Talk Cancer » Leukemia » FIP cat
FIP cat
Question:
RE: Keith’s questions about FIP positive cat. One of my cat’s has just been diagnosed with FIP although she doesn’t have many of the symptoms (the ones she has point towards it, but are not definitive, at least nor to me). The vet said that many cats are exposed to the virus, but fight it off and then are simply positive, but may never develop the disease. Some of these may be carriers and some may not. They may at some point be exposed again and then get a full blown case. At this point we are taking a wait and see approach. Blackie (if it really is FIP) has the noneffusive version (no fluid build up) and does not appear to be in any discomfort and is not running a temperature. After reading a lot of info I have decided to have my other cats vaccinated. If they are positive, the vaccine will not help protect them, but for any of them that are still negative it will give an approx. 70% protection. The literature I have found does say that in laboratory conditions some FIP positive cats have become sick after being vaccinated, but all the reports that I have seen by real world vets say that they have never seen such a case in their practice and my vet also said that among he and his colleagues, they had also never heard of an actual house pet contracting full blown FIP from the vaccine. It appears to be something which can be induced in a lab, but does not happen in the field. The reports also state that kittens under 18 months are at the greatest risk and after them is cats over 8 years who have a suppressed immune system (ones who are ill or underweight, etc.). Also, multiple cat households, or outdoor cats are at greater risk of coming into contact with a carrier cat. However, this disease appears to be very rare , one vet said that in over 8600 patients, they diagnosed only 2 FIP’s for sure and had one maybe. I only wish that I had known about this earlier. Perhaps I would have had my cats vaccinated like I did for Feline Leukemia and Rabies. Christy "For some it is performance, for others, patronage, they are two sides of the same coin." - The Player (Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead)
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m sorry to hear about your poor kittens. My girlfriend’s housemate just got a kitten from the local shelter, and later found out that it has been exposed the the FIP virus through testing – the kitten’s (Maru) brother had a full blown case of the disease, and they called Maru in to be tested when the vet found out. I have never been a cat owner, and I had never heard of FIP until Maru’s diagnosis a few months ago, and I’m afraid I have very little knowledge of the disease, so I am hoping that someone can fill me in on some of the questions we’ve been having. Maru is almost a year old, and has thus far shown no symptoms that seem associated with the disease. She’s very active, has a voracious appetite, and seems perfectly normal. So we’d all like to know what a typical FIP incubation period is (if there is a "normal" time period), and have there been cases of cats being carriers without ever entering into full blown FIP? -Keith
Hi. Feline infectious peritonitis is caused by a feline enteric coronavirus that has somehow mutated to become more invasive and virulent. In adult cats feline enteric coronavirus infection usually goes unnoticed, and even infections in young kittens cause only a transient, mild diarrhea. If the feline enteric coronavirus did not mutate into the FIP virus, most people really would not worry about it. When Maru was tested it was most likely a test (serologic) to determine if he has cirulating antibody to feline coronavirus. If this test was positive then you know that Maru has been infected with a feline coronavirus, either an enteric (intestinal) coronavirus or the FIP virus. Infection with either virus, and most likely it was an enteric coronavirus, does not mean that Maru will develop FIP. It just means that Maru was infected with a feline coronavirus. Infection with a feline coronavirus does not equal FIP. In order for FIP to develop, a number of events must take place after infection. First, the feline coronavirus must become invasive, that is be capable of multiplying in cells in tissues outside the intestinal tract. Next, the cat’s immune response this invasive mutant must be ineffective in controlling and clearing the virus. FIP represents the failure of the cat’s immune system to control the infection. In many infected cats, the feline enteric coronavirus never mutates into the FIP virus. In other cases, when a mutant FIP virus arises, the cat’s immune system functions well, and quells the infection. Only a small percentage of cats infected with the feline coronavirus ever develop FIP. In fact, the studies that I am aware of generally find that only 5% (1 in 20) of the feline coronavirus infected cats go on to develop FIP. Generally, the greatest risk of a cat developing FIP occurs in the 6 months following infection with feline coronavirus. Thereafter, the risk becomes less during the next 6 months, and then almost disappears. The greatest incidence of FIP occurs in cats about 1/2 to 2 years of age. As the cat gets older, there is less likelihood of it developing FIP. Few cases of FIP are seen in cats between 5 and 12 years of age. After 12 years of age, FIP may be seen in cats whose aging immune systems are no longer robust enough curtail the infection. Yes, there is a good chance that Maru will not develop FIP. Good luck. KW Theil Wooster, Ohio
Response:
: I’m both angry and grief-stricken about this. Mattie is my only cat and : I love her dearly. We’ve kept her indoors since we got her 16 months : ago AND got her vaccinated for FIP. She’s the sweetest cat I’ve ever met : and never bites, scratches, or hisses at me, and just likes to snuggle most : of the time. I don’t expect her to live forever, but maybe I can get the : disease into a short remission so I can spend as much time with Mattie : as possible.
