Detailed description
Feline HIV (FIV) is a lentiviral virus that infects cats worldwide, with 2.5% to 4.4% of cats infected. FIV is taxonomically different from the other two feline retroviruses, feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline foam virus (FFV), and is closely related to HIV (HIV). In FIV, five subtypes have been identified based on differences in nucleotide sequences encoding viral envelope (ENV) or polymerase (POL). FIVs are the only non-primate lentiviruses that cause AIDS-like syndrome, but FIVs are not generally lethal to cats because they can live relatively healthy for many years as carriers and transmitters of the disease. Vaccines can be used, although their efficacy is uncertain. After vaccination, the cat tested positive for FIV antibodies.