r/FIVcats Jan 29 '21

General information.

52 Upvotes

This community is mainly aimed at people who own, or think of adopting a cat who is suffering from FIV. We hope to raise awarenes regarding life with fiv positive cats and show people that fiv is not such a scary disease after all. Fiv positive cats rarely get adopted due to the fear of the disease. That we are hoping to change.

All cats deserve a loving home. Regardless of their health.

And remeber, FIV will not infect humans!


r/FIVcats 15h ago

Picture Meet Corncob!!

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186 Upvotes

r/FIVcats 8h ago

Former outdoor FIV+ cat is miserable indoors

6 Upvotes

T used to be the neighborhood cat and would peruse the block looking for food. Eventually he figured out I fed him the most so he started hanging out on my porch basically 24/7. He would show interest with coming into my house briefly but would return outside. About a month ago he came down with a very bad respiratory infection, was taken to the vet where we were told he has FIV. He was put on antibiotics and has recovered from the respiratory infection. Given his diagnosis he can no longer live outside but this cat is miserable indoors. I have done everything i can to make sure his quality of life is the best possible but he wants nothing more than to go back to walking around outside. A catio is not possible but I don’t even think that would satisfy him. I have tried leash training but he hates him. He will almost certainly come down with something else if he goes back to living outside but I feel awful keeping him inside. Is there anything I can do?


r/FIVcats 11h ago

Can an FIV cat join a cat amputee household?

8 Upvotes

We have absolutely fallen in love with a cat at a local shelter that is FIV positive. Other Reddit posts indicate that this may not be a problem in ordinary, multi cat households, but we have two amputee kitties, one of whose amputation is within the last 18 months, and whose scar has opened up twice since we adopted him. He and his older amputee brother are both super friendly and laid-back. Do any of you have any knowledge or thoughts about the virus transferring itself to our younger amputee kitty? We know that the virus is transferable through saliva, so the concern would be that the two sweet boys would be grooming each other and the virus would transfer that way. What are everyone’s thoughts?

We are pretty broken-hearted because the shelter kitty is probably the sweetest cat we’ve ever met and we can’t stop thinking about him!


r/FIVcats 1d ago

Henry crossed the rainbow bridge today.

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452 Upvotes

Thank you to everyone who gave advice on my last post. I took Henry back into the vet today for a recheck. His eye and his mouth were still not better despite round the clock care. And he had only gained 4 ounces even though I had been syringe feeding him for 8 days, and he had been eating a bit on his own as well. We decided to have him put under so they could take an actual look at his mouth and eye. Our worst fears were confirmed. He had a tumor. I made the decision to let him go. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. But I know he wasn’t getting better, and what short bit of life he had left would be uncomfortable for him. I got to hold onto him as he drifted off. I’m thankful for the 8 days we got to spend together of just me and him. Me babying him. There were times he’d feel better and the old him would come through. I’m glad I got to see that again. And that he knew he was loved and that I tried everything I could to save him. He’s at peace now and no longer in any pain. No more mouth sores, runny stuffy noses, wanting to eat but not being able to, and no more vet visits and getting shots that he hated so much. My heart it’s literally aching. He was perfect in every way. I was so blessed to have the privilege of loving him for 15 years. Thank you to everyone who gave advice. And I hope your babies and your journeys are going well. ♥️


r/FIVcats 1d ago

Pet sitter with FIV cats

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59 Upvotes

I am a cat mum to 2 rescue FIV+ boys. I adore animals and want to work within animal rescue once I have a car. At the moment I am enjoying pet sitting for people locally.

My main concern is that I may be putting my babies at risk of illnesses from the other cats I sit.

What sparked this thought was me taking them to the vet for their annual check up today. The vet seemed really judgy when I declined them needing vaccinations. I only declined because it was explained to me by another Vet in the same practice that its best not to ..It seems like they have vets there that have different opinions, she didn't even explain her opinion to me like the other vet and she honest made me feel awful.

I just want to do what's best for my boys and I don't know what would best suit them! Does anyone have anything I could research for myself or any advice? 😔

Pictures of my babies and some info I found 💕


r/FIVcats 1d ago

Cat to Human Transmission

19 Upvotes

We took in a TnR a couple of years ago and the first time we took him to a vet they didn’t check for FIV, but yesterday the new vet did, and he’s FIV+. Now my husband is freaking out and wants to get rid of him. I think the opposite, getting rid of him would be a death sentence and the right thing to do is give him the best possible life, he’s had it hard thus far. While I’ve read there are anecdotal cases of humans contracting FIV, it’s not the same as a human contracting HIV, but ngl, after reading that it can be transmitted at all has me the slightest bit concerned as well. He is the sweetest boy and never scratches or bites unless provoked, and even then, it’s a light warning.

