Just Adopted FIV+

[mozzarellastick]

Yesterday I brought home Catrick, a 9-month-old, otherwise healthy FIV+ kitty. He was a street kitten and had no wounds when they found him, so the rescue assumes he got it from his mother. He was originally at a kill shelter that didn't have the certification to house FIV+ cats, so they were going to put him down. I've done what research I could, enough to know that with a good introduction it's not a problem to have him living with my other, FIV- cat, and that he can likely live a full and healthy life. But I'd love advice from other folks with FIV+ babies, especially in mixed homes. What do vet visits look like? Are there supplements or meds that could help keep his immune system up to snuff for as long as possible? Feeding tips? Symptoms to watch for? Thanks in advance, and here's Sir Catrick Stewart's Gotcha Day photo!

 

[maggie101]

I was just googling about taurine supplemment that helps immunesystem cardiovascular and retinal. I occasionally give them catlax for hairball but it has other benefits.

 

[denice]

I just adopted an FIV kitty this past December. Not sure of her age only that she is a young adult. When I took her in for a check by the vet I have used for years they did what she called a junior blood panel. She did redo the FIV test just to make sure and it came back positive. She said the main thing is to keep her indoors which I do anyway. She also said to bring her in at the first sign of illness which I tend to do anyway. I remember we had another kitty here with FIV and he lived to 15. He developed the autoimmune related anemia at 15. They are more prone to dental issues.

 

[NadiaRey]

My 16-year-old rescued got his diagnosis last year when he was having signs of reaching phase four (the final and terminal phase). I recently lost my other cat to cancer, but I had a positive experience with diets with her, so I started Gremlin on a diet-treatment consisting on blue-blooded seafood (look up hemocianine) once a week. This because of the high levels of copper in those creatures, copper being certified antiviral (check any scientific paper on viruses and copper). Mostly I give Gremlin moluscs like octopi or calamari (shrimp caused a bilial reaction). He seems to be stronger and his white-cells count go up when I give him that (as opposed to when I don't). He survived three covid infections so far. He's in a better mood than the first year. And vets tell me he looks healthy for his age and diagnosis. (Also, he's fat for a FIV+)

So. My commentary is as follows.
1- your cat is too young to have major health problems, but if you want to, you could start it on this diet prevently. Otherwise, just keep it in mind for when things got more troublesome along the way.
2- Because mine was already detected late, I have blood panels done to him regularly to check how he's doing. Again, yours is young so it could take time before this is even necessary.
3- Same as Denise, I agree to go to the vet ASAP when there's signs of illness or infection, like when there's a fight with another cat.
4- Additionally to the copper-based diet, I went to a ver nutricionist (she okay-ed the octopi diet with an indication that it composes no more than the 25% of his diet) and she suggested algae (spirulina), blueberries and homecooked food (no BARF for FIV+) with an emphasis on high protein meat, like tongue or heart.

Hope any of this is any help. Good luck!

 

[mozzarellastick]

Thanks everyone! My vet recommended a basic immune supplement for him and giving him majority high protein wet food, as well as just keeping a close eye on his health and being really proactive about it. She said he was very healthy and thankfully didn't go doom-and-gloom on me!