Is it safe to adopt a stray cat if my cats tested positive for FCoV?

Coronavirus itself is in most cases harmless to cats and many cats will have a coronavirus infection that will go unnoticed. The problem in a very small minority of cases is that this virus mutate into a new form and becomes what is known as FIP (feline infectious peritonitis) which is a fatal disease. The mutated virus cannot be transmitted to another cat. To summarise, risk is minor, but still exist.

Coronavirus is not a concern wth adult cats, but FIV/FeLV is. I would make sure she is tested for those diseases and is tested for parasites (internal and external) prior to introducing them. If all that checks out, and she is deemed healthy by a vet, then there is little chance of her giving anything to your indoor cats. I hope that helps and all is well with Little chick and the other two.

It would be safe to adopt another FIV+ cat. The risk of transmission of FIV is relatively low between cats that are friendly but the safest route would be to find another positive cat. If you decide to adopt another cat make sure to introduce the cats slowly and ensure you have adequate resources for both cats. This is a great source for introducing a new cat into your household: https://icatcare.org/advice/how-introduce-kitten-cat

FIV is transmitted by bite wounds, so there is little risk to your adopted cat. If you want to be sure you can always have her tested when she arrives. FIV is only a cat disease as well, so there is no risk to your dogs.

You would need to check with your doctor to see if this would be a problem for you, as that's human medicine which we aren't qualified to answer. As for the cat, there are not very many illnesses humans and cats can pass back and forth, so the cat should be fine.

I'm sorry to hear that you lost a cat to FIP. It certainly is a devastating disease. Unfortunately, there isn't a simple answer to your question. Since we never know which cat's bodies will transform FeCoV into FIP, we have no way of protecting those cats. Most cats have been exposed to FeCoV. So, a new cat that you adopt may already have FeCoV. And your cats may have cleared their FeCoV infection, so they may not have anything to pass along. I am attaching a handout with more information about FIP and FeCoV below. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951549 I wish there was a simple answer to your question, but this is a very complicated disease and unfortunately, we simply don't know enough to answer your question. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Gimli. He is so handsome! I love that you have adopted an FIV+ cat, many people will not do that. It shows the kind of person you are, very caring. Cats who are FIV- can live with cats who are FIV+ without issue. The method of transmission is through a bite, so if your two cats live peacefully with each other, it cannot be transmitted. The most important thing to do is get your FIV- cat vaccinated again FIV. That will protect the cat from getting it. I have personally heard of a number of mixed households where they lived peacefully with each other. Get your cat fully vaccinated against FIV before integrating them. I hope this helps!