FIP: Most Obvious Symptoms and Treatment

1 Overview

Onset Features

FIP is caused by infection with the feline coronavirus and is highly contagious with a 95% death rate. The route is unclear but thought to be oral-nasal. This may alarm you, but as long as the coronavirus causing it does not mutate and stays in the gut, it will not cause FIP, and most disinfectants kill the environmental coronavirus; regular disinfection prevents it effectively. But when the coronavirus mutates, leaves the gut and invades other organs causing inflammation, FIP develops. Once a cat is infected with this type of coronavirus, it carries the virus for life and can fall ill when resistance drops.

Kittens may sudden-onset, while adult cats usually develop slowly over weeks. Early symptoms are unclear: fever, reduced appetite, low spirits, weight loss. Later two forms appear: effusive (wet) and non-effusive (dry).

Effusive (wet): pleural fluid (wheezing, breathing difficulty), abdominal fluid (swollen belly), peritonitis, etc.

Non-effusive (dry): mainly attacks the eyes (vision problems), central nervous system (hind-limb paralysis, convulsions), and organs show granulomas (abdominal nodules), etc.

We can prevent it effectively by working on these aspects.

First, Reduce Environmental Stress

The more densely cats are kept, the higher the infection chance. Catteries and shelters have higher rates. So do not keep too many cats in a small space; generally over 5 is excessive unless the owner enlarges each cat’s space and keeps the living area clean, hygienic and tidy.

Second, Reduce Stressors

Excess stress – moving, boarding, changing owners, frequently scaring the cat, taking a timid cat outside – triggers overreactions. We should follow their nature, not scare them for fun or force them into social events; let them relax and stay happy.

Third, Boost Resistance

Boosting a cat’s resistance is not about piling on nutrition, but protecting its nature: doing what it likes and eating favored foods (protein, fat, etc.).

Fourth, Vaccination

In the US and some European countries there is an FIP vaccine, ‘Primucell FIP – Pfizer’, given by nose drops to cats over 16 weeks, but its protection rate is only 50%-70% and it is not yet available in domestic hospitals.

To sum up prevention: feed the cat well, keep the living environment clean, increase activity space (which naturally increases exercise), keep it in a good mood and raise immunity. These methods prevent not only FIP but other diseases too.