cat aids

ladyjuicy08

Hi
just home from vets with a diagnosis of cat aids on my indoor 6month old male kitten.can anybody give me some advice on how to deal with this especially cos also own 4month male kitten should i be separating them from now on. Would appreciate any advice

SophieSakura

Sorry poor kitty


FIV (feline AIDS) is usually spread through bites, so it's unlikely that it will spread in cats in the same household, cos your cat probably won't bite its friend. (That's what the british veterinary association say anyway) And if you get them neutered, then that will help too, otherwise they might well fight when they're older. So I wouldn't separate them. But I would keep your cat indoors in case it fights other cats, but you said he's indoors anyway

FeLV (feline leukaemia virus) is more contagious and can be spread through grooming, etc, so they do have to be separated, if it's that. Some vets might just call both of them AIDS but if they said it's FIV, then that's the less contagious one.

Blueprint

Hi ladyjuicy08,

I took in a little stray last year with the same condition and my vets advised me to put her down as she tested positive for FIV and I was told she would get sick anyhow and would infect all of my other cats in the meantime. Well, she ended up in the UK in a wonderful indoor only home (keeping her was never an option as I had 3 already) and is the picture of health, she'll be one in about a months time.

There's some great sites out there to read up on the condition:

http://consciouscat.net/2010/07/12/fiv-separating-myth-from-fact/

http://www.v63.net/catsanctuary/fiv.html

http://www.gla.ac.uk/faculties/vet/cad/informationforowners/

ladyjuicy08

Thanks for replies i just wanna put him in a bubble keep him safe Alfie n the other kitten Jakey only play fight little biting but never anything serious just usual kitten playing once Alfie temp goes dwn he be getting neutered and Jakey wen he old enough

MaryK666

ladyjuicy08 wrote: »

Thanks for replies i just wanna put him in a bubble keep him safe Alfie n the other kitten Jakey only play fight little biting but never anything serious just usual kitten playing once Alfie temp goes dwn he be getting neutered and Jakey wen he old enough

Hey ladyjuicy08, sorry to hear that your little man has been diagnosed with 'cat aids'. It's always a shock to hear something like that but it's not the death sentence that some vets seem to believe so don't panic. I have one male cat with FIV and three other cats who are not and they get along like a house on fire.

Firstly, I'd agree with the other poster above and double check with your vet that he is FIV positive and does not have FELV. Once you've established that, you're in the clear. The first thing you need to do is to get them both neutered as soon as they're old enough to prevent them fighting for supremacy. FIV is primarily transmitted from mother to kittens but it's also transmitted by sexual contact and through bites. Once they're neutered, they're a lot less likely to fight and bite. Play biting won't be an issue as they seldom, if ever, break the skin.
You'll need to ensure that they're both kept as indoor cats or that, if you're letting them out, that your garden has either a secure fully enclosed pen or a reliable cat fence. They need to both kept away from neighbourhood cats as they risk transmitting the disease. Your non FIV cat can be tested occasionally, just to put your mind at rest but tests can be pricey and to save taking any chances, it's best to treat him as if he was FIV positive - just to be safe.
You'll also need to ensure that they're on the best diet that you can afford in order to maintain peak health and prevent any illnesses. They both need to be watched for any signs of cuts, bumps, limps or any other illness, no matter how small or trivial it seems. An FIV cat has a weaker immune system and something that would barely affect a healthy cat can do them some real damage so they need to get to the vets whenever anything happens. I've become an expert at administering medication and he's become the perfect patient as we've had a lot of experience.

Changes like moving them to a new house or putting them in a cattery can make them very stressed and this lowers their immune system so try to keep to a routine and make life easy and stress free for them at all times.

You can check their gums regularly to make sure that they're a healthy salmon-pink colour. If they're grey, white or very pale it can indicate cyanosis which is a good indicator that something is wrong although it's not definitive and should only be used as a guideline.

