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Isaac is 12 and has led an action-packed life. He used to go outside when he was younger and my partner and I lived in a more outside-enabled place -- I know, I know, but this particular animal just refused to be kept in, never a problem we've had with other cats before or since. He got in a fair amount of fights. Now he's slowed down, we live in the big city, and he doesn't go out anymore. Anyway, we took him to the vet last week because he'd developed a weird spot in his eye, and vet tested him for FIV because it can cause eye problems. Turns out the spot is just iris melanosis and harmless, but we got the secondary bloodwork back today and our sweet boy is indeed FIV-positive. His health is good, by all appearances. He's eating and drinking, hasn't lost weight, no behavior changes, vet says he's totally asymptomatic and has a good shot at a normal-ish lifespan, but I'm concerned about our other kitty Edina, who just turned two and has always been indoor only. They rassle a lot -- never real fighting, just playing -- and, though he's never too rough, I've noticed little dings on her here and there. Don't know if they were caused by Isaac. We get her tested, and if negative vaxxed, on Saturday, and we'll know for sure then, so I guess this inquiry is kind of pointless in the grand scheme of things. Still, I'm wondering if anyone here has had any experience with FIV-positive cats in the same household as FIV-negative cats. The internet is all over the place on this, with sources like PetMD being very doomy and serious about how THEY CAN'T BE TOGETHER EVER OR THEY'LL DIE, and pet-owner forums and rescue sites being much more sanguine. There have been a few studies. Results inconclusive at best. I'm kinda freaked out. Isaac is an older guy and has had a good run, but Eddie is just so little and new. Any advice or feedback welcome.
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Jul 29, 2016 06:54
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| # ? May 7, 2024 07:31 |
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I wouldn't worry about it too much, actually. It sounds like the transmission chance is very low. "Roughhousing" cats are pretty normal, but as long as they don't regularly have real fights in anger you should be fine.
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Jul 29, 2016 15:17
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I took in a older feral cat - I had him fixed and vaccinated, but for whatever reason he wasn't tested for FIV. It wasn't until a few years later that I found out he was infected, long after he had lived in my multiple-cat household. Anyhoo, he lived to be 21 - but wasn't completely healthy the whole time. He developed mouth ulcers a couple times a year which made it all but impossible for him to eat. Fortunately, a few doses of prednisone would be enough to treat the symptoms. Unlike your situation though, he never cared much for his housemates. So I never had to worry much about him playing too rough to pass on FIV.
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Jul 29, 2016 15:25
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If he doesn't go outside then chances are good that he can have a normal life as the biggest danger with FIV is not the disease itself by anything else he may contract that his immune system won't be able to deal with. A bigger problem may be the other cat. It isn't so much that she will get FIV from him (unless they bite each other) but what he might get from her. Even a minor respiratory illness can become deadly in an FIV positive cat. Keep them both indoors and the chances of that go way down.
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Jul 29, 2016 15:41
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Digital Apprentice posted:If he doesn't go outside then chances are good that he can have a normal life as the biggest danger with FIV is not the disease itself by anything else he may contract that his immune system won't be able to deal with. A bigger problem may be the other cat. It isn't so much that she will get FIV from him (unless they bite each other) but what he might get from her. Even a minor respiratory illness can become deadly in an FIV positive cat. Keep them both indoors and the chances of that go way down.
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Jul 29, 2016 17:08
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| # ? May 7, 2024 07:31 |
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Update: Edina is negative. Yay! Now trying to figure out whether vaxxing her is worth it -- the course is expensive and grueling, hard on tiny catte and not fully effective, and if she hasn't gotten it by now she probably won't. But. Getting Isaac a full blood panel to see where he is healthwise. I'm not looking forward to this process, having too much experience with nursing a chronically ill kitty through years of maintenance. He's worth it, though. Here is grainy pic. They love each other so much. 
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Jul 30, 2016 20:26
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