Adorable, Friendly, FIV-positive Gimpy

Gimpy came to CHS for one of the saddest reasons: his owner was going into assisted living.

Gimpy is 5 years old, neutered and up-to-date on his vaccines. He takes a little while to warm up to strangers, but is a very loving boy once he does connect with his people.

Here at CHS cats are tested for the presence of both FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency and FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus).

So, what does it mean when a cat is FIV-positive? Most often cats test negative for this virus. When positive and active, FIV attacks the cat’s immune system, making the cat more susceptible to other infections.

FIV has been compared to the human AIDS virus, and there are some similarities. In both instances the virus can remain dormant for a very long time–even years. Most often the FIV virus will become active and become the root cause of a cat’s illness from exposure to bacteria or other viruses. It is not the virus iteself that causes the eruption of illnesses. It is the weakened immune system from the virus that allows other illnesses to take hold.

FIV is commonly transmitted through bite wounds. On rare occasion the virus can be transmitted from a pregnant mother cat to her kittens. The virus is not usually transmitted to other cats that live in a stable household society, although we do not place FIV-positive cats in homes with other cats.

The lifespan of an FIV-positive cat will most like be shortened by the presence of the virus, but it is impossible to determine exactly how much the cat’s life will be shortened. Too many other factors come into play for this determination, including quality of care and nutrition for the affected animal.

Gimpy, although FIV-positive, appears to be perfectly healthy. That may change in time. His overall lifespan may very well be shortened from the presense of the virus. Right now though, all this sweet boy needs is a loving home, like any other cat.