Wellness Check for 13 Year Old FIV Cat

 

Recently we took Sam to see the veterinarian for his wellness check and they said he looks good considering his arthritis, FIV, and old age. Sam is 13 years old and has had FIV since 2008. At the rate, he’s going I am certain he will pass away from an old-cat-related health condition rather than Feline Immunodeficiency Virus.

Sam is almost asleep...trying so hard to keep his eyes open (cute)

The thing about FIV cats is that yes they have a suppressed immune system but if you keep the cat indoors, feed them high-quality food, respect their “downtime” and have a stress-free house then chances are your FIV cat will live a long life without being “sickly”.

Sam took the dogs ball and is daring the dog to get it (lol)

There is really no reason to pass up an FIV cat at the shelter. They are just like other cats, the only difference is as stated, they cannot go outdoors and are better suited in a low-stress home.

I think Sam is doing very well because he has cat friends. At first, the Veterinarian put the fear of FIV in me and made me think if my house wasn’t sterile, with no dust, no dirt with perfect temp and if Sam had any contact with other cats that he would become stressed, get sick, and die. I listened to that for the first 10 years.  

Then Sam got out of the office one day and I found him being groomed by one of my female cats and that was the end of his isolation. To this day Lucy doesn’t have FIV, and Sam has cat friends. He is a happy cat and I think that is why he is living a long life.

Sam and Lucy playing on the bed

Long Lived 13 Year Old FIV Cat

 

My FIV cat named Sam has been with us a long time even though when we first rescued him his veterinarian did not think he would survive the month. Back in 2008 Sam was a skin and bones abandoned Siamese cat that had tested positive for Feline AIDS ad Leukemia.

Honestly I knew nothing of these cat diseases but knew in my heart that I needed to give Sam a chance and that I also needed a second opinion. The attending veterinarian was adamant about Sam's dire health conditions and strongly suggested euthanasia as it would be more humane than the painful death my cat would endure.

It is safe to say that in 2008 when Sam was approximately 2 years old, that this time period for knowing and understanding FIV was the “dark ages” as many cats with this condition were euthanized because veterinarians did not fully understand the feline disease.  

Know that Sam has come a long way in the past 13 years. Here are photographs of Sam throughout the years.

Sam was retested 60 days after his first test and he did not have Feline Leukemia he did have FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus). We accepted this condition and were determined to provide Sam with a happy and long life.

If I did not tell you that Sam had FIV you would not know it from looking at him. He put on weight and at one point I thought he had a food addiction. He had gotten fat and we needed to reduce the carbohydrates by cutting out the kitty snacks and feeding him pate canned food. Sam loved all Science Diet canned foods that came with gravy. The gravy was greatly missed but Sam learned to like Pate.

For the first six years Sam lived in my office far far away from my other cats. The attending veterinarian put the fear into us by saying that if Sam groomed one of our cats or ate out of the same bowl that our normal cats would be infected with the incurable FIV disease.

We were very careful with Sam but one day he got out and he charged to the other side of the house. There he befriended our other cats and at the end of the day, they were all best friends. Of course, we were certain that they all had FIV but after having them all tested, none of the cats were sick.

Yes in the past 13 years, we were told many things, that made us think that a slight change in the household temperature, germs, stress, or household anxiety such as moving a chair was enough to make Sam deathly ill. Sam survived a tornado, household chairs moving, the vacuum, germs in the house, and stressful situations and he was a trooper, he never got deathly ill.

At one point I thought Sam may have been vaccinated for Feline immunodeficiency and that the test was a false negative. So we had a blood test done and it confirmed that Sam did have FIV.

Sam is now age 15 and he is still a happy cat with old cat symptoms such as arthritis in his hind legs. He sleeps more than he used to, but he also plays with his toys and the other cats and he loves to sleep on my husband's head.

To look at Sam you would think he was just a senior cat, you would never know that he has lived a long life with FIV an immunodeficiency cat disease.

The above photos were taken in the last 13 years and the below is Sam now.  He is thinner, Sam is older (age 15)  but he is still our happy and fun-loving fur-kid.

Natural Salmon Oil Supplement for Feline Arthritis

Recently my FIV cat lost his footing and fell off the dresser. This injury caused him to limp and I called the veterinarian. Sam was seen quickly an X-ray was taken of his injury We learned that my cat had arthritis in his kneecaps.

Had Sam not fallen we would have known the seriousness of his arthritic condition. Both my husband and I told the veterinarian that our cat never acted as though he was in pain and his activity level never faltered.

Sam would need a pain and inflammation remedy however since he is an FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) our veterinarian suggested a natural supplement for feline arthritis.

She suggested Omega 3 / fish oil and the one at the veterinarian's office was very expensive so I contacted a friend who is an animal expert and they recommended VitalPetLife Salmon oil.

I bought the brand VitalPetLife wild Alaskan salmon oil and add it to the top of my cat's food. Know that Sam is a picky eater but he has no problem with this fishy tasting supplement.

I give him the salmon oil daily and within three weeks he was no longer limping. Now two months later you would not know that my cat has an arthritic condition as he is running through the house and playing with the other cats and the dog.

If you have a cat that is suffering from an arthritis condition that you may want to try this natural salmon oil product. But before you buy please check with your veterinarian to see if an Omega 3 supplement will help your cat.  

Note: This product will also improve your cat's coat, you will notice that it will become soft and shiny.

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.