- Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) causes feline AIDS*, a silent, deadly disease that attacks the immune system of a cat.
- With a compromised immune system, the cat is no longer able tofight subsequent infections or disease.
- Any cat with exposure to the outdoors is at risk for FIV.
- FIV is mainly transmitted during cat fights via bite wounds.
- Initial symptoms include loss of appetite, fever, lethargy,diarrhea, swollen lymph nodes and low white blood cell count.
- Second stage cats may recover and show no symptoms yet becomelifelong carriers.
- Third stage cats experience weight loss, sores in and aroundthe mouth, poor hair coat and secondary infections, which becomemore frequent and resistant to treatment.
*Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), the cause of felineAIDS, is not the same virus as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV),the cause of human AIDS.