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Should we release feral cats who test positive for FIV?

Nathan Winograd shares his experiences leading the San Francisco SPCA’s feral cat program, dealing with the issue of FIV+ feral cats.

January 23, 2019 by Friends For Life

“What we do as feral cat caretakers and advocates is not easy. But we do it because we care — because we love cats. There is a lot of fear around FIV. And I would encourage you not to let your cats become the innocent victims of that fear. Their lives are too precious.” – Nathan Winograd

FIV_and_Ferals

Click to Read the Full Article from Feral Cat Activist


Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is a slow-acting virus that weakens a cat’s immune system over the years. This makes the cat susceptible to secondary infections.

But there’s good news: FIV-positive cats who receive regular medical care and live in low-stress, indoor homes can lead long, largely normal lives.

Download PDF

NOTE: Many people confuse FIV with FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus), but they are very different. In most cases, FIV tends to have less of an impact on lifespan than FeLV.

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Category iconShelter Best Practices Tag iconcat,  community cats,  TNR,  wellness

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Friends For Life Shelter

107 E 22nd Street
Houston, TX 77008

713-863-9835

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