When we get a new kitty, they are the light of our lives. We all know that cats do have their own classified type of personality; some are more personable and social than others, they are all very playful and cute . . . and they all deserve the very best healthy long life as part of the family.
So why we would ever even consider that we would have to worry about something like Feline Aids (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus)? FIV causes a potentially fatal viral disease that attacks your cat’s immune system and that virus lives in the blood stream for life. Unfortunately, an infected cat can expose a healthy cat, usually through biting. Some of the symptoms to be wary of include but are not limited to fever, loss of appetite, diarrhea, listlessness, and swollen lymph nodes. If this disease progresses they can also contract eye lesions, sores in and around their mouths, poor coats and various serious infections.
So, where do they get the disease, since as responsible owners we are sure they are well cared for? The virus is transmitted through scratching, biting, blood and Cat, strays and feral felines. They are obviously around more elements of danger that we are not aware of and then can come in and affect the other cats in the family. Spaying and neutering helps by lowering the aggressive tendencies. The FIV is related to the human virus HIV but no humans have been reported to attract the FIV.
There are a few things that we the care takers of our cats can do to prevent FIV. Vaccinations are always the number one preventative and priority, for both leukemia and the Aids virus. When you get a new kitty, be sure to discuss all concerns with your Vet and follow any programs that he suggests to keep your cat safe and healthy. Along with the vaccination regimen, limit your cat to outdoor cats, be cautious when introducing your cat to other cat families, have any new (found and/or adopted) cat tested prior to joining your household of other cats and isolate that aggressive kitty from the rest of the cats. Be sure to spay or neuter. These are all just precautions but it is always better to be safe than sorry.
There is no known cure for FIV, prevention is the number one concern and priority, but if your cat develops this disease, this is not a death sentence. No doubt, contacting your Vet and following his plan is the number one treatment for FIV. This disease weakens their defenses against illnesses but does not destroy it all together so it will take a little more love and attention . . . and your cat can still live a fairly long healthy life. Education is the key and being a responsible pet owner (following doctor’s orders) is imperative.
Keeping your cat indoors, sometimes (as hard as it is) keeping him singled out from other cats, making sure your cat gets a proper diet, no raw meats, free from parasites which weaken their systems as well, and keeping him as stress free as possible are the best recommendations.
Again, keeping your cat from fights, spaying and neutering which keeps them from being so aggressive and refraining them from contact with going outdoors and contact with outdoor cats will significantly deter your cat from ever contracting FIV. The CatSite.com is a great resource on the subject so be sure you know all there is to know and enjoy a loving, playful, healthy cat for many years to come.
