Almost 1 Million UK Cats At Higher Risk Of Feline HIV

Hundreds of thousands of cats in the UK are at risk of contracting a killer disease, a vet charity has warned.

The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) said there are 880,000 cats which have not been neutered, putting them at risk of contracting the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus.

The cat equivalent to HIV, FIV has no cure but can be prevented by neutering. The PDSA has called for UK pet owners to take care of their cats ahead of World Aids Day on December 1.

FIV, which poses to risk to humans, can lead to a breakdown of the cat’s immune system. Although the animal may appear healthy and show no symptoms of illness, it often has to be put down in the later stages of the disease.

Without a vaccine available, neutering is the best way to protect cats as it prevents the virus spreading, the PDSA said.

FIV is transmitted mainly through biting and male cats that haven’t been neutered pose the greatest risk.

“FIV belongs to the same group of viruses as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and in much the same way as HIV, it depletes the number of white blood cells, meaning they are more prone to infection,” said PDSA vet Vicki Larkham-Jones.

“The virus lives in the blood and saliva of infected cats but, like HIV, it cannot survive long outside the body, so direct contact is usually necessary to spread the virus.

“Once a cat contracts FIV there is no cure, so the best way to protect them is neutering. Thanks to funding support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery we’ll be delivering 30,000 neutering operations this year and educating pet owners about the benefits.

“The procedure is relatively simple and the many health benefits far outweigh the small cost to protect your cat’s long-term health.”

She said that FIV-infected cats should be neutered and kept indoors, although the risk of passing on the virus is low unless the animals fight.

“It is important for owners to remember that FIV poses no risk to their own health, as humans and other species can’t catch it,” she added.

(Picture: Rex Features)