I’m sorry to hear about your poor kittens. My girlfriend’s housemate just got a kitten from the local shelter, and later found out that it has been exposed the the FIP virus through testing – the kitten’s (Maru) brother had a full blown case of the disease, and they called Maru in to be tested when the vet found out. I have never been a cat owner, and I had never heard of FIP until Maru’s diagnosis a few months ago, and I’m afraid I have very little knowledge of the disease, so I am hoping that someone can fill me in on some of the questions we’ve been having. Maru is almost a year old, and has thus far shown no symptoms that seem associated with the disease. She’s very active, has a voracious appetite, and seems perfectly normal. So we’d all like to know what a typical FIP incubation period is (if there is a "normal" time period), and have there been cases of cats being carriers without ever entering into full blown FIP? My girlfriend and her housemate had been prepared for the worst when they heard the sad news 4 months ago, but since the cat has been so normal, my fear is that they might build up a false expectation that Maru might be one of the cats that "breaks the odds." If anyone could help us out, I would be grateful. -Keith
Response:
I had a cat named Betty with FIP. It was the kind where it filled her lungs up with fluid so she would not have lived more than a few days. The news was devastating. Betty was my favorite. A very sweet cat. The biggest mystery to me is how Betty got it. I got her from the Humane Society at about five months of age. She had no symptoms of FIP up until the very end so it came as a great shock. From what I have read, the wet form seems to take its toll quicker. At the time Betty was diagnosed, I had five other cats three of which we had when we got her and two that we got later. Here’s another mystery. After Betty was diagnosed, I immediately had my other five cats vaccinated for FIP. They had not been previously diagnosed. If the theory is that the virus can be accelerate by the vaccine in exposed cats, it doesn’t hold any water in my case. All five cats are still alive and well and it has been over two years since we lost Betty. As far as I know, one of them may be a carrier and exposed Betty. I would say it’s almost certain that whether or not Betty carried the virus or she carried it herself, she probably exposed my other cats. I’m not sure I believe the theory about the vaccine accelerating the virus. Look at the terrible odds I had with five other cats in the house. I’m just very happy that my other cats are well and happy. I wish you the best with your kitty. It’s a very hard thing to deal with and I am very sorry this happened to you. I wish they could find a cure for FIP. Suzy
Response:
our kitten Spider had FIP at about 6 months. some controversy regarding the vaccine suggests that it can actually cause FIP. we had just had her vaccinated for it. Anyway, we kept her comfortable for as long as we could, and let the vet see her frequently to decide when it was time to put her out of her misery. prolonging their life at this point is probably more for you, than Mattie, right? That’s okay but keep on top of his condition so he doesn’t suffer.
