FIV infected cat is a survivor thanks to PDSA

15 December 2015

A cat suffering from the feline equivalent of HIV is receiving treatment from PDSA vets to keep him as healthy as possible.

Twelve-year-old cat Sid, from Brighton, has Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), similar to the HIV virus in humans, which has no cure but is easily prevented.

Sid was adopted by owner Julie Harding (33) and her family seven years ago. The ginger cat has enjoyed relatively good health in that time, although he suffers from recurrent urinary tract infections and was recently treated by PDSA’s Brighton Pet Hospital for a severe mouth infection.

PDSA Senior Vet, Alice Duvernois, said: “Sid was brought to us with an infection in his gums, which is something we often see in cats suffering from FIV. After examining him, he underwent a dental procedure to remove a few of his teeth. His infection was treated with antibiotics and painkillers, and he’s now made a full recovery.”

Mother-of-three Julie said she had adopted Sid as she believes many people are unwilling to give cat’s suffering with FIV a home.

She said: “Sid was taken into a rescue centre after he was injured in a road traffic accident. While he was there he was diagnosed with FIV.

“He’s such a gorgeous cat but he’s been through the wars and you can tell he was a fighter from his battle scars.

“We decided to take on Sid as these cats unfairly often get overlooked or ignored. I think a lot of it is misunderstanding and some people mistakenly think they are going to somehow contract HIV from their cat.”

Sid is now neutered and Julie is careful to prevent him passing the disease on to other cats.

She said: “We live in a bungalow so it isn’t a problem that Sid has to be an indoor cat. He is great with the kids, we just have to be careful that no one accidentally leaves any doors open. In the summer we do take him outside on a lead so he can enjoy the warm weather but still be safe.

“Sid’s been to PDSA a few times over the years when he’s been ill. I can’t thank them enough for the care they have given him.”

PDSA’s Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report has revealed that nearly 900,000 cats in the UK are not neutered, meaning they have a much greater risk of contracting the deadly disease.
With no vaccine available, our vets advise that neutering cats is the best way to protect them as it reduces the chances of them coming into conflict with each other – the primary cause of the virus spreading. FIV poses no risk to human health.