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Actualités à la Une Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) in Cats What is feline immunodeficiency virus? Retroviruses are species-specific. This means a feline retrovirus like FIV will only infect cats; a human retrovirus such as HIV will only infect humans. Retroviruses are fragile, being easily inactivated by ultraviolet light, heat, detergents, and drying. How is FIV transmitted? FIV is NOT transmitted by prolonged close contact, as is the case for FeLV. How common is FIV? FIV is found worldwide in domestic cats, and also infects wild felines including snow leopards, lions, tigers, jaguars, Florida panthers, and bobcats. Male cats are at least twice as likely to become infected with FIV as female cats. How does the virus cause disease? The third stage is the final or AIDS-like stage, and occurs most commonly in cats 5-12 years of age. What are the clinical signs of disease? FIV-infected cats may show nonspecific signs such as lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), and weight loss. How is FIV infection diagnosed?