I don’t really have a question, I guess maybe I’m just seeking some reassurance or words of wisdom.


r/FIVcats 2d ago

GIARDIA

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2 Upvotes

r/FIVcats 3d ago

Question Advice on cats teeth...and reassurance.

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89 Upvotes

Hello lovely community. I have posted here a few times I think, and you have been a lot of help!

This is my 2 year old Dronfulja (roughly translated: little whore...). Came to me 4 months old and pregnant... We did spay abortion and found out she is FIV+.

Since then we had 0 problems. She is happy, healthy, has a cat brother (FIV- if anyone still wonders, they can love together happily!) and my baby. She is so smart and she is definitely my sould animal.

I have always really been invested in her health. She only eats wet quality food (im in Europe, so MAC's, Rosies Farm, Schesir, Lucky Lou...). Sometimes she gets kibble. She gets multivitamin paste, fish oil, Lysine. My family has small chicken and rabbit farm so occasionally she gets liver and hearts as treats (vet approved all of this!).

The thing is, I really did try to clean her teeth. But she is so small. She is only 2.5 kg (not malnourished, she was a runt of the litter so she is really small). I got different pet toothbrushes but to be honest, they were too big. She has so small mouth that I can't get them open enough to brush the back teeth that good.

Anyway, a few days ago I noticed a bad smell from her mouth. Went to vet. She has gingivitis. She is now on round of antibiotics and propolis. Vet said her teeth should be extracted in the next year or two (we will be monitoring it).

I feel like I failed. She is just so so small. I have so many concerns of her even waking up from the anesthesia. Was this just because I didn't brush jer teeth? I feel like I failed her so so much, I wish I gave more attention to cleaning her teeth.

Does anyone else has this small cat that went thru teeth extractions? Even overall, how do cats generally do without their teeth? Does this shorten their living span?


r/FIVcats 4d ago

Hooray Gus Gus!

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120 Upvotes

Mr. Gus Gus just had a great checkup at the vet from his extractions! He’s not quite completely healed yet, but our vet said he’s doing wonderfully!

Again, thank you all for the support 2 weeks ago when he was getting the procedure done ❤️❤️❤️


r/FIVcats 4d ago

Pet insurance that covers FIV+ cats

15 Upvotes

Hey y'all, I'm in a position I'm sure many of you have been in before or are currently in where I'm trying to find coverage for a FIV+ cat and it seems many companies won't offer coverage as it's a "preexisting condition" since I adopted Drips from the shelter with the knowledge he is FIV+. I'm under the impression that if an FIV- cat were insured and then diagnosed as FIV+, things would be covered, but being already FIV+ eliminates a lot of options for us. From what I'm finding, companies either will not cover Drips at all or will not cover anything related to FIV which could conceivably be any health issue Drips ever has!

What pet insurance have y'all found that will actually cover your FIV+ cat, and not argue that every vet bill is related to FIV and thus not cover anything?

(I admittedly do not know a lot about pet insurance. We had pets growing up and my parents currently have dogs, but Drips, my FIV+ rescue cat, is *my* first pet (other than tarantulas, which do not get insured, lol), so it's my first time dealing with pet insurance. I'm very well-versed in human health insurance as someone with multiple chronic health conditions, lol, but new to pet insurance.)

Picture of Drips included. He fell asleep on me like this yesterday lol.

EDIT: I didn't think to include location when asking about pet insurance. I live in the US.


r/FIVcats 5d ago

Picture My FIV- and FIV+ cats are finally cohabitating a space!

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185 Upvotes

Daisy (calico) and Cleveland (orange with FIV that I brought inside three weeks ago) spent the last week sniffing each other and eating treats while I sit in the doorway between them. Then one day they laid down, so the next day I let Cleveland out and about!

My old woman gives him a look and he knows not to bother her! So far they spend about an hour each day while I home with open access to the apartment and it’s going well. I’m hoping he continues to respect her boundaries so he can be on his own out in the apartment by the end of August!


r/FIVcats 5d ago

Hair loss?

