Aids HIV FAQ

Can cats get FIV

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Can cats get FIV if they have been vaccinated?  My cats have always had > their shots but a person I know adopted a kitten and it had to have it put > down because it had FIV.  Now, her other two older cats have it.  I asked > her if they were vaccinated and she said they were but why have a vaccine >if > it doesn’t work? >Hi Jean, There is no vaccine for FIV (feline AIDS). Could your friend >have been confusing it with FeLV (feline leukaemia)? There is a vaccine >for this but it is only about 70% effective. If a cat already has FeLV >the vaccine will not work. Usually a vet will recommend a simple blood >test before vaccinating to see whether the cat has the illness. >Also, please let your friend know that if her cats do have FIV, they do >NOT have to be put to sleep unless they are ill and cannot be cured. >Cats can carry FIV for many years and never get ill, in the same way >that humans can have HIV but never develop AIDS. All she needs to do is >ensure they are kept indoors away from other cats and closely watch >their health, and keep them free of stresses. >If they have FeLV the outlook is not so good sadly, but still they do >not have to be put to sleep until they get ill. Meanwhile she should >keep them safe and indoors to make the most of their lives. >To find out more about each illness I would recommend the Feline >Advisory Bureau website at www.fabcats.org and click through to their >excellent series of factsheets.

Yes, I doubt these cats would all have FIV. FIV is mainly spread by deep bite wounds, which would be unlikely among friendly cats living together. As has been pointed out, there is no vaccine (yet) for FIV. There is a vaccine for FeLV but as was noted, it is not 100 percent effective. However, I also doubt that if the kitten had FeLV and the two adults were vaccinated, that they would both become infected. I wonder if what these cats have is FIP? The vaccine for FIP is highly controversial and not very effective.

Response:

> Can cats get FIV if they have been vaccinated?  My cats have always had > their shots but a person I know adopted a kitten and it had to have it put > down because it had FIV.  Now, her other two older cats have it.  I asked > her if they were vaccinated and she said they were but why have a vaccine if > it doesn’t work?

Hi Jean, There is no vaccine for FIV (feline AIDS). Could your friend have been confusing it with FeLV (feline leukaemia)? There is a vaccine for this but it is only about 70% effective. If a cat already has FeLV the vaccine will not work. Usually a vet will recommend a simple blood test before vaccinating to see whether the cat has the illness. Also, please let your friend know that if her cats do have FIV, they do NOT have to be put to sleep unless they are ill and cannot be cured. Cats can carry FIV for many years and never get ill, in the same way that humans can have HIV but never develop AIDS. All she needs to do is ensure they are kept indoors away from other cats and closely watch their health, and keep them free of stresses. If they have FeLV the outlook is not so good sadly, but still they do not have to be put to sleep until they get ill. Meanwhile she should keep them safe and indoors to make the most of their lives. To find out more about each illness I would recommend the Feline Advisory Bureau website at www.fabcats.org and click through to their excellent series of factsheets. HTH Deb. Croydon Cats Protection. — Online portfolio: www.scientific-art.com Croydon Cats Protection: www.btinternet.com/~cplcroydon.htm "… All the strange things, they come and go, as early warnings…" PG1

Response:

Can cats get FIV if they have been vaccinated?  My cats have always had their shots but a person I know adopted a kitten and it had to have it put down because it had FIV.  Now, her other two older cats have it.  I asked her if they were vaccinated and she said they were but why have a vaccine if it doesn’t work? Thanks. jean

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Can cats get FIV if they have been vaccinated?  My cats have always had > their shots but a person I know adopted a kitten and it had to have it put > down because it had FIV.  Now, her other two older cats have it.  I asked > her if they were vaccinated and she said they were but why have a vaccine >if > it doesn’t work? >Hi Jean, There is no vaccine for FIV (feline AIDS). Could your friend >have been confusing it with FeLV (feline leukaemia)? There is a vaccine >for this but it is only about 70% effective. If a cat already has FeLV >the vaccine will not work. Usually a vet will recommend a simple blood >test before vaccinating to see whether the cat has the illness. >Also, please let your friend know that if her cats do have FIV, they do >NOT have to be put to sleep unless they are ill and cannot be cured. >Cats can carry FIV for many years and never get ill, in the same way >that humans can have HIV but never develop AIDS. All she needs to do is >ensure they are kept indoors away from other cats and closely watch >their health, and keep them free of stresses. >If they have FeLV the outlook is not so good sadly, but still they do >not have to be put to sleep until they get ill. Meanwhile she should >keep them safe and indoors to make the most of their lives. >To find out more about each illness I would recommend the Feline >Advisory Bureau website at www.fabcats.org and click through to their >excellent series of factsheets.

Yes, I doubt these cats would all have FIV. FIV is mainly spread by deep bite wounds, which would be unlikely among friendly cats living together. As has been pointed out, there is no vaccine (yet) for FIV. There is a vaccine for FeLV but as was noted, it is not 100 percent effective. However, I also doubt that if the kitten had FeLV and the two adults were vaccinated, that they would both become infected. I wonder if what these cats have is FIP? The vaccine for FIP is highly controversial and not very effective.

