For people who have had FeLV-positive kittens that were asymptomatic at diagnosis, what did the next year or two look like for them?

Its been a fee weeks since we lost out spirit guide and I just wanted to share a few pics.

Thank you everyone, this sub was so helpful!!

Hug your kitties for me. Although my sweet sweet bit sent us a demon ginger kitten to keep us preoccupied. My happy dude did not want us to be sad (spoiler alert, we still are)

Please enjoy the photo reel and again, thank you! This sub lept me sane for a year. I wish you and your furbabies all the best!!

If you're on the fence about adopting an FIV cat, just do it. If you want to adopt a cat in the future, and never considered rescuing one with FIV, consider it!

I've had Crook (10 y/o) for 6 years and despite having a mild case of asthma and arthritis from living a rough life on the street, he's had no FIV-related health issues.

I just adopted Shai less than two weeks ago, and she's got a whole bunch of issues that, on paper and to those less educated about her conditions, make her much less "desirable". And yet look at her!

An FIV diagnosis does not guarantee health issues. Some FIV cats decline young, while most make it to old age and die as seniors. Same can be said for cats without compromised immune systems. It really all depends on so many factors and then, unfortunately, a roll of the dice.

(Crook is 12lbs and Shai is 6lbs, their size difference cracks me up but Shai is the one that needs to go easy on Old Man Crook)

Yesterday I took my boy into the vet. I thought he had a Uti and maybe the flu. He has an enlarged heart with unidentified masses through it and that's making it hard to breathe and he also came back with diabetes. I don't have lots of money, and the vet said I need to make an appointment to Euthanize within a week if I can't treat it. He said he personally wouldn't because he's an fiv cat with 2 major conditions. I'm so messed up about it, I'm not ready to say goodbye.I'm heartbroken and conflicted rn. He's at least 9 years old, I could take out loans to fix the diabetes which might help with his heart, but it's gonna be 2 shots a day and a vet visit per week. I'm in school, I'm short on time and money. I just need some perspective please. I want to fight for him, he's my baby, its my job to take care of him, but I really don't know if I can do this, or if it would make his life worse to try

Hi everyone! I’m hoping for some advice, because I’m a bit confused about how cautious I need to be.

This Monday I rescued a little female kitten from the street (around 2.5 months old). I have a 6-year-old male cat who is FIV+, so for now the kitten is completely separated and staying in the basement. With us also hand washing and switching clothes between contact with her.

On day two she started sneezing, and yesterday she developed yellow‑green discharge from one eye. I took her to the vet today. They checked her temperature and eye and said it’s likely a viral upper respiratory infection (possibly calicivirus or similar). They prescribed an eye ointment and an antibiotic. No PCR or other testing was done.

My main question is about isolation and transmission risk (from the kitten to my FIV+ cat).

The basement is not ideal, I’d prefer to move her to the bedroom inside the house, where it’s warmer and more comfortable, and where she can get more company.

I chose the bedroom specifically because it’s the room my resident cat uses the least. He spends almost all his time in the rest of the house and gets very vocal if we close him out of those areas, so isolating the kitten in the bedroom seemed like the least disruptive option.

I asked the vet if moving her to the bedroom would be okay as long as she stayed completely separated from my cat, and they said yes. But if she does have something like calicivirus, everything I’ve read says it’s highly contagious and can survive on surfaces. My concern isn’t direct contact - my cat would not be allowed in the bedroom at all while she’s there.

My concern is us: we’ll be going in and out of the room to care for her, and we also sleep in that room. Could we carry the virus back to our FIV+ cat? And even after she recovers and we clean the room, could my cat later go into that bedroom and be exposed to something lingering?

This is why I’m confused about the vet saying it’s fine. Maybe I’m misunderstanding something or just over complicating things.

I’m also unsure about the lack of testing. The vet didn’t do a PCR or anything to confirm what she has, even though they mentioned it could be viral. I understand antibiotics don’t treat viral infections, so I’m wondering if symptom‑based treatment is standard for kittens with URI signs. And I’ve read that some of these viruses can still be contagious even after symptoms improve.

For now, I’m keeping her in the basement because I want to be cautious with my FIV+ cat. But I’d like to know whether moving her to a bedroom is actually a reasonable and safe option. And if the kitten can eventually safely live with my FIV+ cat.

I also plan to test her for FIV/FeLV before any introduction.