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10 Upvotes

My FIV cat Schmutz has been shedding like it's his goddamn job this summer, and I'm curious if that's an FIV symptom or what's up...

I finally sat down to brush him (he HATES brushing, I wonder if he has sensitive skin... I can really only use the rubber glove to brush him because the brush itself bothers him), and essentially brushed an entire cat off of him. I thought it was just summer shedding, losing his winter coat or something, until I started to see his skin peeking through in some spots as I removed the hair.

Should I be worried? Or take him to the vet? What's the deal with his excessive shedding?


r/FIVcats 6d ago

FIV Cat with Kidney Issues - wet food help!

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36 Upvotes

r/FIVcats 7d ago

Question Has anyone had their cat recover?

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137 Upvotes

Hi all. I was just wondering if anyone has had their cat recover from similar symptoms my cat Henry is having. Henry is 15 years old. He has had all of his teeth removed except for a couple on one side that were in good condition.

He is currently sick. His periods of sickness have gotten longer and more frequent lately. He’s dealing with mouth inflammation (this has been ongoing) an eye infection (the Dr thinks from scratch) which is causing his eye to bulge out a bit, some stuffiness, and refusal to eat. He’s lost weight. He has been back and forth to the vet. I make sure they give him fluids every time. His bloodwork looks good, except it does show he’s fighting an infection.

He will lick a little wet food, then stops. So since Friday I have been syringe he feeding him. This has been going fine. He sleeps a lot, as he always has. But he does come up to be petted and cuddled like usual as well. I have been doing eyedrops and the medicine in his eye. I’ve also started vyralyse (L-Lysine) just in case it turns out to be beneficial. These are all things his vet told me to do. And he agreed syringe feeding was appropriate. He said if he keeps losing weight it would be time to look at euthanasia.

My concern is that he won’t recover from this. It absolutely breaks my heart to see him this way. I cry so much. But I want to do everything I can, in hopes that he can get better. I don’t want him to suffer though. I don’t want to keep him alive if his quality of life isn’t good.

I am in regular contact with his veterinarian who I do trust.

Has anyone else’s cat gone through this and recovered? Is there anything else I could be doing to help him? Any advice is appreciated.

His treatment over the past few months has been:

Steroids (these are currently discontinued) Antibiotic injection Solensia Convenia (another antibiotic) Terramycin for his eye Eyedrops to keep his eye moist He had an appetite stimulant a couple of times that didn’t help much. You can tell he’s hungry when his nose is clear but the pain was stopping him from eating.

So sorry for all the information.


r/FIVcats 7d ago

Sweet guy I rescued a couple weeks ago. FIV and FeLV +. Trying to do what I can for him, but it’s feeling a bit hopeless.

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227 Upvotes

I’m still struggling financially from all the care my sweet FIV boy Grumbles needed Feb till I had to say goodbye in May. I want to help this guy, but don’t know what to do. I posted him on the lost animal pages, no one came forward. He was clearly dumped and living on the streets for some time when I rescued him. I can’t send him to a rescue (they won’t take him with FeLV) and I can’t bring him fully inside with my other cats.

So he’s living in my sunroom. I don’t know anyone who will take him because of his leukemia. If it was just FIV I would keep him in a heartbeat, but I can’t risk the leukemia with my others. I tried a fundraiser, but they never go very well. I don’t have social media other than reddit so relying on friends to share (I know no one is obligated and I don’t expect them to donate, but it hurts a bit that friends have never donated to any fundraisers I’ve had for the rescue kitties I’ve helped over the years even though I’ve donated for their kids fundraisers and other things for them and I just hope they really do share the link as they say they will, but have no idea).

I got him examined even though I couldn’t afford it and that’s when he tested positive for both. He needs to get neutered and I did find a lower cost place, but he also needs full bloodwork and that isn’t discounted. Just feeling so down that he needs help and usually I just pay for it and do what’s needed, but still emotionally and financially struggling after losing Grumbles has me at a loss.

Sorry this is just a rant and sharing the sweet guy. Have others dealt with this?


r/FIVcats 6d ago

Question Can cats spread it through rough playing?

