FIV Awareness
Changing Hearts and Minds:
-Helen Morrison, KAS Board of Directors
Imagine, if you will, that you are in charge of intake for an animal shelter. You get a call from a concerned citizen and you agree to take in a stray kitty. First, it goes to the vet to be checked out. It appears to be a healthy cat and is very friendly, just the kind of cat a shelter loves to get. They can easily find it a new, loving, and safe home. But at the vet, the kitty tests positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus). Even up to five years ago, your heart would sink. FIV positive cats were euthanized automatically, even if they were healthy and vigorous and very well socialized.
Such a cat with FIV had some of the same unfounded stigma as people who were HIV positive in the early 1980's. Thankfully, attitudes have changed for HIV. We know that HIV is rather difficult to get and happens only in very specific circumstances. FIV is rather like that for cats. It has very specific routes of transmission. Transmission happens either by mating or with very intense, deep puncture wounds, the kind that male cats outside are prone to, especially if they aren’t neutered and get into fights over territory or females.
Luckily, attitudes are changing for FIV as well and our approach to FIV+ cats is much more positive and hopeful. Over the past five years, Kingdom Animal Shelter has been asked to take a number of cats who have turned out to be FIV positive. Initially, having made a good connection with an out-of-State shelter, if they were in good health and were otherwise adoptable in terms of personality, KAS was able to transport these cats to this Shelter in Massachusetts. This shelter found excellent homes for the seven we brought to them......Othello, Cecil, Cicero, Marmalade, Fluffernutter, Cashew, and Frisbee. They are now in loving and safe and understanding homes. Fast forward a few years, and we became aware that Windham County Humane Society in Brattleboro would take FIV+ cats and find them homes. We brought five cats down to WCHS, Pumpkin, Midnight, Seth, Aiden, and Marlin. All have been adopted out. In addition,, we were able to adopt out directly from our fosters or our vet to homes in Vermont three feline FIV+ fellas: Chase, Jack, and Lincoln.
Here’s the thing. More and more people are understanding that FIV is not the death sentence it used to be, that FIV cats can be adopted. All of those mentioned above are wonderful cats, deserving of a good and loving home. They can absolutely be in a home by themselves or with other FIV+ cats. But they can also be in a home with FIV negative cats and not pass it on to those negative cats, as long as they don’t get into deep puncture wound fights. Play fighting, nips, mutual grooming do not seem to pass on the virus. Of the above FIV+ cats mentioned, Jack lives with Silver, who is negative. Lincoln lives with a brother who remains negative. Brothers Marmalade and Fluffernutter live happily together, one positive, one negative. It is all in how they are introduced, slowly, with the new kitty having a safe room for a week or so, and then careful, monitored introductions and time together.
In considering adopting an FIV+ cat, because their immune systems are compromised, the owner needs to be a bit more tuned in to any sickness that might arise, and act quickly. The adopter would need to understand that these FIV+ kitties should have a vet check every 6 months, rather than yearly, as we recommend for “ordinary” cats. And these kitties need to be indoor only cats, not only to prevent exposure to diseases, but also so as not to pass the disease on if they were to get into a fight with a strange cat. So, an FIV cat can be a wonderful addition to your home. I am not sure why, but every one of the males we have tended to who are FIV+ have been total sweethearts...gentle, loving, playful, friendly. Some folks have asked if FIV can be transmitted to other pets or to humans. It cannot. It is species specific to cats.
Within the past several months, Kingdom Animal Shelter began taking FIV+ cats into our Shelter. We have taken in three so far: Rascal, Mikki, and Sydney. They are in the back room only and are only allowed out by themselves or with another FIV+ cat. Both Rascal and Mikki have gone home. Rascal went to live with a 13 year old human boy which is perfect because Rascal behaves rather like a very energetic 13 year old boy. He lives up to his name. And Mikki went to a young man who reports that Mikki has changed his life and given it new meaning.
It is heartening to watch attitudes change, to watch unfounded fears fade away. An FIV+ cat might be just the kitty to brighten your home. Your vet can help you with introductions, good advice, and suggestions.
For a nice article on FIV+ cats, check out: http://www.care2.com/causes/as-it-turns-out-fiv-positive-and-negative-cats-can-happily-live-together.html.
