Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus that affects domesticated housecats worldwide. According to J. R. Richards (Feline immunodeficiency virus vaccine: Implications for diagnostic testing and disease management. Biologicals, Dec 2005, Vol. 33 Issue 4, p215-217, 3p ), 11% of cats worldwide are infected with FIV. According to another study, 2.5% of cats in the USA are infected with FIV. (Feline immunodeficiency virus vaccine: A rational paradigm for clinical decision-making. By: Zislin, Arne. Biologicals, Dec2005, Vol. 33 Issue 4, p219-220, 2p). FIV is in the same retrovirus family as Feline leukemia virus (FeLV). FIV differs taxonomically from two other feline retroviruses, feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline foamy virus (FFV). Within FIV, five subtypes have been identified based on animo acid sequence differences coding for the viral envelope. FIV is not a death sentence for cats, but is also not curable.

FIV was first discovered in 1986 in a colony of cats that had a high prevalence of opportunistic infections and degenerative conditions, and has since been identified as an endemic disease in domestic cat populations all over the world. (Johnson, http://www.ivis.org/proceedings/acvp/2005/Johnson/chapter.asp?LA=1)

The primary mode of transmission for FIV is deep bite wounds whereas FeLV is easily spread by casual contact such as grooming and shared water bowls; experts disagree as to whether FIV can be spread by casual contact. FIV is also transmitted via mucosal surfaces such as those in the mouth, rectum, and vagina. FIV attacks the immune system of cats, much like the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks the immune system of human beings. FIV infects many cell types in its host, including CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and macrophages. FIV eventually leads to debilitation of the immune system in its feline hosts by the infection and exhaustion of T-helper (CD4+) cells. FIV and HIV are both lentiviruses, however, neither can infect the other's usual host: humans cannot be infected by FIV nor can cats be infected by HIV. FIV is transmitted primarily through saliva (bites), such as those incurred during territorial battles between males. Cats housed exclusively indoors are much less likely to be infected provided they do not come in contact with infected cats.

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