Conflicting accounts have been published in the veterinary literature regarding transmission of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) between cohabiting cats in mixed households, and the mechanics of possible casual transmission, if it occurs, are poorly understood. Similarly, there are conflicting reports of vertical transmission of FIV.
I don't know what to make of this. The rescue sites are all linking to each other and crowing that FIV is not transmissible to cats living in the same household as long as there are no bites. This would be wonderful, but it has not been proven.
It has NOT been proven.
The article reports that 138 cats in one rescue did not catch FIV from an FIV+ cat It says that 19 kittens born of FIV+ queens didn't catch it through the placenta or by nursing. This is too small of a sample to be statistically significant.
Try it again with 1000 cats.
Here's more info about FIV from Cornell University.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