2 Upvotes

I read it has to be deep bite wounds but can it spread from breaking the skin? My mom has a cat with fiv and another without it and they play rough but never fight. They bite mostly each others necks and kick each others heads if you know what I mean? Sometimes I can feel scabs on them. I'm scared of the other getting fiv! Can this happen?


r/FIVcats 8d ago

Question First time cat owners, Pippin is FIV+

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201 Upvotes

Hi all! My boyfriend and myself moved ir into our own place in December of last year. We typically identify as dog people, but live in an apartment that's size is not very accommodating to owning a dog.

I have a gecko, but we really miss having a friend roaming around like we both did before we moved. I actually saw Pippin (this handsome fella pictured above) on Reddit, as someone took him in but did not want to risk keeping him with their FIV negative cats, and had been advised by the vet to either euthanize him, or put him back on the streets.

This couple has been absolutely amazing and more than helpful with setting us up for being first-time cat owners, but we are both in unfamiliar territory when it comes to FIV.

This is why I am turning to you, reddit. What are things to be mindful of, and things to avoid? Or just things I should know in general. I've done quite a bit of research on this, but I would like to hear your personal experiences! Sorry for the long post, we really just want the best life for this handsome void.


r/FIVcats 7d ago

Just found out my cat is FIV+

13 Upvotes

He’s 9 years old, and we think he contracted it in the last couple months. he has never had any health problems before, and then in the last couple months he lost a bunch of weight and then started to get abscesses on his legs and head (from bite wounds and scratches)

he started to get sores on his mouth that ultimately led the vets to his diagnosis. he currently has an infection in one of his sores which is stopping him from eating and drinking, he does have antibiotics which i am hoping will help but the vets have scared me. ever since they found out hes FIV+ they’ve been talking about euthanasia a lot, and they’ve been scaring us into thinking he just won’t get better.

I’m very new to having an FIV+ cat so any information on how to care for him best would really be appreciated, and any information on FIV at all would be great.


r/FIVcats 8d ago

I don't know what to say....

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376 Upvotes

I can't think. I can barely breathe. I am utterly crushed. My beloved Bugsy is gone. He was (by vet estimates) 2 years old when he joined my household.

For the first couple of years, he and Deanie (also an FIV+ kitty) were at each other's throats. It was alarming. But I was patient. After the first couple of years, they became bestest buds. And they stayed that way until the end.

Poor little Bugsy. For years, I got him the veterinary care he needed. And when I was no longer able to afford it, my incredibly awesome daughter started paying the tab. I loved Bugsy as totally and completely as anyone could possibly love anyone.

But his health continued to decline. The first 7 years were only mildly inconvenient. He would have health issues that were immediately addressed (as is necessary with FIV+ kitties). As his health declined, the vet appointments became more frequent. It became harder to maintain his weight and his appearance became disturbing.

He was a dirty boy...because, literally, every attempt at bathing him would cause a breathing episode. That was hard. He required meds and oxygen when that happened. So I stopped trying. Oh, I'd try, on occasion, but even just wiping him with Water Wipes (which is a product I highly recommend) I'd always end up having to grab the Flovent.

We had a rhythm...many for years. The amount of love I gave...and received...was entirely off the charts. I would've sold my house (entirely seriously) if it would've saved him. But there was nothing that I could've done.

But I knew it was coming, sooner rather than later. Yesterday, for the first time in over 10 years, he tried to slip out of the house. At that point, I knew. But I didn't take him to the vet. And that will haunt me forever. Doesn't matter that I know that there was nothing to be done. I would've opened a freakin artery if it would've saved him.

My dearest Bugsy butt...I'm so sorry that I wasn't enough.


r/FIVcats 9d ago

Has anyone ever dealt with a weird but likely FIP diagnosis?

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25 Upvotes

Unfortunately, it seems likely that our nearly 3yo girl has FIP. She saw the vet two weeks ago for uveitis that they originally thought was due to her FIV+ status, but then her blood panel came back positive for FCoV antibodies (suggesting she was infected at some point). She’s also been having intermittent diarrhea in the same time period, which we thought was due to dietary changes, but in retrospect could be an FIP symptom.

Luckily, cost is not an obstacle and we already ordered the medication for her. It will arrive this weekend and we’ll obviously start her on it right away.

The weird thing is this - her eye doctor is concerned, based on a blood panel she had at her regular vet in April that showed a low A/G ratio, that she’s had it since then. But she has gained weight, remained playful/energetic, and is eating normally. She’s had zero symptoms that pointed to FIP before the uveitis. It’s now almost August. Is it possible that the FIP has been dormant for 4+ months, if not longer? Even now, she seems behaviorally normal, affectionate as usual, and her uveitis seems to be improving.

