made sure that from a diet point of view he had a good source of protein and we fed him a good bit of chicken each week in the later years or when he lost weight.

On the flip side My brother has had 3 cats with FIV. Two of which died suddenly which was a shock to him. Smokey, who he has now has been around for a good few years now and looks like he will last the pace.

Suppose what I am trying to say is that it can be hit and miss as to how long they survive. However you give some kittie a great home for the time they have left. Even if you have what you think are healthy cats there is always the risk that they can get something and you can lose them at a young age anyway (speaking form experience).

Good luck with your decision, it's a difficult one.

Grainne

i have two healthy cats and seem to going to the vet on and off, so i don't think it makes a difference whether they have virus or not. its like humans you can be totally healthy and end up having different aliments from time to time.

you're doing a good thing and have to commend you on thinking of giving a sick cat a home. what ever love you give them they'll repay you twice over !!!

Sharpshooter

There is a factfile on FIV on the DSPCA.ie if you haven't
already found it.:)

mydarkstar

Hey, thanks for all the replies on this. I had read the DSPCA fact file, found it very positive. Haven't made a final decision yet but unfortunately I dont think we'll be taking the cat with FIV - nothing to do with his illness, just realistically I have other things to sort out before I take on a cat full-time. My heart says 'yes' but.... looks like I'll have to stick to short-term kitten fostering instead.

Sharpshooter

mydarkstar wrote: »

Hey, thanks for all the replies on this. I had read the DSPCA fact file, found it very positive. Haven't made a final decision yet but unfortunately I dont think we'll be taking the cat with FIV - nothing to do with his illness, just realistically I have other things to sort out before I take on a cat full-time. My heart says 'yes' but.... looks like I'll have to stick to short-term kitten fostering instead.

lf thats what you have decided ,l can give you a number for cats Aid.
Post back if you want it as the lady in question is very nice and extremely grateful for any help in kitten
fostering.:)

mydarkstar

sharpshooterH wrote: »

lf thats what you have decided ,l can give you a number for cats Aid.
Post back if you want it as the lady in question is very nice and extremely grateful for any help in kitten
fostering.:)

That'd be great, post the number if you can or PM it to me.
I fostered kittens before from the DSPCA but dont have any at the moment. I loved having them here even though they drove me mental, they were quite the handful - only 2 hands for 4 energetic kittens

hadook

Kitten Adoption are looking for kitten foster homes too.

thread here on the PI board.

BlackCat2008

Hay! Would you consider fostering a kitten with FIV. I have been looking for someone myself. I tuck in a the little one at two and a half months and tests were positive I have to wait until she is six months to retest fingers crossed so I can't rehome her or put her in the colonie till then. She is living in a box room and spends alot of time alone.I play with her and visit her as often as I can but I don't feel it is enough she is very healthy and will be getting her vac's soon. She is house trained and hasn't had any accidents yet. She is full of energy though! I would love it if you could help. If not cats aid could use all the help they can get to foster.

cotton

You cannot test a kitten for fiv until it is 6 months old.

As Hadook said, Kitten Adoption are looking for fosters for cats & kittens.

Jules

You can test a kitten before 6 months old, only thing is you have to retest, i think 12 weeks later. I have to double check this and i'll get back. As for having a cat with FIV, i see it in work all the time and as long as you, like humans, treat the symptoms as the arise, you will be fine. But it can be expensive. But very very worth while. You are giving this poor guy a much needed loving home and you should give yourself a pat on the back. Too many people reject rehoming cats/dogs due to physical or medical issues. I think its horrible. I would rather take in a dog/cat that has not had a loving home and been in a shelter for ages than a new puppy/kitten.

BlackCat2008

cotton wrote: »

You cannot test a kitten for fiv until it is 6 months old.

As Hadook said, Kitten Adoption are looking for fosters for cats & kittens.

I understand what you are saying I have every cat coming into the house tested for FIV and feline leukemia this is the first case of it I've had in 18yrs. My colonie can and has gotten as big as 22 cats from time to time and a disease like these getting in would be disastrous. Even with vac's cats are not always safe from feline leukemia.I was going to contact Kitten adoption or cats aid to see if they could find me a fosterer but I know how much presser they are under them selfs.My space is limited untill I rehome a dog that thosen't get on with cats. I was hoping she could help foster her in the hope of getting to know a cat with FIV.It would benfit for both her and kitten. I'm not looking to take her away from helping any one else.I'm happy to shake a box and fond rise for most of the animal leauges aswell as foster when my numbers are down. Now I need help and a foster till she is 6 months and this seemed like a good idea at the time.

mydarkstar

BlackCat2008 wrote: »

Hay! Would you consider fostering a kitten with FIV. I have been looking for someone myself. I tuck in a the little one at two and a half months and tests were positive I have to wait until she is six months to retest fingers crossed so I can't rehome her or put her in the colonie till then. She is living in a box room and spends alot of time alone.I play with her and visit her as often as I can but I don't feel it is enough she is very healthy and will be getting her vac's soon. She is house trained and hasn't had any accidents yet. She is full of energy though! I would love it if you could help. If not cats aid could use all the help they can get to foster.

Hopefully your little one will not test positive again at her 6 month check, fingers crossed, and you will find a loving home for her either way.

The FIV cat I had hoped to adopt, and grown very attached to, has been rehomed in the last few weeks. He was a gorgeous cat and I would've loved to have him but realistically I'll have to wait another year or so to be in a position to adopt. But I will be fostering some kittens in the next few weeks, so I'll have a full (busy) house.

boomerang

Good for you, mydarkstar

My foster cat has just tested positive for FIV, so I'm experiencing this heartache first hand myself. She's eight years old, recently had kittens (whom I'm also fostering) and although thin, is currently eating like a horse.

BlackCat2008

But I will be fostering some kittens in the next few weeks, so I'll have a full (busy) house.[/quote]

Thats good to hear thier are so many in need of fostering and mine can only go to someone who will foster her alone. I'm so hoping she will be clear as this is the first I've taken in with FIV in 18yrs and am only learning what is involved and if she's clear I may have a home for her.I still have a lot of hope as another cat I tuck from the same area is clear so yes fingers crossed. Keep up the good work.

BlackCat2008

boomerang wrote: »

Good for you, mydarkstar

My foster cat has just tested positive for FIV, so I'm experiencing this heartache first hand myself. She's eight years old, recently had kittens (whom I'm also fostering) and although thin, is currently eating like a horse.

So sorry to hear that it's such a shame. I'm so use to hearing the words feline luckimia that I was shocked to hear the words FIV. I'm hoping my 5 week old foster will get the all clear as he's such a silly thing gets his kicks out of jumpimg on the key pad to hear it go bing! I'll be posting a thread on him soon to see if any one else has kitties with extra toe's too. I'm glad to hear she's getting a new start in your care and mammy with babies best pad lock the fridge. She'll need all the help she can get to build herself up. Fare play to you.