FIV-positive cats can live long, healthy, high-quality lives with appropriate management, but misconceptions lead to unnecessary euthanasia and adoption barriers.
FIV management welfare suffers from persistent public and sometimes veterinary misconceptions that cause unnecessary welfare harm through premature euthanasia or reduced adoption opportunities. The virus itself, managed well, is compatible with years of high-quality life. The welfare challenge is managing the secondary infections and immune compromise that develop over time, which requires regular veterinary monitoring and prompt treatment of illness rather than prophylactic treatment. The most significant welfare harm from FIV diagnosis often comes not from the virus itself but from the decisions made in response to the diagnosis: cats euthanised immediately after positive testing, cats languishing in shelters because adopters are deterred by their status, or cats denied indoor living that would protect their immune system. Accurate public understanding of FIV is therefore directly welfare-relevant.