Response:
: I’m both angry and grief-stricken about this. Mattie is my only cat and : I love her dearly. We’ve kept her indoors since we got her 16 months : ago AND got her vaccinated for FIP. She’s the sweetest cat I’ve ever met : and never bites, scratches, or hisses at me, and just likes to snuggle most : of the time. I don’t expect her to live forever, but maybe I can get the : disease into a short remission so I can spend as much time with Mattie : as possible. I hate to tell you this, but if Mattie was exposed to FIP _before_ you had her vaccinated, you may have accelerated the disease. The vaccine has a low success rate, and has *given the disease* to some cats rather than prevented it, and has been shown to aggravate the symptoms when given to cats who have been exposed to FIP. If your cat came from a shelter or a multi-cat household, there is a good possibility that the cat has been exposed to FIP. All the titer test tells you is that the cat has been exposed to this _family of viruses_ (there is more than one, and they can/may mutate into FIP). We just lost our youngest, Robin, to effusive FIP at the end of November. All I can tell you, is make Mattie as comfortable as possible, and give her a hug from me…. Lori Coulson — …Or do you still wait for me, Dream Giver… Just around the riverbend? Pocahontas
Response:
Hi, My cat, Mattie, was diagnosed with non-effusive FIP two weeks ago. The main shock, disbelief, and grief has finally worn off a bit so I can now think a bit more clearly. I now want to learn how to best take care of my cat to make her as comfortable as possible. I’ve been searching the web for the past two weeks and have a pretty good idea of what the medical people say. Does anyone have any stories of how they personally dealt with this? Apparently, the mean survival rate for non-effusive FIP is two weeks, and Mattie is still going strong. We are fairly sure that the diagnosis of dry FIP is correct. I’ve taken her to two Vet’s who both concur on the diagnosis. Her temperature was 106 on the day that she was diagnosed, and her serum proteins were 11 (7 is normal). Her A-G ratio was .23 (~.5 is normal), and she tested positive for the FIP coronavirus titer test. Her WBC count is also a bit high, and she’s a bit anemic. Oh, and she went from 8.5lbs to 6.25 lbs in a year most of the loss being in the last 4 months. Luckily she has tested negative for both FIV and LeLV. We’ve got her on prednisolone and baytril twice daily as well as a vitamin supplement. She’s eating fine (probably because of the prednisolone), and from about 2am thru about 5pm has a temperature of 101.5 degrees. However, in the evenings, her temperature spikes to upwards of 105 degrees, and she gets lethargic. I’ve mostly concerned myself with feeding her and making her as comfortable as possible. If she wants canned food at 2am, I’ll get up and get it for her. I’ve also started changing her water and litter more frequently because the prednisolone is making her urinate more frequently. I’m both angry and grief-stricken about this. Mattie is my only cat and I love her dearly. We’ve kept her indoors since we got her 16 months ago AND got her vaccinated for FIP. She’s the sweetest cat I’ve ever met and never bites, scratches, or hisses at me, and just likes to snuggle most of the time. I don’t expect her to live forever, but maybe I can get the disease into a short remission so I can spend as much time with Mattie as possible. So does anyone have any stories on how they’ve dealt with FIP and what I should expect? Thanks, Cheryl — Cheryl Southard
Response:
RE: Keith’s questions about FIP positive cat. One of my cat’s has just been diagnosed with FIP although she doesn’t have many of the symptoms (the ones she has point towards it, but are not definitive, at least nor to me). The vet said that many cats are exposed to the virus, but fight it off and then are simply positive, but may never develop the disease. Some of these may be carriers and some may not. They may at some point be exposed again and then get a full blown case. At this point we are taking a wait and see approach. Blackie (if it really is FIP) has the noneffusive version (no fluid build up) and does not appear to be in any discomfort and is not running a temperature. After reading a lot of info I have decided to have my other cats vaccinated. If they are positive, the vaccine will not help protect them, but for any of them that are still negative it will give an approx. 