Significance

• FIV is a worldwide feline disease, though the prevalence of the disease varies between countries and regions. According to Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, approximately 1.5 percent to 3 percent of healthy cats in the U.S. are infected with FIV. Sick cats are at higher risk and approximately 15 percent of sick or high-risk cats carry the virus.
  
  

Identification

• FIV affects the cat's immune system, causing chronic health problems and infections. The first stage occurs approximately four to six weeks after infection and includes symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph nodes and skin or intestinal infections, according to the Berkeley East Bay Humane Society in California. The second, or latent, stage can last for years and while there are no symptoms, the virus slowly attacks the cat's immune system. By the third and final stage, the cat's immune system is so compromised that is has difficulty fighting off even the mildest illness. Cats in the final stage of FIV tend to develop upper respiratory infections, skin and ear diseases, abscesses, chronic sinusitis, intestinal infections and in rare cases, neurological dysfunction or tumors.
  
  

Diagnosis

• To diagnose FIV in a cat, a veterinarian will run antibody tests, according to Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. If antibodies are present, the test is positive. However, antibodies do not show up in the cat's blood until approximately eight to 12 weeks after infection. If this is the case, the test might result in a false-negative.
  
  

Treatment

• While there is no cure for FIV, it is possible to manage the virus. Keeping the cat's stress level low by providing a stable, unchanging environment helps slow the virus's progress, according to the Berkeley East Bay Humane Society. Feeding a cat a nutritional diet helps its immune system. Regular vet visits for a serum biochemical analysis, urinalysis and complete blood count helps you keep tabs on your cat's health and the progress of the virus.
  
  

Prevention

• The main way to prevent the spread of FIV is to keep FIV-positive cats in the house at all times and away from other cats, according to the Cat Fancier's Association. Keeping the cat indoors protects it from opportunistic diseases carried by other cats and injuries that could be fatal to the FIV-positive cat. In 2002, a FIV vaccine became available in the U.S. There is debate as to its effectiveness and not all veterinary clinics offer the vaccine.