Millions of cats are infected with the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) across the globe, but how much do you really know about it? FIV is a disease spread mostly through biting, so generally, indoor cats who grow up in loving homes are not super at risk. What’s more, it can take years for any symptoms to appear. According to the Cornell Feline Health Center, 1.5 to three percent of kitties in the U.S. are infected.
Eventually, an FIV-positive cat’s body won’t be able to protect itself against other viruses as well as it did pre-infection. If you have an FIV-infected cat, you may notice her coat is in poor condition and that she has a fever, inflamed gums, and diarrhea.
So how do you know if a cat is FIV-positive? A simple test at the vet. If she does indeed have FIV, you’re going to want to keep her indoors so that she does not infect other cats and closely monitor her health. Have her spayed if she hasn’t been already, too. The good news is that your cat can live a long life with FIV, if you take the right steps.
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