Fiv Risk From Feral Cat

[Kelise]

Hey all, I need help with another thing.

A while ago I made a post about my mom's cat (for context, I am an adult getting ready for grad school and live with my mom to save money for that. We have a combined household of 3 cats. 2 are mine and 1 is hers. Her cat does not get along with my female cat and they are kept 100% separate). Previously we rotated the cats (keeping one or the other isolated in a room) so they could each have a turn at run of the house without ever coming into contact with each other. My mom's cat (Padfoot) started balding in a bunch of different places, so we ruled out medical issues and concluded (with the help of a veterinary behaviorist) that it was a neurotic behavior due to stress/boredom. By his suggestion, we installed an invisible fence around our fenced yard (we are rural, so the yard is just a fenced off area inside of our larger property) and started letting two of the cats (Padfoot and my male cat, Tank) outside with the collars on so they can't leave the yard. My female cat (Brook) does not like going outside, she is terrified of the world. And yes, letting him be outside instead of locked in a room when my female cat has run of the house has helped the issue. His haircoat is growing back and he doesn't seem to be licking it out anymore.

It's been a really long time since I had any cats going outside, so I was trying to figure out exactly what vaccines they need to be safe in the yard. At first I thought all I needed was the FVCRP and rabies vaccines. They were good so I started letting them out. Then I realized that feline leukemia and FIV are not included there so I went to get them those vaccines. Vet just had the feline leukemia vaccine so then I was even more confused. I did get them that vaccine (booster in 3-4 weeks), but then I was like what about FIV? And now I'm reading that the FIV vaccine was discontinued 2 years ago. I had no idea. I understand the reasons (not effective against all strains, significant risk of vaccine associated sarcoma, not needed for indoor cats), but now I'm really worried and feel like I need to reconsider letting my cats out into my own yard.

There are two things worrying me. The first and most important is that I know there is a feral cat on my property. He lives in/around my barn. I have no idea if he is a tom or a female cat but I'm 99% sure he/she is intact/unvaccinated/feral. I've seen him in my yard. The other day he was in my yard WHILE my cats were outside. The other thing that worries me is that Tank was neutered after reaching full sexual maturity (rescue picked him up as a stray), which makes me worried he will be more likely to fight the feral cat. He's not an aggressive cat, really. He's the one that gets alone with both other cats in my household and even when I was introducing him he wasn't aggressive to the other cats, just defensive. But cats will be cats.

Anyways, what am I supposed to do? Do I need to catch that feral cat and get rid of it to keep my cats safe? Where would I take it? Would I be dooming it if I removed it? It's not friendly. I've managed to get within about 10 feet of it before but it always runs for its life. I could catch it in a live trap but then what? I want the cats to be happy but I do NOT want them getting FIV, especially since that would put my indoor female cat at risk when she normally would have no risk at all.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

OK...according to Cornell University's Feline Health Care Center, the FIV vaccine IS still available, as of June of this year, but is not considered a "core" vaccine for the reasons you stated. Your vet may not carry it. You might call around and see if someone in your area does. That would give you at least some measure of protection.

What you can do, if it is economically feasible, is install motion-activated, directional sprinklers around the boundary of your invisible fence, so that the feral cat gets doused with water whenever he approaches the fence line. There are also compressed air canisters that do the same thing, but I really don't think they would be effective, either physically OR financially. They are really meant to work around doorways and such.

Although your male was neutered late, it is still unlikely that he would fight with the feral unless trapped, given what you've said about his temperament and personality. And remember, FIV is just not that easily transmitted. It takes, really, a deep bite. Even if your male were in a fight, and DID, God forbid, become infected, he could still live a long and reasonably healthy life without endangering your other cats.

 

[Kelise]

Thank you for the helpful reply! That is interesting, I had read that it was fully discontinued. The vaccine sarcoma thing does scare me a little too. Nonetheless, I'll call a few other vets and see if I can find someone who carries it.

The main reason it would not be feasible to install a motion activated deterrent is because I have free-roaming horses. I don't really want them getting sprayed or air puffed since horses would get spooked and could hurt themselves. They would get sprayed/puffed far more often than the cat would.

It's good to know that FIV is not crazy contagious. I'd be surprised if either of the cats really got into a fight warranting a really deep bite. But I guess if the feral is a tom and considers my yard his territory, he could be the aggressor. I guess I'll just need to watch really carefully until I'm sure the cats can live peacefully in proximity. The good news is that I never hear the feral cat fighting any other cats in the area, so he might not be very likely to be infected either. I think it might be partly because cats don't last long out here. Tons of coyotes and the golden eagles will take them too. Hence why my cats are staying in my fenced yard. So maybe the risk isn't as high as say, in a city neighborhood with tons of feral/stray/outdoor pet cats.

Something I've been reading is that FIV doesn't usually cause a severe clinical disease in the absence of FeLV infection. So at least I can get them immunized against FeLV. I do think their quality of life is better with access to the outside. It was upsetting to see my mom's cat licking all of his fur out. So it might just have to be worth the risk of disease. And if that cat starts causing issues, I guess I'll have to catch it and remove it. Sorry cat.

 

[fionasmom]

I do not have a lot to add to this except to say that I have neutered male cats well into adulthood, including ferals who were never going to be housecats, and it seemed that their urge to actually fight subsided within the first 30 days as the hormone level dropped. So I agree that your boy at least will probably not start the fight.

Right now there is an aggressive unneutered male around my street and I have seen him confront a neutered male who actually goes into the submissive "don't fight with me" stance.

 

[Kelise]

Thanks for your input! I guess I'm nervous because my ex had a cat (neutered male) who would fight constantly with the neighborhood cats and was always getting abscesses and stuff. My ex eventually had to force him to be an indoor only cat but he was a door dasher and hated being stuck inside. I just don't want mine to do that.

Maybe I should at least catch and neuter/test/vaccinate that other cat?

 

[fionasmom]

Neutering the feral is not a bad idea. It would probably calm him down and the situation may take care of itself.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Maybe I should at least catch and neuter/test/vaccinate that other cat?

That's an excellent idea if it is feasible for you. And THINK of the untold numbers of future kittens who won't be condemned to a short life of quiet desperation!