FIV Cat with Urinary Tract Infections

Recently the rescue FIV cat that I call Buddy showed signs of urinary problems; straining to pee, peeing outside of his litter box; And he had irritable behavior. Buddy has Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and whenever cats with this condition are sick it is very important to seek veterinarian care. We took him to the veterinarian clinic and Buddy was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and the treatment was to feed him a prescription diet food.

I was told that the special diet food had the right balance of nutrients for cats bladder to be healthy and that this food would put a stop to the urinary crystals.  

Buddy has been eating the prescription food for the last two months and we have seen minimal improvements. He has more energy and is not sleeping all day.  He is still hit or miss at the litterbox and still has a pink cast in his urine. 

We took him back to the veterinarian and they said his bladder was very tender and they could not examine him, he was given a round of antibiotics and we were told to continue with the prescription food.  The veterinarian also suggested the Feliway diffuser to eliminate any stress in the home. 

 Stray cats that are rescued then have to live in a home or in a cage at a shelter usually suffer from anxiety and this is one of the reasons for Urinary Tract / bladder infections.  

The prescription food that we buy for Buddy is very expensive 24 five-ounce cans for $56. The Feliway diffuser is $28 for one plug-in unit.  I am not sure if the prescription pet food is the best treatment for Buddy, as I have treated cats with the Hills Prescription Diet since 2009 and have my doubts about its effectiveness.  I follow Dr. Karen Becker and plan to search for her recommendations.

The FIV Cat Myth

In 2009 I adopted a rescued cat that was diagnosed with FIV (feline insufficiency virus). Back in the dark ages, the veterinarian told me that he recommended euthanasia because my cat was very contagious (FeLV and FIV) and could not be in contact with other cats. This diagnosis made it impossible for me to bring him home. The veterinarian noted the cat's condition; skin and bones, appeared to be in fights, and life expectancy was less than a month.  I was told death would be quick within the month and that the cat would suffer.

I said no to euthanasia and brought that cat home, kept him in my office away from all animals in the house and he is alive today because I had the good sense to have him retested. Know that all cats that test positive for FeLV / FIV need to be rechecked in 60 days because the test could be a false positive.

Sam tested positive for FIV but Feline Leukemia was negative.

FIV cat playing with a ball.

Back in 2009, many veterinarians believed that FIV was so contagious that normal cats that came in casual contact with an infected cat would get the incurable cat virus. Cats could not reside in the same room, or the same house for fear that they may groom each other, eat out of the same food bowl, drink out of the same water bowl, sleep with each other, or use the litter box. Veterinarians believed that FIV cats could pass the virus from saliva and from a cat breathing.

Many cats were euthanized during the dark ages due to the myths that came from animal professionals. Truth be known the only way a cat can get FIV is from a deep bite wound where there is blood.

An FIV cat can live in a household with normal cats (cats not infected with FIV)and as long as they do not fight. An infected cat must bite another cat with a deep puncture bite that would produce blood in order for the virus to spread.

Sadly the FIV myths are still out there like every day I hear about a cat or kitten being surrendered to the animal shelter because they have other cats in their home or they were told the cat would be sickly and die or infect their other cats.

FIV-positive rescued cat 2009 to present no symptoms of AIDS / Lives
with other cats that do not have FIV

I know that some animal care professionals are pushing the FIV myth because last year we rescued a cat under the age of one that had been abandoned when its owners moved this cat had suffered many bite wounds and had a head injury that left him with partial sight and hearing loss. The veterinarian who stitched him up and gave him vaccines and antibiotics told me “you do know this cat will die” I asked the veterinarian what she meant by her statement and she said the cat has no immune system it will get sick constantly and then it will die.

I have had the cat for a year and the cat has never been sick. Granted the cat has a disability and cannot be adopted but to look at him he looks like a normal housecat. He plays every day, talks to birds from the window, sleeps on my lap, and also plays with the dog and loves my senior cat that does not have FIV.  

Know that FIV cats can live a very long life and that some never get sick. You do have to keep them indoors and you need to feed them high-quality cat food, keep them groomed and treat them monthly for flea and heartworm prevention. Watch their weight and other than that a yearly wellness exam is all that is needed.

Ways to Keep FIV Cat Healthy

In 2008 I rescued a deathly ill cat that was diagnosed with FeLV feline leukemia and FIV feline immunodeficiency virus. The veterinarian told me he was seriously ill and recommended euthanize.

There was something about this cat and instead of putting the cat out its misery I said no to euthanasia, and I took the cat home. I read everything I could find on Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and Feline Leukemia I learned how to keep my cat healthy and to keep my cat healthy. I also learned that it was imperative to get my cat retested.

