How do cats catch feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)?
FIV is shed in the saliva and is mainly transmitted by fighting. It has been shown that FIV can transmit from the bitten cat to the biter, as well as the other way round. FIV is a fragile virus and can’t survive on food bowls, litter trays, cat baskets, etc., so it is quite safe to use, for example, the same basket to transport a healthy cat after using it to transport a FIV positive cat. Or it is quite safe to go home and pet your own, negative cat, after handling an FIV positive cat. People with boarding catteries should not be put off taking in a FIV positive cat, since they can’t carry the virus to other cats on their hands or clothing. However, cats from different owners should never be allowed to mix in boarding catteries. Although FIV is probably not often sexually transmitted, remember that toms hold the neck skin of queens when they are mating, which can allow FIV to pass from one to the other. Cat breeders should have their cats tested annually for FIV and should insist that
