WHAT HAPPENS TO A CAT WITH FIV?
There are 3 stages of FIV infection: • Acute – This occurs 4-6 weeks after the initial infection. The cat may get a mild fever for a few days, swollen lymph nodes (lasting several days to weeks), and decreased white blood cell count. There may be some anemia or diarrhea. Then these symptoms go away, and the cat enters the second stage: • Latent (Asymptomatic) – In the latent stage, there are no symptoms, although the cat tests FIV+. This stage can last for years. In fact, many cats die of other causes before the chronic stage develops. • Chronic – The chronic stage is where the cat’s immune system can’t effectively fight off infection. FIV interferes with a type of white blood cell called the T-helper cell. Over time the immune system is depressed. Later, lymph nodes are affected and all types of white blood cells are suppressed. This leads to chronic inflammation and infection. Mouth infections are characteristic: gingivitis (gum inflammation), stomatitis (inflammation of the mouth li
