Can cats get sick from human viruses? Is my FIV+ cat's URI serious?

Poor Shadow! I strongly recommend contacting your veterinarian for an exam, possible diagnostics (for example a fecal, blood work, and/or x-rays), and medication. My biggest concern is that since he is FIV positive that his immune system will have a harder time fighting off the infection so the quicker you can get him on some medications the better. Also you can also get him started on Viralys gel which will sometimes help to boost his immune system during these difficult times. I hope he starts to feel better! Please feel free to contact us again on the forum or set up a consultation if you have additional questions or want more information. Thank you.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Silvester. Since he has FIV, the recovery period may take a little longer for this URI. If this was a suspected or confirmed herpes virus infection URI, I would advise using famciclovir if it doesn't start resolving. Famvir is an antiviral and helps to disrupt viral replication, thus directly treating the viral infection if that is the cause. Another thing I would try is humidified air treatments. Turn on a hot shower in a bathroom and let the room fill with the steam. Place Silvester in there for 10-15 minute treatments. This will help to hydrate his respiratory system. Sounds like everything else you are doing is exactly what I would recommend. I definitely prefer Doxy especially in these stubborn URI cases. You may also consult your vet about using some type of saline nasal drops also. Good luck with Silvester. I hope he gets over this soon. Another thing I always try to address is the intestinal parasite issue because intestinal parasites will affect the nutritional status of the pet, which will ultimately affect their overall health and their ability to fight off disease.

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This is an undesirable situation to be in when adopting a new kitten. You did the right thing by leaving kitty there becuase upper respiratory infections are highly contagious. However, if your cats are up to date on their FVRCP vaccine, this greatly reduces the chances of them getting ill also. There is a small chance that the virus can survive on fomite objects, but typically it is spread through direct contact or through aerosolized droplets from oral secretions, similar to the flu or common cold. You can change your clothing just to be safe, before coming in contact with your cats and home and just wash your clothing as you normally would, and monitor your cats for any symptoms. However, like I said, there is a low chance of transmission this way. Upper respiratory infections are very common in cats, so once the kitty is free of illness, wait about 10 days before considering adopting him. He also should be up to date on his vaccinations. Once a cat gets infected, they are likely to get re-infected in the future and have upper airway issues as an adult. I hope this helps and best wishes with your prospect kitty. Take care.

This seems unusual - FIV is a viral disease and vaccines would not be considered a trigger. It’s difficult to know whether or not these symptoms are related to FIV without knowing the results of the confirmatory test or the other lab work. If she does have FIV it’s possible that she could live a normal life span although she will be predisposed to infections in the future. Your vet may want to run more tests to look for infections.

I agree, those symptoms are concerning for intestinal, oral, or kidney disease. Unless the test was falsely positive, cats don't outgrow FIV. There is also no cure for the virus, though not all cats that have it will develop disease. I would recommend that Tiger get checked out by the vet. After a thorough physical exam and review of his symptoms, the vet may recommend bloodwork, urinalysis, or x-rays to see what is going on. Here is more information on FIV in cats: https://www.petcoach.co/article/feline-immunodeficiency-virus-fiv-in-cats/

Please consult this website for more information regarding FIV- https://www.catvets.com/guidelines/practice-guidelines/retrovirus-management-guidelines https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feline-upper-respiratory-infection

That is a great question. Upper respiratory infections in cats are highly contagious. If one of your friends has a sick cat at their home, they can spread the infection to your cat if they have any contamination on their hands or clothes. Your cat can also contract an infection if they are in close enough contact to any outdoor cats that are sick, such as a sick cat sneezing near your open window, etc. You can picture children on a school setting and how easy it is to spread a virus...it is the same with cats.