Aids HIV FAQ

Exposure to FIV

Question:

Hi, I just found out that my neighbor had to put one of his cats to sleep because of FIV. My cat, Al, and their cat ate out of the same food bowl on 1 or 2 occasions. I told my vet and she recommended that Al be tested for FIV. I’ll be devastated if he has it! I would guess the chances that he contracted it are low, but what do you think? Richard

Response:

FIrst, I"m no expert, but I have been reading up on FIV and calling some experts about testing procedures so here’s what I’ve found so far. Please someone correct me if I’m wrong anywhere. FIV is transmitted through the blood and semen. It may be transmitted through saliva only if there is blood in the saliva (e.g. during stress, gum disease, etc.) The seroconversion rate is up to 120 days from the day of exposure so your cat may test negative for 120 days after he was expsoed to your neighbor’s cat and still be positive. If your cat is an outdoor cat he is constantly being exposed to other cats who may be FIV positive as well so you don’t really know his exposure history. These are merely the facts as I know them. Hope it helps a little. — Andrea aka Cheshire Cat

Response:

Chances are probably low that your cat has contracted the virus.  FIV is most often transferred by a bite wound.  I don’t believe it’s carried in the saliva like FELV is.  But I would test your cat just to be on the safe side. Tag – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi, > I just found out that my neighbor had to put one of his cats to sleep > because of FIV. My cat, Al, and their cat ate out of the same food bowl > on 1 or 2 occasions. I told my vet and she recommended that Al be tested > for FIV. I’ll be devastated if he has it! I would guess the chances that > he contracted it are low, but what do you think? > Richard

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Chances are probably low that your cat has contracted the virus.  FIV is > most often transferred by a bite wound.  I don’t believe it’s carried in > the saliva like FELV is.  But I would test your cat just to be on the safe > side. > Tag > Hi, > I just found out that my neighbor had to put one of his cats to sleep > because of FIV. My cat, Al, and their cat ate out of the same food bowl > on 1 or 2 occasions. I told my vet and she recommended that Al be tested > for FIV. I’ll be devastated if he has it! I would guess the chances that > he contracted it are low, but what do you think? > Richard

FIV, just like the HIV virus, is very fragile and cannot live long outside of a host body.  This means that sharing food, water, litterboxes will not transmit the virus. The main means of transmission in cats is through bites.  How do you know that the neighbors’ cat and your own did not have a friendly battle where the neighbors’ cat may have bite a little too hard?  How do you know that your cat didn’t have a run in with the cat that infected your neighbors’ cat? You should have your cat tested.  Having said that, be aware that the common in-house screening test for FIV (the ELISHA test) that vets use, can show a false positive result.  If this happens, ask them for a Western Blot test, meaning a blood sample must be sent to an accredited lab for more definitive testing. And if, slim as the chances seem, he does test positive, do not despair! Many cats who are FIV+ live full, long lives.  The only thing is that they should be indoor-only cats so they don’t risk infecting other cats. It is not an automatic death sentence!  Good luck!  -Melinda

Response:

Hi, I just found out that my neighbor had to put one of his cats to sleep because of FIV. My cat, Al, and their cat ate out of the same food bowl on 1 or 2 occasions. I told my vet and she recommended that Al be tested for FIV. I’ll be devastated if he has it! I would guess the chances that he contracted it are low, but what do you think? Richard

Response:

FIrst, I"m no expert, but I have been reading up on FIV and calling some experts about testing procedures so here’s what I’ve found so far. Please someone correct me if I’m wrong anywhere. FIV is transmitted through the blood and semen. It may be transmitted through saliva only if there is blood in the saliva (e.g. during stress, gum disease, etc.) The seroconversion rate is up to 120 days from the day of exposure so your cat may test negative for 120 days after he was expsoed to your neighbor’s cat and still be positive. If your cat is an outdoor cat he is constantly being exposed to other cats who may be FIV positive as well so you don’t really know his exposure history. These are merely the facts as I know them. Hope it helps a little. — Andrea aka Cheshire Cat

Response:

Chances are probably low that your cat has contracted the virus.  FIV is most often transferred by a bite wound.  I don’t believe it’s carried in the saliva like FELV is.  But I would test your cat just to be on the safe side. Tag – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi, > I just found out that my neighbor had to put one of his cats to sleep > because of FIV. My cat, Al, and their cat ate out of the same food bowl > on 1 or 2 occasions. I told my vet and she recommended that Al be tested > for FIV. I’ll be devastated if he has it! I would guess the chances that > he contracted it are low, but what do you think? > Richard

