• According to the American Association of Feline Practitioners, up to one in 12 cats tests positive for FIV.

• With a compromised immune system, the cat is no longer able to fight subsequent infections or disease.

• Any cat with exposure to the outdoors is at risk for FIV.

• FIV is mainly transmitted during cat fights via bite wounds.

• Initial, or first-stage, symptoms include loss of appetite, fever, lethargy, diarrhea, swollen lymph nodes and low white blood cell count. Cats infected with FIV start to become listless, do not groom themselves properly and are prone to secondary infections.

• Second-stage cats may recover and show no symptoms yet become
lifelong carriers.

• Third-stage cats experience weight loss, sores in and around the mouth, poor coat and secondary infections, which become more frequent and resistant to treatment.

FIV Prevention Tips

• Limit exposure of indoor cats to outdoor cats

• Use caution when introducing a new cat to a multi-cat household

• Test a new cat (especially a stray) for FIV prior to joining the household

• Isolate an aggressive cat from other cats

• Vaccinate to prevent the disease