70% protection. The literature I have found does say that in laboratory conditions some FIP positive cats have become sick after being vaccinated, but all the reports that I have seen by real world vets say that they have never seen such a case in their practice and my vet also said that among he and his colleagues, they had also never heard of an actual house pet contracting full blown FIP from the vaccine. It appears to be something which can be induced in a lab, but does not happen in the field. The reports also state that kittens under 18 months are at the greatest risk and after them is cats over 8 years who have a suppressed immune system (ones who are ill or underweight, etc.). Also, multiple cat households, or outdoor cats are at greater risk of coming into contact with a carrier cat. However, this disease appears to be very rare , one vet said that in over 8600 patients, they diagnosed only 2 FIP’s for sure and had one maybe. I only wish that I had known about this earlier. Perhaps I would have had my cats vaccinated like I did for Feline Leukemia and Rabies. Christy "For some it is performance, for others, patronage, they are two sides of the same coin." - The Player (Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead)
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m sorry to hear about your poor kittens. My girlfriend’s housemate just got a kitten from the local shelter, and later found out that it has been exposed the the FIP virus through testing – the kitten’s (Maru) brother had a full blown case of the disease, and they called Maru in to be tested when the vet found out. I have never been a cat owner, and I had never heard of FIP until Maru’s diagnosis a few months ago, and I’m afraid I have very little knowledge of the disease, so I am hoping that someone can fill me in on some of the questions we’ve been having. Maru is almost a year old, and has thus far shown no symptoms that seem associated with the disease. She’s very active, has a voracious appetite, and seems perfectly normal. So we’d all like to know what a typical FIP incubation period is (if there is a "normal" time period), and have there been cases of cats being carriers without ever entering into full blown FIP? -Keith
Hi. Feline infectious peritonitis is caused by a feline enteric coronavirus that has somehow mutated to become more invasive and virulent. In adult cats feline enteric coronavirus infection usually goes unnoticed, and even infections in young kittens cause only a transient, mild diarrhea. If the feline enteric coronavirus did not mutate into the FIP virus, most people really would not worry about it. When Maru was tested it was most likely a test (serologic) to determine if he has cirulating antibody to feline coronavirus. If this test was positive then you know that Maru has been infected with a feline coronavirus, either an enteric (intestinal) coronavirus or the FIP virus. Infection with either virus, and most likely it was an enteric coronavirus, does not mean that Maru will develop FIP. It just means that Maru was infected with a feline coronavirus. Infection with a feline coronavirus does not equal FIP. In order for FIP to develop, a number of events must take place after infection. First, the feline coronavirus must become invasive, that is be capable of multiplying in cells in tissues outside the intestinal tract. Next, the cat’s immune response this invasive mutant must be ineffective in controlling and clearing the virus. FIP represents the failure of the cat’s immune system to control the infection. In many infected cats, the feline enteric coronavirus never mutates into the FIP virus. In other cases, when a mutant FIP virus arises, the cat’s immune system functions well, and quells the infection. Only a small percentage of cats infected with the feline coronavirus ever develop FIP. In fact, the studies that I am aware of generally find that only 5% (1 in 20) of the feline coronavirus infected cats go on to develop FIP. Generally, the greatest risk of a cat developing FIP occurs in the 6 months following infection with feline coronavirus. Thereafter, the risk becomes less during the next 6 months, and then almost disappears. The greatest incidence of FIP occurs in cats about 1/2 to 2 years of age. As the cat gets older, there is less likelihood of it developing FIP. Few cases of FIP are seen in cats between 5 and 12 years of age. After 12 years of age, FIP may be seen in cats whose aging immune systems are no longer robust enough curtail the infection. Yes, there is a good chance that Maru will not develop FIP. Good luck. KW Theil Wooster, Ohio
Response:
: I’m both angry and grief-stricken about this. Mattie is my only cat and : I love her dearly. We’ve kept her indoors since we got her 16 months : ago AND got her vaccinated for FIP. She’s the sweetest cat I’ve ever met : and never bites, scratches, or hisses at me, and just likes to snuggle most : of the time. I don’t expect her to live forever, but maybe I can get the : disease into a short remission so I can spend as much time with Mattie : as possible.
