FIV was first discovered in a cat rescue facility in the United States where cats had been showing similar clinical signs to people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome<sup>2</sup>. Subsequently it has been shown that FIV has been present in the cat population since the late 1960s, and that the virus is very similar to the human retrovirus, HIV. However, despite these similarities, FIV is specific to cats, and people cannot become infected with the virus. | FIV was first discovered in a cat rescue facility in the United States where cats had been showing similar clinical signs to people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome<sup>2</sup>. Subsequently it has been shown that FIV has been present in the cat population since the late 1960s, and that the virus is very similar to the human retrovirus, HIV. However, despite these similarities, FIV is specific to cats, and people cannot become infected with the virus. |