My FIV boy is now almost four years old and is a healthy, happy boy. His mate is still FIV free after four years together. We recently got two kittens, a boy and a girl, who've been accepted into the family and just been neutered and although they is some play fighting, they all get along like a house on fire now. Our boy regularly scares the life out of us if he gets poorly and I've been known to ring in sick at work to take him to the vets for something small but it's keeping him healthy so I'm happy to do it. We got a fence for the garden from a company called purrfectfence online which means that we can let them all out in a safe environment so they get to enjoy the garden with us in the summer.

I sometimes think that he knows how much we worry about him and how much we adore him as he's the most affectionate, adorable, cuddly little man who behaves more like a dog than a cat. We're looking forward to him having a long and healthy life and we're not letting his disease affect that. Hopefully, your little man will be as lucky.

ladyjuicy08

Hi maryk666
vet says it fiv but as he only gone 6months will that again in few month but is almost positive will get Same result as since i got Alfie he been a poorly kitten already had severe diarrhea n 3uti den a really high temp last week which is why vet tested him.both kitten r indoors anyways which is why can't understand were he caught it unless from mammy cat which according to research is very rare.am feeding dem James wellbeloved dry food and hills science diet wet food do u Tink des r good brands? ??have feliway difuser on so they Dt get stressed out.hope am doing all i can for dem.is Der anything like vitamins i can get to help Der immune system? ??
Thanks

SophieSakura

Poor kitten

Those foods are good so I'd stick with those

ladyjuicy08

Woke up this morning and Jakey d kitten who still too young be tested seems to has snuffles have separated dem just i case which they not happy about am i doing the right thing Alfie due get a follow up check tommorow Shud i be bringing Jakey in too???both are eating drinking etc as normal just Jakey sounds bit stuffed up in his breathing want make sure not being overly protective

Zapperzy

ladyjuicy08 wrote: »

Woke up this morning and Jakey d kitten who still too young be tested seems to has snuffles have separated dem just i case which they not happy about am i doing the right thing Alfie due get a follow up check tommorow Shud i be bringing Jakey in too???both are eating drinking etc as normal just Jakey sounds bit stuffed up in his breathing want make sure not being overly protective

Yes I would bring both in just to be safe. Are they vaccinated? Could be something like cat flu. Do his eyes look gunky or is it just the stuffed up breathing?

ladyjuicy08

Both had vaccination his breathing just sounds little snuffly wouldn't normally worry except with this diagnosis of fiv in Alfie i know he can't afford to catch any illness from Jakey

MaryK666

If I were you I'd put them back together again asap as they're liable to get very stressed being apart as they won't know why they're being separated and they'll pine for each other which will only exacerbate any illness. If they've been together all along, there's a 99% chance that anything they're going to get from each other, they've got already by now. And if your FIV+ man gets stressed by being separated from his little mate then he's liable to seccumb to any of his previous illnesses again which you need to avoid at all costs. He's probably caught the FIV from his mother as he's always been an indoor cat and it's a lot more common than you've been led to believe. I don't mean to diss your vet but there are a lot of vets out there who are misinformed or unaware of the latest theories on FIV and who still view it as a death sentence. I've had a lot of correspondence with the vets in UCD who have been, and still are, working on the disease and who know a lot more about it that most small-practice vets. It's so similar to human HIV that anything they learn from FIV can be applied to humans with HIV and vice versa. The most important thing you can do for your little man is to feed him the best diet you can and watch him like a hawk for any sign of illness.

The snuffling could be anything from a simple cold to asthma and several things inbetween. He may have inhaled some food particles or vomit particles or even hair which may have caused a respiratory infection. The best thing is to get him to a vet as soon as you can, just to be on the safe side, and if I were you i'd take them both in to make sure that they're both ok. Better to err on the side of caution.