Sixty days after the first test I had my cat retested and he did not have Feline Leukemia however he did have FIV.

When it comes to taking care of your FIV cat there are basics such as

1. Keep your cat indoors at all times
2. Provide your cat with a stress-free environment
3. Keep the room temperature at an average of 74 degrees, not too cold and not too hot
4. Feed your cat high-quality foods that are low in carbohydrates.
5. Keep all veterinarian appointments
6. Keep your cat pest free by applying monthly flea control twice a year to worm your cat.
7. Keep your house dust free and clean.
8. Keep your litter boxes clean.

If you are in contact with outdoor cats then you should know these cats could be sick, even if the cat has no outward indication they may be suffering from a cold. I recommend that if you have contact with an outdoor cat you must remove your clothes and your shoes and put them in the laundry room or mudroom or another room where your cat does not enter. Put on other clothes before you enter the area where your cat is.

** By removing your outdoor clothing you will be getting rid of any germs, fleas or ticks that are on your clothing.

It is a good idea to leave your street shoes at the door and put on house slippers. Street shoes carry germs and you do not want to expose your FIV cat to anything that might make them sick.

FIV Cat Gets Sick from Exposure to Germs

We rescued our FIV cat in 2008 and he has been healthy for all of these years. His appearance has been normal and unremarkable when he went for his wellness checkups at the veterinarian until now.

Last week my husband and I saw a white cat being chased in the woods and I responded by running toward the predator, The fox was frightened and stopped pursuing the cat. My husband was able to pick up the terrified cat and we brought the cat to our heated shed.  The cat was cared for in our shed for three days. On the fourth day, we returned the cat to the pet owners.

Whenever a cat leaves our shelter we will sterilize the entire area to remove any germs. What I did not realize is that my husband and I were exposed to the white cat which had a draining eye. We thought it was due to a scratch but later learned the cat had a cold.

I suppose we carried the stray cat's germs, bacteria, and virus in on our clothes and our shoes because 5 days later my normal FIV cat was sick with a cat cold.

Normally a cold will run its course just like a human and it is common for rescued or stray cats to get colds. Their immune system will fight off the virus and other than adding a humidifier to our shelter and feeding the cats food with lysine additive we do not take them to the veterinarian unless they stop eating. But with an FIV cat, any sign of a cold means a trip to the veterinarian.

Cats that are infected with FIV may be normal-acting cats for many years, then one day they may feel stressed, or they may be exposed to everyday normal germs, fungi, viruses or bacteria and they will get sick.

Sam was given a vaccine and we were told to put him in the bathroom when we took a shower as this would help to unclog his nose so he could eat again. We are to watch him to make sure that he eats and drinks and to watch his activity. For anything that is off from his normal routine, we are to call his veterinarian because an FIV cat can get seriously ill due to their immune deficiency.

Abandoned Cat is Diagnosed with FIV

A few months ago my husband and I rescued a cat that had been abandoned by its owners. Basically, they moved and left their unaltered young male cat behind to fend for himself.

This cat was freaked out., meowing loudly and pacing at the home where it's family used to live.  We saw him sitting on the porch of the abandoned house and tried to coax him to us with food and cat treats but he would not come to us.  We set the humane animal traps and caught a raccoon, a possum, and a fox but not the cat.  We were able to catch him only after he was in a horrific fight.  Then we picked him up at the side of the road and rushed him to the emergency veterinarian.

There was blood in his eyes, bite wounds all over his body and deep scratches to his face. He needed stitches, antibiotics and the veterinarian said that the eardrum in his right ear was not intact and that he had symptoms of a head injury.

We took care of him and his external wounds healed.  But his internal wounds never healed.  This abandoned cat has vision loss, hearing loss and was diagnosed with FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus).

I will never understand why people abandon their cats when they move.  Why they think a housecat will know where to go for food, shelter and how to protect themselves from predators.

Due to this cats disabilities, my husband and I decided that we would keep him.  I think it would be impossible to find an adopter who could give him the watchful care that is needed.

Buddy sways when he walks due to the head injury and his sight is way off.  If he gets onto the sofa he has difficulty getting down.  He will sit on his scratching post but sometimes needs help getting down.  His depth perception is not accurate.

We named him Buddy and we hope one day that we can socialize him with Sam my other FIV cat.  I am not sure if we will be able to do this due to Buddy's disabilities but think it is worth trying.

So I have been busy taking care of a rescued abandoned cat.   Sorry if you all thought I left my blog.  I am back now and will try to post on a regular basis.