I’m sorry to hear about your poor kittens. My girlfriend’s housemate just got a kitten from the local shelter, and later found out that it has been exposed the the FIP virus through testing – the kitten’s (Maru) brother had a full blown case of the disease, and they called Maru in to be tested when the vet found out. I have never been a cat owner, and I had never heard of FIP until Maru’s diagnosis a few months ago, and I’m afraid I have very little knowledge of the disease, so I am hoping that someone can fill me in on some of the questions we’ve been having. Maru is almost a year old, and has thus far shown no symptoms that seem associated with the disease. She’s very active, has a voracious appetite, and seems perfectly normal. So we’d all like to know what a typical FIP incubation period is (if there is a "normal" time period), and have there been cases of cats being carriers without ever entering into full blown FIP? My girlfriend and her housemate had been prepared for the worst when they heard the sad news 4 months ago, but since the cat has been so normal, my fear is that they might build up a false expectation that Maru might be one of the cats that "breaks the odds." If anyone could help us out, I would be grateful. -Keith
Response:
I had a cat named Betty with FIP. It was the kind where it filled her lungs up with fluid so she would not have lived more than a few days. The news was devastating. Betty was my favorite. A very sweet cat. The biggest mystery to me is how Betty got it. I got her from the Humane Society at about five months of age. She had no symptoms of FIP up until the very end so it came as a great shock. From what I have read, the wet form seems to take its toll quicker. At the time Betty was diagnosed, I had five other cats three of which we had when we got her and two that we got later. Here’s another mystery. After Betty was diagnosed, I immediately had my other five cats vaccinated for FIP. They had not been previously diagnosed. If the theory is that the virus can be accelerate by the vaccine in exposed cats, it doesn’t hold any water in my case. All five cats are still alive and well and it has been over two years since we lost Betty. As far as I know, one of them may be a carrier and exposed Betty. I would say it’s almost certain that whether or not Betty carried the virus or she carried it herself, she probably exposed my other cats. I’m not sure I believe the theory about the vaccine accelerating the virus. Look at the terrible odds I had with five other cats in the house. I’m just very happy that my other cats are well and happy. I wish you the best with your kitty. It’s a very hard thing to deal with and I am very sorry this happened to you. I wish they could find a cure for FIP. Suzy
Response:
our kitten Spider had FIP at about 6 months. some controversy regarding the vaccine suggests that it can actually cause FIP. we had just had her vaccinated for it. Anyway, we kept her comfortable for as long as we could, and let the vet see her frequently to decide when it was time to put her out of her misery. prolonging their life at this point is probably more for you, than Mattie, right? That’s okay but keep on top of his condition so he doesn’t suffer.
Response:
: I’m both angry and grief-stricken about this. Mattie is my only cat and : I love her dearly. We’ve kept her indoors since we got her 16 months : ago AND got her vaccinated for FIP. She’s the sweetest cat I’ve ever met : and never bites, scratches, or hisses at me, and just likes to snuggle most : of the time. I don’t expect her to live forever, but maybe I can get the : disease into a short remission so I can spend as much time with Mattie : as possible. I hate to tell you this, but if Mattie was exposed to FIP _before_ you had her vaccinated, you may have accelerated the disease. The vaccine has a low success rate, and has *given the disease* to some cats rather than prevented it, and has been shown to aggravate the symptoms when given to cats who have been exposed to FIP. If your cat came from a shelter or a multi-cat household, there is a good possibility that the cat has been exposed to FIP. All the titer test tells you is that the cat has been exposed to this _family of viruses_ (there is more than one, and they can/may mutate into FIP). We just lost our youngest, Robin, to effusive FIP at the end of November. All I can tell you, is make Mattie as comfortable as possible, and give her a hug from me…. Lori Coulson — …Or do you still wait for me, Dream Giver… Just around the riverbend? Pocahontas
Response:
Hi, My cat, Mattie, was diagnosed with non-effusive FIP two weeks ago. The main shock, disbelief, and grief has finally worn off a bit so I can now think a bit more clearly. I now want to learn how to best take care of my cat to make her as comfortable as possible. I’ve been searching the web for the past two weeks and have a pretty good idea of what the medical people say. Does anyone have any stories of how they personally dealt with this? Apparently, the mean survival rate for non-effusive FIP is two weeks, and Mattie is still going strong. We are fairly sure that the diagnosis of dry FIP is correct. I’ve taken her to two Vet’s who both concur on the diagnosis. Her temperature was 106 on the day that she was diagnosed, and her serum proteins were 11 (7 is normal). Her A-G ratio was .23 (~.5 is normal), and she tested positive for the FIP coronavirus titer test. Her WBC count is also a bit high, and she’s a bit anemic. Oh, and she went from 8.5lbs to 6.25 lbs in a year most of the loss being in the last 4 months. Luckily she has tested negative for both FIV and LeLV. We’ve got her on prednisolone and baytril twice daily as well as a vitamin supplement. She’s eating fine (probably because of the prednisolone), and from about 2am thru about 5pm has a temperature of 101.5 degrees. However, in the evenings, her temperature spikes to upwards of 105 degrees, and she gets lethargic. I’ve mostly concerned myself with feeding her and making her as comfortable as possible. If she wants canned food at 2am, I’ll get up and get it for her. I’ve also started changing her water and litter more frequently because the prednisolone is making her urinate more frequently. I’m both angry and grief-stricken about this. Mattie is my only cat and I love her dearly. We’ve kept her indoors since we got her 16 months ago AND got her vaccinated for FIP. She’s the sweetest cat I’ve ever met and never bites, scratches, or hisses at me, and just likes to snuggle most of the time. I don’t expect her to live forever, but maybe I can get the disease into a short remission so I can spend as much time with Mattie as possible. So does anyone have any stories on how they’ve dealt with FIP and what I should expect? Thanks, Cheryl — Cheryl Southard
Response:
RE: Keith’s questions about FIP positive cat. One of my cat’s has just been diagnosed with FIP although she doesn’t have many of the symptoms (the ones she has point towards it, but are not definitive, at least nor to me). The vet said that many cats are exposed to the virus, but fight it off and then are simply positive, but may never develop the disease. Some of these may be carriers and some may not. They may at some point be exposed again and then get a full blown case. At this point we are taking a wait and see approach. Blackie (if it really is FIP) has the noneffusive version (no fluid build up) and does not appear to be in any discomfort and is not running a temperature. After reading a lot of info I have decided to have my other cats vaccinated. If they are positive, the vaccine will not help protect them, but for any of them that are still negative it will give an approx. 70% protection. The literature I have found does say that in laboratory conditions some FIP positive cats have become sick after being vaccinated, but all the reports that I have seen by real world vets say that they have never seen such a case in their practice and my vet also said that among he and his colleagues, they had also never heard of an actual house pet contracting full blown FIP from the vaccine. It appears to be something which can be induced in a lab, but does not happen in the field. The reports also state that kittens under 18 months are at the greatest risk and after them is cats over 8 years who have a suppressed immune system (ones who are ill or underweight, etc.). Also, multiple cat households, or outdoor cats are at greater risk of coming into contact with a carrier cat. However, this disease appears to be very rare , one vet said that in over 8600 patients, they diagnosed only 2 FIP’s for sure and had one maybe. I only wish that I had known about this earlier. Perhaps I would have had my cats vaccinated like I did for Feline Leukemia and Rabies. Christy "For some it is performance, for others, patronage, they are two sides of the same coin." - The Player (Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead)
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m sorry to hear about your poor kittens. My girlfriend’s housemate just got a kitten from the local shelter, and later found out that it has been exposed the the FIP virus through testing – the kitten’s (Maru) brother had a full blown case of the disease, and they called Maru in to be tested when the vet found out. I have never been a cat owner, and I had never heard of FIP until Maru’s diagnosis a few months ago, and I’m afraid I have very little knowledge of the disease, so I am hoping that someone can fill me in on some of the questions we’ve been having. Maru is almost a year old, and has thus far shown no symptoms that seem associated with the disease. She’s very active, has a voracious appetite, and seems perfectly normal. So we’d all like to know what a typical FIP incubation period is (if there is a "normal" time period), and have there been cases of cats being carriers without ever entering into full blown FIP? -Keith