-Helen Morrison, KAS Board of Directors
Imagine, if you will, that you are in charge of intake for an animal shelter. You get a call from a concerned citizen and you agree to take in a stray kitty. First, it goes to the vet to be checked out. It appears to be a healthy cat and is very friendly, just the kind of cat a shelter loves to get. They can easily find it a new, loving, and safe home. But at the vet, the kitty tests positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus). Even up to five years ago, your heart would sink. FIV positive cats were euthanized automatically, even if they were healthy and vigorous and very well socialized.
Such a cat with FIV had some of the same unfounded stigma as people who were HIV positive in the early 1980's. Thankfully, attitudes have changed for HIV. We know that HIV is rather difficult to get and happens only in very specific circumstances. FIV is rather like that for cats. It has very specific routes of transmission. Transmission happens either by mating or with very intense, deep puncture wounds, the kind that male cats outside are prone to, especially if they aren’t neutered and get into fights over territory or females.
Luckily, attitudes are changing for FIV as well and our approach to FIV+ cats is much more positive and hopeful. Over the past five years, Kingdom Animal Shelter has been asked to take a number of cats who have turned out to be FIV positive. Initially, having made a good connection with an out-of-State shelter, if they were in good health and were otherwise adoptable in terms of personality, KAS was able to transport these cats to this Shelter in Massachusetts. This shelter found excellent homes for the seven we brought to them......Othello, Cecil, Cicero, Marmalade, Fluffernutter, Cashew, and Frisbee. They are now in loving and safe and understanding homes. Fast forward a few years, and we became aware that Windham County Humane Society in Brattleboro would take FIV+ cats and find them homes. We brought five cats down to WCHS, Pumpkin, Midnight, Seth, Aiden, and Marlin. All have been adopted out. In addition,, we were able to adopt out directly from our fosters or our vet to homes in Vermont three feline FIV+ fellas: Chase, Jack, and Lincoln.
Here’s the thing. More and more people are understanding that FIV is not the death sentence it used to be, that FIV cats can be adopted. All of those mentioned above are wonderful cats, deserving of a good and loving home. They can absolutely be in a home by themselves or with other FIV+ cats. But they can also be in a home with FIV negative cats and not pass it on to those negative cats, as long as they don’t get into deep puncture wound fights. Play fighting, nips, mutual grooming do not seem to pass on the virus. Of the above FIV+ cats mentioned, Jack lives with Silver, who is negative. Lincoln lives with a brother who remains negative. Brothers Marmalade and Fluffernutter live happily together, one positive, one negative. It is all in how they are introduced, slowly, with the new kitty having a safe room for a week or so, and then careful, monitored introductions and time together.
In considering adopting an FIV+ cat, because their immune systems are compromised, the owner needs to be a bit more tuned in to any sickness that might arise, and act quickly. The adopter would need to understand that these FIV+ kitties should have a vet check every 6 months, rather than yearly, as we recommend for “ordinary” cats. And these kitties need to be indoor only cats, not only to prevent exposure to diseases, but also so as not to pass the disease on if they were to get into a fight with a strange cat. So, an FIV cat can be a wonderful addition to your home. I am not sure why, but every one of the males we have tended to who are FIV+ have been total sweethearts...gentle, loving, playful, friendly. Some folks have asked if FIV can be transmitted to other pets or to humans. It cannot. It is species specific to cats.
Within the past several months, Kingdom Animal Shelter began taking FIV+ cats into our Shelter. We have taken in three so far: Rascal, Mikki, and Sydney. They are in the back room only and are only allowed out by themselves or with another FIV+ cat. Both Rascal and Mikki have gone home. Rascal went to live with a 13 year old human boy which is perfect because Rascal behaves rather like a very energetic 13 year old boy. He lives up to his name. And Mikki went to a young man who reports that Mikki has changed his life and given it new meaning.
It is heartening to watch attitudes change, to watch unfounded fears fade away. An FIV+ cat might be just the kitty to brighten your home. Your vet can help you with introductions, good advice, and suggestions.
For a nice article on FIV+ cats, check out: http://www.care2.com/causes/as-it-turns-out-fiv-positive-and-negative-cats-can-happily-live-together.html.