Everything You Need to Know About Feline AIDS (FIV)

Learning your cat has feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) — commonly referred to as “feline AIDS” — certainly sounds scary. While the condition weakens a cat’s immune system, many cats with FIV can live healthy lives with proper care.¹ Let’s consider FIV in more detail.

MetLife Pet Insurance can reimburse vet bills for FIV diagnoses and even treatments over the cat's lifetime. Get a free quote now.

What Is FIV in Cats?

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is one of the most common infectious cat diseases worldwide.¹ It is similar to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) — the cause of AIDS in people — and there’s no cure.²

While a cat with an FIV infection may appear normal for years, the virus will eventually weaken their immune system, and the cat may develop severe secondary illness from normally harmless bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi. Many of the illnesses related to FIV come from secondary infections instead of the virus.¹

FIV Symptoms and Diagnosis

The symptoms of this virus are extremely varied and may not occur for many years after a cat has been infected, if at all. Some of the symptoms a cat with FIV may exhibit include:¹

• A poor appetite and weight loss
• Recurring upper respiratory problems or urinary tract infections
• Minor illnesses that frequently recur or never go away
•  Inflammation of the mouth and gums with severe dental disease
• Signs of cancer
• Seizures
• Behavioral changes

How is FIV diagnosed?

It’s a good idea to have a cat tested for FIV when they first join your family, if they get sick, or if they have an ongoing risk of exposure to the condition. During testing, your veterinarian will usually collect blood samples to look for FIV antibodies. Because it may take several weeks after infection for a cat to test positive for FIV, your vet may recommend additional blood tests 60 – 90 days after the initial test.¹

Preventing Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

Indoor cats are at lower risk for FIV infection, so the best prevention is keeping your cat indoors and limiting their contact with other felines that may be infected.¹

Why?

FIV is typically transmitted through saliva and more likely to occur when cats are in close contact with each other — often through fighting. That’s why outdoor cats tend to be at higher risk for infection.⁴ Additionally, some infected mother cats may pass FIV to kittens during birth.¹

Is it OK for cats with FIV to live with non-FIV cats?

It’s generally fine for an FIV-positive cat to live with uninfected cats, provided that you keep them indoors, ensure they interact peacefully, and spay or neuter all cats.³ Spaying female cats may help lower the risk of transmission during birth, while neutering male cats may make them less likely to roam and engage in fights that may spread the disease.¹

FIV Treatment

On the one hand, there’s currently neither a cure nor an approved long-term drug therapy for cats with FIV.¹ On the other hand, certain immune-stimulating or antioxidant drugs may prove helpful, and some cats have received treatment with human anti-HIV drugs, such as AZT.²

Additionally, taking care of an FIV-positive cat means helping them avoid secondary infections arising from their immunocompromised status.¹ Although antibiotics can often help treat such infections, your cat may face a lengthy, challenging recovery.^1,2 One potential way to keep your FIV-positive cat from contracting illness and secondary infections is to keep them indoors and away from other cats.^1,3

Frequently Asked Questions About FIV

Is FIV in cats contagious?

Only cats can contract FIV, and it can’t spread to humans or other animals. FIV is mainly transmitted through deep bites, like those a cat may receive in a fight.³ As a result, unneutered male cats, particularly those who go outside or are more likely to fight, may face more risks of contracting FIV.⁴

What’s the life expectancy of cats with FIV?

Many cats with FIV can live healthy, practically normal lives if the disease is properly managed. In fact, they often have life spans similar to uninfected cats.^1,3 Still, once multiple problems develop during the disease’s progressive phase, the cat’s survival time is usually only a matter of months.¹

A feral cat that lives on the street likely won’t live as long with FIV as he will be more prone to infection, injury, and disease.

Is there a FIV vaccine?

A FIV vaccine was available from 2002 to 2017 in the US and Canada. However, it has since been discontinued because it offered limited protection against FIV, increased the risk of sarcoma (a type of cancer), and even led to false-positive FIV results.⁴

Cat Insurance May Cover FIV Costs

The costs of diagnosing and treating FIV and resulting secondary infections may quickly mount. However, if you have pet insurance from MetLife Pet, your policy may cover many of these costs. Consider the case of Emerald, from California. Her policy, which contained MetLife Pet’s Preventive Care add-on, covered $460 of her $575 bill for FIV care.^5,6

Be sure to get cat insurance before your feline friend gets FIV. If you wait, the condition may fall under a pre-existing condition exclusion and not have coverage.⁷ Coverage may be especially important if your cat goes outside. Getting a quote on a fully customizable policy from MetLife Pet is easy and free, so find your purr-fect plan today!