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Chances are probably low that your cat has contracted the virus.  FIV is > most often transferred by a bite wound.  I don’t believe it’s carried in > the saliva like FELV is.  But I would test your cat just to be on the safe > side. > Tag > Hi, > I just found out that my neighbor had to put one of his cats to sleep > because of FIV. My cat, Al, and their cat ate out of the same food bowl > on 1 or 2 occasions. I told my vet and she recommended that Al be tested > for FIV. I’ll be devastated if he has it! I would guess the chances that > he contracted it are low, but what do you think? > Richard

FIV, just like the HIV virus, is very fragile and cannot live long outside of a host body.  This means that sharing food, water, litterboxes will not transmit the virus. The main means of transmission in cats is through bites.  How do you know that the neighbors’ cat and your own did not have a friendly battle where the neighbors’ cat may have bite a little too hard?  How do you know that your cat didn’t have a run in with the cat that infected your neighbors’ cat? You should have your cat tested.  Having said that, be aware that the common in-house screening test for FIV (the ELISHA test) that vets use, can show a false positive result.  If this happens, ask them for a Western Blot test, meaning a blood sample must be sent to an accredited lab for more definitive testing. And if, slim as the chances seem, he does test positive, do not despair! Many cats who are FIV+ live full, long lives.  The only thing is that they should be indoor-only cats so they don’t risk infecting other cats. It is not an automatic death sentence!  Good luck!  -Melinda

Response:

Hi, I just found out that my neighbor had to put one of his cats to sleep because of FIV. My cat, Al, and their cat ate out of the same food bowl on 1 or 2 occasions. I told my vet and she recommended that Al be tested for FIV. I’ll be devastated if he has it! I would guess the chances that he contracted it are low, but what do you think? Richard

Response:

FIrst, I"m no expert, but I have been reading up on FIV and calling some experts about testing procedures so here’s what I’ve found so far. Please someone correct me if I’m wrong anywhere. FIV is transmitted through the blood and semen. It may be transmitted through saliva only if there is blood in the saliva (e.g. during stress, gum disease, etc.) The seroconversion rate is up to 120 days from the day of exposure so your cat may test negative for 120 days after he was expsoed to your neighbor’s cat and still be positive. If your cat is an outdoor cat he is constantly being exposed to other cats who may be FIV positive as well so you don’t really know his exposure history. These are merely the facts as I know them. Hope it helps a little. — Andrea aka Cheshire Cat

Response:

Chances are probably low that your cat has contracted the virus.  FIV is most often transferred by a bite wound.  I don’t believe it’s carried in the saliva like FELV is.  But I would test your cat just to be on the safe side. Tag – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi, > I just found out that my neighbor had to put one of his cats to sleep > because of FIV. My cat, Al, and their cat ate out of the same food bowl > on 1 or 2 occasions. I told my vet and she recommended that Al be tested > for FIV. I’ll be devastated if he has it! I would guess the chances that > he contracted it are low, but what do you think? > Richard

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Chances are probably low that your cat has contracted the virus.  FIV is > most often transferred by a bite wound.  I don’t believe it’s carried in > the saliva like FELV is.  But I would test your cat just to be on the safe > side. > Tag > Hi, > I just found out that my neighbor had to put one of his cats to sleep > because of FIV. My cat, Al, and their cat ate out of the same food bowl > on 1 or 2 occasions. I told my vet and she recommended that Al be tested > for FIV. I’ll be devastated if he has it! I would guess the chances that > he contracted it are low, but what do you think? > Richard

FIV, just like the HIV virus, is very fragile and cannot live long outside of a host body.  This means that sharing food, water, litterboxes will not transmit the virus. The main means of transmission in cats is through bites.  How do you know that the neighbors’ cat and your own did not have a friendly battle where the neighbors’ cat may have bite a little too hard?  How do you know that your cat didn’t have a run in with the cat that infected your neighbors’ cat? You should have your cat tested.  Having said that, be aware that the common in-house screening test for FIV (the ELISHA test) that vets use, can show a false positive result.  If this happens, ask them for a Western Blot test, meaning a blood sample must be sent to an accredited lab for more definitive testing. And if, slim as the chances seem, he does test positive, do not despair! Many cats who are FIV+ live full, long lives.  The only thing is that they should be indoor-only cats so they don’t risk infecting other cats. It is not an automatic death sentence!  Good luck!  -Melinda

Response:

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