I Need Urgent Advice

Should I keep him?

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INeedUrgetAdvice

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I have two stray cats and just caught a third one today. With each cat, it just started out as feeding them, but then I grow attached it them. The first two are healthy overall, one having dental issues but nothing major. But after catching this one today, the vet informed me that he is FIV positive but it's a lesser form that he won't die from. But now I'm super depressed and confused because I REALLY love this cat and want to give it a good life, but what about my other cats and this FIV. Do I risk their health because I want this cat really bad. I'm at a bad cross roads. I just made an account on here now to get some advice. Help me!
 

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fionasmom

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Fiv In Cats – TheCatSite Articles

This article may give you some help in making a decision about keeping the cat. Generally, it reflects the accepted notion that having an FIV cat with other cats is not a high risk unless there is biting.

Only you can decide what you feel is best for all of you. Since you did ask for opinions, I would keep the cat. In my present situation with indoor only cats I would not see it as a huge risk. My house has what Cornell University calls a "stable social structure" in which there are no cat fights.

FIV Diagnosis
Introducing a new cat to FIV cat - playing or fighting?
 

Meowmee

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You can keep him. Fiv is not easily transmitted. It has to be from a deep puncture bite of infected cat to uninfected or maternal transmission to kittens. My Wizard was fiv plus when I trapped him and I was worried but the lady who ran a shelter I volunteered with at the time had several fiv cats and assured me it was ok. And it was, all four kitties lived happily together until old age with no transmission. Wizard was healthier for many years than my others until his later years and he lived to be about 19-20. He was the best, I miss him everyday.
 

Norachan

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Don't worry, it's perfectly safe to keep FIV+ cats with other cats. I take care of a colony of former ferals and have over 20 cats at the moment. I've had 3 FIV+ cats over the years, but they've never passed it on to any of my other rescues.

I guess he's already been neutered? Intact toms are at the most risk from FIV as it's not only sexually transmitted but also passed from the saliva into the blood stream. When tom cats fight they give each other deep bites, so the virus spreads. As long as all of your cats are spayed/neutered and get along well there's no risk of FIV being passed on to the other cats.

Make sure all of your cats are vaccinated and ask your vet to give the cat with FIV the "Killed" form of the vaccine, as this will be safer for a cat with a weakened immune system.

Cat Vaccinations: A Quick & Useful Guide – TheCatSite Articles

FIV+ cats can live long, healthy lives, but you need to take a little extra care over their health as they are more susceptible to disease than other cats.

Thank you for rescuing him. I know it's an awful feeling to learn a cat has FIV, but it's really not as bad as you think.

:heartshape:
 
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INeedUrgetAdvice

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Thank you all for the replies, I'm going to keep him but now a new issue is occurring. He's not eating or going to the bathroom, I know this is a new environment for him and he's hiding. How long should I let this occur before I start getting REALLY worried? It's already freaking me out. My other cats ate, used the bathroom and ran back into hiding. He's not doing anything.
 
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INeedUrgetAdvice

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Don't worry, it's perfectly safe to keep FIV+ cats with other cats. I take care of a colony of former ferals and have over 20 cats at the moment. I've had 3 FIV+ cats over the years, but they've never passed it on to any of my other rescues.

I guess he's already been neutered? Intact toms are at the most risk from FIV as it's not only sexually transmitted but also passed from the saliva into the blood stream. When tom cats fight they give each other deep bites, so the virus spreads. As long as all of your cats are spayed/neutered and get along well there's no risk of FIV being passed on to the other cats.

Make sure all of your cats are vaccinated and ask your vet to give the cat with FIV the "Killed" form of the vaccine, as this will be safer for a cat with a weakened immune system.

Cat Vaccinations: A Quick & Useful Guide – TheCatSite Articles

FIV+ cats can live long, healthy lives, but you need to take a little extra care over their health as they are more susceptible to disease than other cats.

Thank you for rescuing him. I know it's an awful feeling to learn a cat has FIV, but it's really not as bad as you think.

:heartshape:
Thank you for the advice. He has me even more worried because he hasn't eaten or used the bathroom since he's been home and I haven't had this issue with any of my other rescues. They would usually eat, use the bathroom and go back into hiding, but he isn't doing anything. So I checked under my couch to see if he was okay and I saw that he urinated himself, I don't want to cause him any stress. Should I try to get him and put him into the litter box? And how do I get him to eat?
 

stephanietx

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As long as there's not fighting with deep bites, the others will be okay, especially if they are vaccinated. If you're familiar with Cole & Marmalade (and ZigZag and Ziggy), Marm is FIV+. Work on building his immune system and feed him the best food you can afford, mostly wet food with very little dry food. A good dietary supplement can help, too.

As far as getting him to eat, put him in a room by himself overnight and he'll probably eat. I would definitely confine him to one room until he's comfortable and familiar with you, the routing, sounds, and smells of the home, and he's eating and using the box properly. Then you can gradually let him out into the rest of the house. If you don't have them already get some Feliway or Comfort Zone diffusers to run to help him de-stress. Provide a box for a hiding place for him.
 
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INeedUrgetAdvice

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As long as there's not fighting with deep bites, the others will be okay, especially if they are vaccinated. If you're familiar with Cole & Marmalade (and ZigZag and Ziggy), Marm is FIV+. Work on building his immune system and feed him the best food you can afford, mostly wet food with very little dry food. A good dietary supplement can help, too.

As far as getting him to eat, put him in a room by himself overnight and he'll probably eat. I would definitely confine him to one room until he's comfortable and familiar with you, the routing, sounds, and smells of the home, and he's eating and using the box properly. Then you can gradually let him out into the rest of the house. If you don't have them already get some Feliway or Comfort Zone diffusers to run to help him de-stress. Provide a box for a hiding place for him.
Okay new update, he's eating but now I'm having an issue getting him to use the litter box. With my other strays, I've dug around in it then put them in the box. He likes to rub on me constantly but I am NOT allowed to touch him, he gets very defensive. I keep showing him but he was gone on the floor and on a bed I got him. I'm not sure how to get him inside without picking him up.
 

Norachan

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When you clean up the places he's peed put the tissue paper in his litter box. Once he can smell his own urine in there he will get the idea. If he poops then put that in the litter box too.

Use an enzyme cleaner to get rid of the smell in his bed and on the floor. Nature's Miracle works pretty well.

Some cats who have been outdoors most of their lives don't understand what a litter box is at first. Leaves, grass clippings or dirt from outside sprinkled on top of the litter might encourage him.
 

stephanietx

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Try sand in the litter box. Put a layer of litter on the bottom and cover with sand. As the cat uses the box, he'll mix the sand with the litter. Also, you might need another box or 2.
 
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