In the meantime just make sure that they're both eating and drinking as it's important to make sure that they stay hydrated. If you can, try and take Jakey into the shower or bathroom with you and run the bath/shower on hot to produce lots of steam to help clear his head and his chest. 15 to 20 mins should be sufficient but if he gets freaked out by the steam then let him out sooner. My cats tolerate this quite well and are not at all fazed by the steam but you'll need to stay with him and reassure him that he's safe and more importantly, to keep him away from the hot water.

The diet you have them on seems to be pretty good because they need all the correct nutrients when they're still growing. I tend to supplement the diet for my lot with some fresh raw fish once or twice a week and they thrive on it. They prefer trout and cod and hate salmon (fussy little monsters) but I make sure that all the bones are removed to make sure that there are no accidents.
I also give my FIV+ boy one Pulsatilla pill (homeopathic remedy from Boots) twice daily for two or three days when he's poorly and it works wonders for him. The Feliway is also a great help with integration as it does seem to calm them down.

Fingers crossed that all will go well when you see the vet and that it's only something simple and easily treated but please let us know how you get on.

carwash_2006

Extra supplements for cats with immune problems that I have been recommended before, primarily L-Lysine, can be got in tablet or liquid form, liquid is robably easier, but you won't get it everywhere. The tablets can be crushed and mixed with wet food. The other thing is Essiac. It's quite expensive and not easy to get into them, but if you can do it you would just put them on a 2 week course if they seem particularly poorly.

I would look to get them on the highest protein diet you can. Orijen cat food is one very good high protein one, I'm sure there's others out there too. Look for a food that has protien in the high 30% or over 40% if you can. It does need to be a good quality protein though, so make sure that the top ingredients on the list are meat, preferably fresh rather than rendered if possible (rendered will be referred to as meal).

I would also be inclined to put them back together, stress is very bad for immune compromised animals and at this stage it is too late to stop them from being exposed to bugs from one another. The younger guy very likely just has a touch of cat flu, but by the time they are symptomatic it is too late to stop it being spread so the other guy has already been exposed. Anyway, if you were keeping them seperate to prevent cross infection you would have to change your clothes completely to stop this from happening (obviously I'm talking cat flu here and not the FIV).

For FIV to be spread by cat bites you would be talking a very deep bite, probably more than one. Other than that you are talking intercourse or from mother to kitten. However kittens shouldn't be tested before 6 months as they can test positive before then due to antibodies from the mother and not necessarilly have actually had it transmitted to them.

ladyjuicy08

Want thank evryone for their advice and well wishes i took Jakey to a different vet who said just little cold she gave him antibiotic which she wudnt normally bt as precaution for Alfie she was way more helpful wit regards to giving me information on fiv she suggested i retest in few weeks to be sure as in her 25yrs as vet she has only come across 1kitten with fiv that not to say i Shud get my hopes up bt as Alfie has only turned 6month and the test wasn't 100%positive she says i can get test sent Glasgow that mite yield truer result bt wait till he little older in meantime treat him as if he does have it Jakey n Alfie here reunited after d vet much to their excitement Alfie running round like wen i first got him lying ova for belly rubs n massage his favourite while Jakey follows him evrywere i have to take Alfie back to original vet on tues for checkup here's hoping they little more helpful this time. . Next few months will just havta watch them both for any illness just incase until a retest can be done

ladyjuicy08

Think i Shud buy shares in the vet Alfie just back has ulcer in his eye feel sorry for him he is a walking disaster only had check up on Tuesday back again today in vets bless him

ToniTuddle

I've had many cats die from both FeLV and FIV so I understand what you are going through. My last remaining two have it as well so it's really a waiting game as to when they will die.

FIV will basically wipe out your kittens immune system and then if they get something as simple as a gum infection they can deteriorate very quickly.

All you can do is feed it the correct foods and regular wee check up at vets. I'd ask the vet to give you some vitamin powder/gel stuff to help along your kittens immune system.