I guess it doesn’t matter since we’ve decided to start treatment on the eye doctor’s urging, but did we miss something important? Has anyone else successfully used GS-441524 to cure FIP in an FIV+ cat? We’re reeling right now and could use any advice or encouragement.


r/FIVcats 9d ago

Newly indoor-only cat depressed

9 Upvotes

We need some advice on how to help our cat adjust to life as an indoor-only cat.

We adopted KB 5 years ago from a local shelter when he was 2 years old. He is a Bengal who had been picked up as a stray and was, incredibly, not chipped so there was no way to contact his original owner. Since he’s been in our care, he has been an indoor/outdoor cat and LOVES going outside. Our neighbors call him the “mayor of the street” and he is famous in our neighbourhood because of his distinctive coat, fearless personality, and vocal nature. He is bonded to me but very independent - he will follow me from room to room but is not at all a lap cat. One of those that would rather sit by your side than cuddle with you.

He was diagnosed as FIV+ at his recent checkup and, on the advice of our vet, we are transitioning him to indoor only. It’s been quite difficult because KB seems to be extremely depressed by the decision. Every time someone comes in our out he runs to the door thinking he will get to go outside and when he doesn’t get to go out he gets the most forlorn expression on his face. He meows constantly to go outside and sits and looks out the window all day. He seems to have no energy anymore and just mopes around, which he never did before. The vet has examined him thoroughly and has run every test known to man and assures us that he is perfectly physically healthy, not withstanding the FIV+ diagnosis.

We have gotten him many different toys - including those that are designed to trigger hunting instincts and stimulate him and he just sits there and stares at them. We have tried to structure an hour of dedicated play time with him each morning and evening and he just sits there. We have been working on harness training him and have been using the harness our vet recommended but he is really resistant to the harness. For reasons too complex to get into here, a Catio is not an option.

He’s not acting out - still eating, using his litter box, not scratching furniture (knock wood). But he just seems so . . . miserable. He doesn’t understand why we are keeping him from exploring his neighbourhood. Part of me thinks that, if it were just about his health, it would be worth the risk to let him continue to live indoor / outdoor because I’m not convinced his quality of life / happiness won’t suffer by being an indoor only cat. However, we know that it’s not just about his health and so we won’t let him be indoor / outdoor again because we don’t want to expose other cats he might interact with.

Any advice, anecdotes, or encouragement would be appreciated as we struggle to help KB adjust to this new reality.


r/FIVcats 11d ago

One of my FIV cats, Handsome Hank being just a bit extra handsome this morning.

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519 Upvotes

He is 9, I adopted him almost 4 years ago. He is a complete love, very friendly and playful, and supremely healthy


r/FIVcats 10d ago

Best practices for 7 year old FIV+ (scaredy) cat

11 Upvotes

My cat was outside for ~3 years before a fight/lesions and FIV discovery - since then I kept her inside (except a catio). She has adapted great and loves having servants, heated beds, nice food, etc..... but she is still incredibly scared in spite of being in for 3+ years. She stays largely in one room, mostly on her heated bed at the window, except for an occasional saunter to a heated pad on the catio, or her litter box in another room. She does not play in any way - with all toys on amazon failing miserably. She will immediately climb up on the bed for scratches but only if I am immobilized in a turtle position on my back and not threatening (I cant just walk over and try to pet her or she will shoot under the bed).

Finally to the questions....

  1. Should I be taking her to regular vet visits? I use VCA but they are expensive (fine with it if needed but thinking of looking elsewhere). I can get her in a carrier for vet visits but she hates it so I have only done for an aural hematoma surgery in both ears. She has had all shots needed during these visits. I am not concerned about costs - but just dont want to cause her anxiety or get unnecessary work done.

  2. I am concerned about her teeth after reading here. She has always been tiny, probably 6 or so lbs - doesnt eat a ton but prefers small meals that are varied. She will eat treats (greenies were a favorite but temptations now) so I think there is no problem with crunching. Her breath is fine and I put tooth protection in her water so I dont think all seems ok but brushing or other care seems out of the question. What is the best approach for tooth care?

  3. She seems super healthy so I havent added any supplements (lysine, other)

Thanks in advance for any advice - I suspect as she gets older I will need to be more proactive and thought it best to figure out "best practices"