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Can FIV be transmitted to other cats by saliva?

Can FIV be transmitted to other cats by saliva?

FIV is transmitted via saliva between cats that fight and bite their competition. Mothers can pass it onto their kittens. It cannot be transmitted when holding, petting, or cuddling a FIV-positive cat, and the virus cannot live on surfaces or clothing.

Can cats spread FIV through scratches?

How is FIV transmitted? The most comon way the infection spreads is through deep bite wounds and scratches, the kind that usually occurs during aggressive fights and territorial disputes where the infected cat’s blood-tainted saliva enters the other cat’s bloodstream.

How does FIV get from mother to Kitten?

Another, less common mode of transmission is from an FIV-infected mother cat to her kitten. FIV does not seem to be commonly spread through sharing food bowls and litter boxes, social grooming, sneezing and other casual modes of contact. Which Cats Are Most Prone to FIV?

When to take your cat to the vet for FIV?

Once a cat starts showing signs of illness, the disease can cause bouts of illness followed by long periods of apparent good health. It is a good idea to take your cat in for a vet exam if they start showing any of the following FIV symptoms: Symptoms of FIV in cats can also include slow and steady weight loss.

What happens if a cat goes untreated with FIV?

What Can Happen if FIV Goes Untreated? Cats who are infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) may not show symptoms until years after the initial infection occurred. Although the virus is slow-acting, a cat’s immune system is severely weakened once the disease takes hold. This makes the cat susceptible to various secondary infections.

Is the feline leukemia virus the same as FIV?

Many people confuse FIV with feline leukemia virus (FeLV). Although these diseases are in the same retrovirus family and cause many similar secondary conditions FeLV and FIV are different diseases. What Are the Symptoms of FIV? An FIV-infected cat may not show any symptoms for years.