I would like to remind owners of outdoor pets to make sure they have their pets regularly tested and vaccinated for diseases contracted through contact with other animals. I recently took a sick-looking stray cat to my vet and found he was positive for FIV — the feline version of HIV/AIDS.

The vet told me it’s not a common disease in cats, but is transmitted the same way HIV/AIDS is in humans. FIV is not transmissible between cats and humans.

This cat had been wandering in my lower North Mankato neighborhood for at least a week. If you have cats that may have come in contact with this one or any other stray cats, please have them tested for FIV for their sake and the sake of all other outdoor pets.