Mixing an FIV+ cat with FIV- cats
 

Hi there,

I have three wonderful female kitties (ages 3,6,14) that I adore.
All three have been spayed and all are healthy and negative on
diseases. A few years ago I placed an FIV+, neutered, solid white
male with an older lady. A few weeks ago she passed away. The kitty
is now nine years old, slightly overweight, and loves to get in
people's laps. Except for an occassional ear and mouth infection,
he's in good health despite the FIV. For now, he is living in my
guest bedroom.

I've grown attached to this guy and because I'm having trouble
finding him a permanent home, I'm considering keeping him and mixing
him with my 3 females. But I'd feel terrible if they got FIV from
him! From what I read, about the only way he could give FIV to my
cats is via a serious bite. I doubt he would do that to them, but I
can't guarantee that it would never happen. Two vets here in Dallas
claim that an adult cat can't contract FIV even from a bite wound
because there's not enough virus in the saliva to give it to an adult
cat. But I've not found any scientific literature to back that up.

I'm really torn over this. I know he gets lonely in my guest
bedroom. And I'll sure miss him if I do eventually find a home for
him. So I'd love to mainstream him with my cats. But are the risks
just too great to my exising cats? One of my females tends to
irritate cats with a lot of play, so it's possible that she might get
bitten by him over the years. Is it too risky??

Thanks,
Brad

Mixing an FIV+ cat with FIV- cats
 

brad wrote:
Hi there,

I have three wonderful female kitties (ages 3,6,14) that I adore.
All three have been spayed and all are healthy and negative on
diseases. A few years ago I placed an FIV+, neutered, solid white
male with an older lady. A few weeks ago she passed away. The kitty
is now nine years old, slightly overweight, and loves to get in
people's laps. Except for an occassional ear and mouth infection,
he's in good health despite the FIV. For now, he is living in my
guest bedroom.

I've grown attached to this guy and because I'm having trouble
finding him a permanent home, I'm considering keeping him and mixing
him with my 3 females. But I'd feel terrible if they got FIV from
him! From what I read, about the only way he could give FIV to my
cats is via a serious bite. I doubt he would do that to them, but I
can't guarantee that it would never happen. Two vets here in Dallas
claim that an adult cat can't contract FIV even from a bite wound
because there's not enough virus in the saliva to give it to an adult
cat. But I've not found any scientific literature to back that up.

I'm really torn over this. I know he gets lonely in my guest
bedroom. And I'll sure miss him if I do eventually find a home for
him. So I'd love to mainstream him with my cats. But are the risks
just too great to my exising cats? One of my females tends to
irritate cats with a lot of play, so it's possible that she might get
bitten by him over the years. Is it too risky??

Thanks,
Brad

I had a non FIV+ Burmese who lived to 23 years in spectacular good
health cohabiting in the last 5 years of his life with a FIV+ Burmese.

My FIV+ Burmese made it to 14 years (and 4 days!) also in good health
until the last 3 months when everything went wrong.

I think as cats are solitary creatures loneliness is for the absent
human and not other cats. If other cats are available then they may well
sleep together and possibly play hunt.

So as long as you or other humans are available I think the little
fellow will survive quite nicely - quarantining him may well extend his
life by not exposing him to infections the other cats might be carrying.

Mixing an FIV+ cat with FIV- cats
 

Hi Brad,

I found this on the Little Big Cats web site (a great reference site
BTW):

Most FIV+ cats could be adopted and live with FIV-negative cats with
very little risk of transmitting the disease. Because FIV is only
transmitted through bite wounds, a non-aggressive FIV+ cat would not
put other cats at risk. Sadly, most FIV+ cats in shelters are
euthanized, or segregated and "warehoused" for the rest of their lives
with little chance of adoption.

Full article link: http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...ivingwithf iv

Mixing an FIV+ cat with FIV- cats
 

On Jul 22, 10:52*pm, brad wrote:
Hi there,

* I have three wonderful female kitties (ages 3,6,14) that I adore.
All three have been spayed and all are healthy and negative on
diseases. *A few years ago I placed an FIV+, neutered, solid white
male with an older lady. *A few weeks ago she passed away. *The kitty
is now nine years old, slightly overweight, and loves to get in
people's laps. *Except for an occassional ear and mouth infection,
he's in good health despite the FIV. *For now, he is living in my
guest bedroom.

* I've grown attached to this guy and because I'm having trouble
finding him a permanent home, I'm considering keeping him and mixing
him with my 3 females. * But I'd feel terrible if they got FIV from
him! *From what I read, about the only way he could give FIV to my
cats is via a serious bite. *I doubt he would do that to them, but I
can't guarantee that it would never happen. *Two vets here in Dallas
claim that an adult cat can't contract FIV even from a bite wound
because there's not enough virus in the saliva to give it to an adult
cat. *But I've not found any scientific literature to back that up.

* I'm really torn over this. *I know he gets lonely in my guest
bedroom. *And I'll sure miss him if I do eventually find a home for
him. *So I'd love to mainstream him with my cats. *But are the risks
just too great to my exising cats? *One of my females tends to
irritate cats with a lot of play, so it's possible that she might get
bitten by him over the years. *Is it too risky??

Thanks,
Brad

I have 5 FIV neg female cats and started to foster a FIV pos older
male
cat. I spoke with several vets about mixing them together and was
happy to hear that FIV can only be passed through a deep bite
wound. I kept him separate for a couple of months, then brought
him out in a carrier for an hour or so every day to let the others
get used to his smell. Everyone got treats when he was there.
After a couple of weeks of that I started
to let him mix with the others when I was at home and able to
keep an eye on them. He has had the run of the house for a long time
now. Fortunately, they all get along well. Once
in a while a little slapping squable - but they have always done that.
Everything has been going well for over a year. If your cats
don't fight with each other now, the FIV+ cat is not aggressive, and
you introduce them very slowly they should integrate fine.

Best of luck with integrating the new kitty into your home.

Debbie