04.11.2025 17:50
Recently, a condition known as 'Cat AIDS,' which has no definitive treatment, has emerged in Turkey. It was observed in a kitten named Kasım in Sivas. The veterinarian who treated the cat, İbrahim Özmen, stated, "FIV is a disease that has no cure, similar to the HIV virus found in humans. It may not show symptoms for a long time, but it is mostly contagious. It is beneficial for animals to undergo regular check-ups."
Ahmet Kuzu (49), who found and adopted his 5-month-old cat Kasım on the street, brought him to the veterinary clinic due to a wound in his mouth. Expert veterinarian İbrahim Özmen noticed five different types of infections in the cat after various tests. Özmen, who thought that having this many types of infections was excessive for a 5-month-old cat, conducted a test for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), known as cat AIDS. The test result revealed that Kasım, who had a very low immune system, was diagnosed with FIV.
"NO SYMPTOMS LIKE IN HUMANS" Veterinarian İbrahim Özmen, who made a statement on the subject, provided information about the disease and emphasized the importance of regular check-ups for animals. Özmen said, "Kasım's disease is a condition we call cat AIDS. Kasım is a cat that was found on the street. He came to us with a wound on the side of his mouth. The owner brought him in for treatment. We worked a bit to determine whether the wound was due to a dental abscess, trauma, or an infection. However, we noticed that he carried five different infections, and we thought that the excessive number of infections was related to the collapse of his immune system, so we conducted a test for FIV, the cause of cat AIDS, and it came back positive. Over the years, both animals and humans develop an antibody, or a knowledge bank, as they encounter bacteria and viruses. The HIV virus in humans is similar to the FIV virus in cats. This essentially resets our immune system's knowledge bank, leaving our bodies defenseless. Just as not every human with HIV has AIDS, not every cat with FIV has AIDS. For the conditions of cat AIDS to manifest, clinical findings must also accompany it. Cat AIDS is transmitted through blood and sexually, just like in humans. It is a topic of debate whether it is transmitted through bites or body fluids since cats usually bite each other while mating. However, the presence of the virus has been tested in body fluids as well. Female cats transmit the virus more than male cats. There is no treatment for the FIV virus, just like there is no treatment for the HIV virus in humans. This is because it is a virus that integrates into the cat's DNA. It may not show symptoms for a long time, but it is mostly contagious," he stated.
"FIV VIRUS IN CATS DOES NOT TRANSMIT TO HUMANS" Özmen, who stated that there is no treatment for the FIV virus, said, "The FIV virus in cats definitely does not transmit to humans. For it to transmit from cat to cat, certain conditions must be met, such as bites, blood, or sexual contact. Mr. Ahmet, who brought the cat to us, is a citizen who also cares for injured animals on the street. He saw Kasım with a mouth wound. Of course, he did not expect the story to end like this. We were surprised that a 5-month-old cat could have so many diseases. We investigated whether there was another disease that really shook the immune system. In this way, we identified the FIV virus that causes 'cat AIDS.' Now we are treating the five different diseases that are currently developing. There is no treatment method for the FIV agent. There is also no treatment method for the HIV virus in humans. However, there are applications that improve the quality of life. In other words, there are applications that can keep the immune system strong against other diseases. But it is not possible to completely rid it of the FIV virus. The virus naturally disappears within minutes at normal room temperature. If it didn't, many cats would die because of this virus. An AIDS-infected cat can safely be kept with other cats as long as it does not mate or bite or injure them. It is beneficial for cat owners to have their animals regularly checked at certain intervals as a precaution," he expressed.
"A CHALLENGING PROCESS AWAITS US" Ahmet Kuzu, who found and adopted Kasım, said, "I live in a house with a garden, and I sometimes leave food for the cats outside. I noticed this animal looking a bit unwell. When I examined him, I noticed he had a wound in his mouth. I brought him to İbrahim to have a look. Tests were done. I just learned that there is a condition called cat AIDS. We found out that our cat has AIDS. This made me a bit upset. The treatments are ongoing, and a challenging process awaits us. We named him Kasım. Since he was a street animal before, I can't determine his exact age, but he is approximately 4-5 months old. I had been seeing him for about a month and a half while feeding him. He has been with me for the last week or ten days. I did not expect him to have such a disease. I thought he might have caught a cold. But the situation is more critical," he said.