Response:

> Can cats get FIV if they have been vaccinated?  My cats have always had > their shots but a person I know adopted a kitten and it had to have it put > down because it had FIV.  Now, her other two older cats have it.  I asked > her if they were vaccinated and she said they were but why have a vaccine if > it doesn’t work?

Hi Jean, There is no vaccine for FIV (feline AIDS). Could your friend have been confusing it with FeLV (feline leukaemia)? There is a vaccine for this but it is only about 70% effective. If a cat already has FeLV the vaccine will not work. Usually a vet will recommend a simple blood test before vaccinating to see whether the cat has the illness. Also, please let your friend know that if her cats do have FIV, they do NOT have to be put to sleep unless they are ill and cannot be cured. Cats can carry FIV for many years and never get ill, in the same way that humans can have HIV but never develop AIDS. All she needs to do is ensure they are kept indoors away from other cats and closely watch their health, and keep them free of stresses. If they have FeLV the outlook is not so good sadly, but still they do not have to be put to sleep until they get ill. Meanwhile she should keep them safe and indoors to make the most of their lives. To find out more about each illness I would recommend the Feline Advisory Bureau website at www.fabcats.org and click through to their excellent series of factsheets. HTH Deb. Croydon Cats Protection. — Online portfolio: www.scientific-art.com Croydon Cats Protection: www.btinternet.com/~cplcroydon.htm "… All the strange things, they come and go, as early warnings…" PG1

Response:

Can cats get FIV if they have been vaccinated?  My cats have always had their shots but a person I know adopted a kitten and it had to have it put down because it had FIV.  Now, her other two older cats have it.  I asked her if they were vaccinated and she said they were but why have a vaccine if it doesn’t work? Thanks. jean

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Can cats get FIV if they have been vaccinated?  My cats have always had > their shots but a person I know adopted a kitten and it had to have it put > down because it had FIV.  Now, her other two older cats have it.  I asked > her if they were vaccinated and she said they were but why have a vaccine >if > it doesn’t work? >Hi Jean, There is no vaccine for FIV (feline AIDS). Could your friend >have been confusing it with FeLV (feline leukaemia)? There is a vaccine >for this but it is only about 70% effective. If a cat already has FeLV >the vaccine will not work. Usually a vet will recommend a simple blood >test before vaccinating to see whether the cat has the illness. >Also, please let your friend know that if her cats do have FIV, they do >NOT have to be put to sleep unless they are ill and cannot be cured. >Cats can carry FIV for many years and never get ill, in the same way >that humans can have HIV but never develop AIDS. All she needs to do is >ensure they are kept indoors away from other cats and closely watch >their health, and keep them free of stresses. >If they have FeLV the outlook is not so good sadly, but still they do >not have to be put to sleep until they get ill. Meanwhile she should >keep them safe and indoors to make the most of their lives. >To find out more about each illness I would recommend the Feline >Advisory Bureau website at www.fabcats.org and click through to their >excellent series of factsheets.

Yes, I doubt these cats would all have FIV. FIV is mainly spread by deep bite wounds, which would be unlikely among friendly cats living together. As has been pointed out, there is no vaccine (yet) for FIV. There is a vaccine for FeLV but as was noted, it is not 100 percent effective. However, I also doubt that if the kitten had FeLV and the two adults were vaccinated, that they would both become infected. I wonder if what these cats have is FIP? The vaccine for FIP is highly controversial and not very effective.

Response:

> Can cats get FIV if they have been vaccinated?  My cats have always had > their shots but a person I know adopted a kitten and it had to have it put > down because it had FIV.  Now, her other two older cats have it.  I asked > her if they were vaccinated and she said they were but why have a vaccine if > it doesn’t work?

Hi Jean, There is no vaccine for FIV (feline AIDS). Could your friend have been confusing it with FeLV (feline leukaemia)? There is a vaccine for this but it is only about 70% effective. If a cat already has FeLV the vaccine will not work. Usually a vet will recommend a simple blood test before vaccinating to see whether the cat has the illness. Also, please let your friend know that if her cats do have FIV, they do NOT have to be put to sleep unless they are ill and cannot be cured. Cats can carry FIV for many years and never get ill, in the same way that humans can have HIV but never develop AIDS. All she needs to do is ensure they are kept indoors away from other cats and closely watch their health, and keep them free of stresses. If they have FeLV the outlook is not so good sadly, but still they do not have to be put to sleep until they get ill. Meanwhile she should keep them safe and indoors to make the most of their lives. To find out more about each illness I would recommend the Feline Advisory Bureau website at www.fabcats.org and click through to their excellent series of factsheets. HTH Deb. Croydon Cats Protection. — Online portfolio: www.scientific-art.com Croydon Cats Protection: www.btinternet.com/~cplcroydon.htm "… All the strange things, they come and go, as early warnings…" PG1

Response:

Can cats get FIV if they have been vaccinated?  My cats have always had their shots but a person I know adopted a kitten and it had to have it put down because it had FIV.  Now, her other two older cats have it.  I asked her if they were vaccinated and she said they were but why have a vaccine if it doesn’t work? Thanks. jean

Response:

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