When you bring home a new cat or tame a stray cat, you'll want to have it tested for FIV, or the feline immunodeficiency virus. This is a potentially dangerous and fatal virus that the cat can give to other cats in your household, so you'll want to take precautions to protect your other cats and other cats in the neighborhood if the new cat tests positive for the virus. FIV cannot be transmitted to humans, just to other cats. Here are some other things to know.

How Cats Catch FIV

FIV is spread through direct transmission since the virus doesn't live for long outside of a cat's body. Transmission can happen during a cat bite, so if your cat is bitten by a stray cat, you should have your cat tested for FIV. The virus is spread through saliva, so it's possible for cats to catch it just by living together and sharing food bowls. Mother cats that have the virus can also transmit it to their babies.

How To Protect Your Cat From The Virus

Although an FIV vaccine is available, it isn't given routinely. The vaccine can cause your cat to test positive for FIV so it makes diagnosing the condition difficult. Plus, if your cat gets loose and picked up by animal control or someone wanting to adopt it, your cat might be euthanized if tests are positive for FIV, even if it's just the vaccine causing the false positive result. If you're worried about your cat contracting the virus, talk to your veterinarian about getting the vaccine and if it's right for your cat. If your cat stays outdoors and tends to fight with other cats, then the vaccine might be more appropriate than giving the vaccine when your cat stays inside all the time.

The best way to protect your cat from this virus is to turn your cat into an indoor cat. Keep the cat inside all the time so they can't be exposed to other cats that carry the virus. Keeping your cat indoors keeps your cat safer and healthier too. Also, always be careful about adding cats to your household so you don't bring an infected cat indoors. By taking these steps, you can protect your cat from FIV without a vaccine.

How To Treat FIV

FIV causes a variety of symptoms in cats that arise due to a compromised immune system. Your veterinarian can treat these conditions as they develop. You'll need to pay attention to any changes in your cat's health so you can get treatment early when symptoms flare up. Your cat may go for years after exposure before developing symptoms. Your cat may have conditions that arise and clear up, but eventually, your cat's health could rapidly decline.

Your cat can potentially live a long life that's mostly free of medical problems even with FIV. However, towards the end of your cat's life, debilitating conditions and organ failure may develop that cause emergency health scares. At that point, you may need to talk with your veterinarian about putting your cat to sleep to prevent pain and suffering since there isn't a cure for FIV.

For more information on other conditions your pets may face, visit a website like http://www.emergencypetclinics.com.