Hi. Feline infectious peritonitis is caused by a feline enteric coronavirus that has somehow mutated to become more invasive and virulent. In adult cats feline enteric coronavirus infection usually goes unnoticed, and even infections in young kittens cause only a transient, mild diarrhea. If the feline enteric coronavirus did not mutate into the FIP virus, most people really would not worry about it. When Maru was tested it was most likely a test (serologic) to determine if he has cirulating antibody to feline coronavirus. If this test was positive then you know that Maru has been infected with a feline coronavirus, either an enteric (intestinal) coronavirus or the FIP virus. Infection with either virus, and most likely it was an enteric coronavirus, does not mean that Maru will develop FIP. It just means that Maru was infected with a feline coronavirus. Infection with a feline coronavirus does not equal FIP. In order for FIP to develop, a number of events must take place after infection. First, the feline coronavirus must become invasive, that is be capable of multiplying in cells in tissues outside the intestinal tract. Next, the cat’s immune response this invasive mutant must be ineffective in controlling and clearing the virus. FIP represents the failure of the cat’s immune system to control the infection. In many infected cats, the feline enteric coronavirus never mutates into the FIP virus. In other cases, when a mutant FIP virus arises, the cat’s immune system functions well, and quells the infection. Only a small percentage of cats infected with the feline coronavirus ever develop FIP. In fact, the studies that I am aware of generally find that only 5% (1 in 20) of the feline coronavirus infected cats go on to develop FIP. Generally, the greatest risk of a cat developing FIP occurs in the 6 months following infection with feline coronavirus. Thereafter, the risk becomes less during the next 6 months, and then almost disappears. The greatest incidence of FIP occurs in cats about 1/2 to 2 years of age. As the cat gets older, there is less likelihood of it developing FIP. Few cases of FIP are seen in cats between 5 and 12 years of age. After 12 years of age, FIP may be seen in cats whose aging immune systems are no longer robust enough curtail the infection. Yes, there is a good chance that Maru will not develop FIP. Good luck. KW Theil Wooster, Ohio
Response:
: I’m both angry and grief-stricken about this. Mattie is my only cat and : I love her dearly. We’ve kept her indoors since we got her 16 months : ago AND got her vaccinated for FIP. She’s the sweetest cat I’ve ever met : and never bites, scratches, or hisses at me, and just likes to snuggle most : of the time. I don’t expect her to live forever, but maybe I can get the : disease into a short remission so I can spend as much time with Mattie : as possible.
I’m sorry to hear about your poor kittens. My girlfriend’s housemate just got a kitten from the local shelter, and later found out that it has been exposed the the FIP virus through testing – the kitten’s (Maru) brother had a full blown case of the disease, and they called Maru in to be tested when the vet found out. I have never been a cat owner, and I had never heard of FIP until Maru’s diagnosis a few months ago, and I’m afraid I have very little knowledge of the disease, so I am hoping that someone can fill me in on some of the questions we’ve been having. Maru is almost a year old, and has thus far shown no symptoms that seem associated with the disease. She’s very active, has a voracious appetite, and seems perfectly normal. So we’d all like to know what a typical FIP incubation period is (if there is a "normal" time period), and have there been cases of cats being carriers without ever entering into full blown FIP? My girlfriend and her housemate had been prepared for the worst when they heard the sad news 4 months ago, but since the cat has been so normal, my fear is that they might build up a false expectation that Maru might be one of the cats that "breaks the odds." If anyone could help us out, I would be grateful. -Keith
Response:
I had a cat named Betty with FIP. It was the kind where it filled her lungs up with fluid so she would not have lived more than a few days. The news was devastating. Betty was my favorite. A very sweet cat. The biggest mystery to me is how Betty got it. I got her from the Humane Society at about five months of age. She had no symptoms of FIP up until the very end so it came as a great shock. From what I have read, the wet form seems to take its toll quicker. At the time Betty was diagnosed, I had five other cats three of which we had when we got her and two that we got later. Here’s another mystery. After Betty was diagnosed, I immediately had my other five cats vaccinated for FIP. They had not been previously diagnosed. If the theory is that the virus can be accelerate by the vaccine in exposed cats, it doesn’t hold any water in my case. All five cats are still alive and well and it has been over two years since we lost Betty. As far as I know, one of them may be a carrier and exposed Betty. I would say it’s almost certain that whether or not Betty carried the virus or she carried it herself, she probably exposed my other cats. I’m not sure I believe the theory about the vaccine accelerating the virus. Look at the terrible odds I had with five other cats in the house. I’m just very happy that my other cats are well and happy. I wish you the best with your kitty. It’s a very hard thing to deal with and I am very sorry this happened to you. I wish they could find a cure for FIP. Suzy
Response:
our kitten Spider had FIP at about 6 months. some controversy regarding the vaccine suggests that it can actually cause FIP. we had just had her vaccinated for it. Anyway, we kept her comfortable for as long as we could, and let the vet see her frequently to decide when it was time to put her out of her misery. prolonging their life at this point is probably more for you, than Mattie, right? That’s okay but keep on top of his condition so he doesn’t suffer.
