Five reasons to rehome an FIV cat

Whether you’ve heard of Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus (FIV) before or not, it shouldn’t put you off rehoming an FIV cat.

This slow-acting virus affects only a small proportion of the cat population. However, they’re often overlooked when it comes to choosing a new member of the family as people often don’t understand how simple it can be to care for them.

FIV cats make just as wonderful pets as any other cat and may even be a better fit for you and your home. Here are our top five reasons to rehome an FIV cat:

1. THEY ARE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER CAT

Although there is no cure for FIV, many infected cats enjoy a normal and happy life without any health complications. The disease is also specific to cats, so it cannot be transmitted to humans, dogs or any other pets you may have. Read more about what FIV means for a cat’s health.

2. YOU WILL ALWAYS KNOW WHERE YOUR CAT IS

If you’re the type to worry when your cat doesn’t come in for their dinner, an FIV cat may be the perfect cat for you!

To keep your cat healthy and limit the risk of infecting other cats, we always rehome FIV cats to homes with ‘cat-proof' enclosed gardens. That means, adjusting your garden fence so your cat can’t climb over it and so other cats can’t climb in.

That means less risk of your cat going missing, getting into fights or getting into a traffic accident. You’ll always know that they’re safe and sound.

3. IT’S EASY TO ENCLOSE YOUR GARDEN

Turning your garden into a ‘cat-proof’ enclosed garden may sound complicated and costly, but it’s not! It typically involves adding a barrier, like an overhang of netting to the perimeter of your garden. We can offer you lots of advice on how best to ‘cat-proof’ your garden.

4. YOU WON’T HAVE TO PAY ONGOING COSTS

There isn’t any specific long-term treatment that an FIV cat needs. You’ll just need to do your best to keep them generally healthy and protected. This can be done by feeding them good quality food and making sure you keep on top of their vaccinations, flea and worming treatments.

5. YOU AND YOUR CAT CAN SPEND MORE TIME TOGETHER

It’s important to give every cat a fun and stimulating home to live in but this is particularly important with an FIV cat. With an enclosed garden, your cat will only have a limited space to roam around outside, so you’ll need to keep them busy and entertained!

Spending more time playing with your cat as well as giving them lots of places to hide and climb are a great start. You can see our advice on making a cat-friendly home and garden.

Best of all, your cat will always be there to greet you when you get home.

Meet our FIV cats looking for a new home.