Another tip that might help is to make sure they eat out of their own bowls and clean the bowls straight away after with Milton disinfectant spray(the stuff that is used on babies bottles).

You know your kitten and his personality and you will, if it happens, be able to see the changes in him if he goes down hill.

Just re-read the info on Wikipedia about the false positives the last line is important :

"
False positives occur when the cat carries the antibody (which is harmless), but does not carry the actual virus. The most frequent occurrence of this is when kittens are tested after ingesting the antibodies from mother's milk, and when testing cats that have been previously vaccinated for FIV. For this reason, neither kittens under 8 weeks nor cats that have been previously vaccinated are tested.

Kittens and young cats that test positive for the FIV antibody may test negative at a later time due to seroreversion, provided they have never been infected with FIV and have never been immunized with the FIV vaccine.
Cats that have been vaccinated will test positive for the FIV antibody for the rest of their life due to seroconversion, even though they are not infected. Therefore, testing of strays or adopted cats is inconclusive, since it is impossible to know whether or not they have been vaccinated in the past. For these reasons, a positive FIV antibody test by itself should never be used as criteria for euthanasia.[5]


Tests can be performed in a vet's office with results in minutes, allowing for quick consultation. Early detection helps maintain the cat's health and prevents spreading infection to other cats. With proper care, infected cats can live long and healthy lives."

ladyjuicy08

Brought Alfie to a different vet today as he had high temp she tested him again for FIV n FELV both tests came back negative this time She says that this is more accurate as it very rare for kitten to have FIV She detected a small heart murmur which she said could be from his fever but if he continunes to run these fevers she will test him for everything to get to bottom of this.So it good news sort of for little Alfie I have bring a urine sample back which she said she give me results in 24 hrs of recieving it unlike other vet who never gave me results

doctor evil

Can't kittens not be born with FIV?

Blueprint

They can be born with the antibodies or get them from their mother's milk, but they quite often don't have the actual virus and this is why it's recommended that kittens are re tested after six months of age, as they quite often turn out not to be FIV positive once the antibodies they got from their mothers have worn off. Also, the dip stick type of test is not very accurate and the only accurate test is the one where they send the blood off to analyzed.

Great information to be got from the University of Glasgow Companion animal diagnostic centre:

http://www.gla.ac.uk/faculties/vet/cad/informationforowners/felineimmunodeficiencyvirusfiv/

My feline immunodeficiency virus infected queen has kittens - will they be FIV positive?

FIV does not generally cross the placenta to the unborn kitten. There is a small possibility of an FIV positive queen infecting her kittens as she bites through the umbilical cord. The test for FIV is an antibody test, cats which are FIV positive have antibodies in their blood. Queens pass antibodies to their kittens in their milk, especially in their first day of life, so that kittens of FIV positive queens can have positive FIV tests, although in fact they are not themselves infected - because of the antibody from their mothers milk. So it is essential that kittens of FIV positive queens are not FIV tested until they are at least 16 weeks old, by which time the antibody they got from suckling should have disappeared. If you really can't wait until they are 16 weeks old to know whether or not kittens are FIV positive, it is possible to do a virus isolation test, though it requires quite a big blood sample for a little kitten to give. Isolating the virus will cost rather more than the routine antibody test.

Kittens which have FIV positive tests are usually not FIV infected. They should be retested after 16 weeks of age.

boomerang

A couple of years back I fostered a momma cat and her newborn kittens. She tested positive for FIV. (Sample was sent to Glasgow.) She had three kittens, two went to a home where they were tested after they were six months of age. One was positive for FIV and the other was negative. The third kitten was not tested. So that's one out of three testing positive in this instance.

ladyjuicy08

Results of urine sample clear all normal fever has come down again too

ladyjuicy08

So Alfie finally got neutered today yeah but instead of been sleepy he is literally bouncing of d walls n has nt stopped for a min since i got him home Is dis normal??Jakey has taken refuge in d oda room for some peace.