Response:
: I’m both angry and grief-stricken about this. Mattie is my only cat and : I love her dearly. We’ve kept her indoors since we got her 16 months : ago AND got her vaccinated for FIP. She’s the sweetest cat I’ve ever met : and never bites, scratches, or hisses at me, and just likes to snuggle most : of the time. I don’t expect her to live forever, but maybe I can get the : disease into a short remission so I can spend as much time with Mattie : as possible. I hate to tell you this, but if Mattie was exposed to FIP _before_ you had her vaccinated, you may have accelerated the disease. The vaccine has a low success rate, and has *given the disease* to some cats rather than prevented it, and has been shown to aggravate the symptoms when given to cats who have been exposed to FIP. If your cat came from a shelter or a multi-cat household, there is a good possibility that the cat has been exposed to FIP. All the titer test tells you is that the cat has been exposed to this _family of viruses_ (there is more than one, and they can/may mutate into FIP). We just lost our youngest, Robin, to effusive FIP at the end of November. All I can tell you, is make Mattie as comfortable as possible, and give her a hug from me…. Lori Coulson — …Or do you still wait for me, Dream Giver… Just around the riverbend? Pocahontas
Response:
Hi, My cat, Mattie, was diagnosed with non-effusive FIP two weeks ago. The main shock, disbelief, and grief has finally worn off a bit so I can now think a bit more clearly. I now want to learn how to best take care of my cat to make her as comfortable as possible. I’ve been searching the web for the past two weeks and have a pretty good idea of what the medical people say. Does anyone have any stories of how they personally dealt with this? Apparently, the mean survival rate for non-effusive FIP is two weeks, and Mattie is still going strong. We are fairly sure that the diagnosis of dry FIP is correct. I’ve taken her to two Vet’s who both concur on the diagnosis. Her temperature was 106 on the day that she was diagnosed, and her serum proteins were 11 (7 is normal). Her A-G ratio was .23 (~.5 is normal), and she tested positive for the FIP coronavirus titer test. Her WBC count is also a bit high, and she’s a bit anemic. Oh, and she went from 8.5lbs to 6.25 lbs in a year most of the loss being in the last 4 months. Luckily she has tested negative for both FIV and LeLV. We’ve got her on prednisolone and baytril twice daily as well as a vitamin supplement. She’s eating fine (probably because of the prednisolone), and from about 2am thru about 5pm has a temperature of 101.5 degrees. However, in the evenings, her temperature spikes to upwards of 105 degrees, and she gets lethargic. I’ve mostly concerned myself with feeding her and making her as comfortable as possible. If she wants canned food at 2am, I’ll get up and get it for her. I’ve also started changing her water and litter more frequently because the prednisolone is making her urinate more frequently. I’m both angry and grief-stricken about this. Mattie is my only cat and I love her dearly. We’ve kept her indoors since we got her 16 months ago AND got her vaccinated for FIP. She’s the sweetest cat I’ve ever met and never bites, scratches, or hisses at me, and just likes to snuggle most of the time. I don’t expect her to live forever, but maybe I can get the disease into a short remission so I can spend as much time with Mattie as possible. So does anyone have any stories on how they’ve dealt with FIP and what I should expect? Thanks, Cheryl — Cheryl Southard