You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

In a long term study FIV was transmitted from cat to cat in a multicat household even when they did not fight

Earlier studies suggested that Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) has a long incubation period following initial infection, and the latest report (Addie D.D et al, The Veterinary Record Volume 146 No 15, p419 April 8th 2000) confirmed this observation in a household of 26 cats followed over a 10 year period. Unfortunately the authors also found that FIV was transmitted between cats even when there was little or no aggression between them, prompting a recommendation that infected cats should be separated from cats not carrying the virus.

Other interesting findings from the study were that FIV infection did not decrease longevity and that Feline leukaemia virus infection (FeLV) was eliminated from the  household within 5 years when the 5 viraemic cats at the outset of the study died. The remaining cats were immune to the disease and no new cats were introduced. 

Feline Coronavirus infection was highly contagious with all the cats developing seropositive evidence of infection at some stage of the study, and only one cat developed infectious peritonitis (FIP) as well.

In another report it is suggested that FIV may be sexually transmitted CLICK HERE

Updated October 2013

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