Feline Infectious Peritonitis

The cat world is full of viruses and ailments that can heavily damage a cat’s well-being. It is in the best interests of a carer to be aware of the various symptoms, risks and possible preventive measure that can be taken. Being aware and preparing for situations will help both owner and pet in achieving a long and prosperous life. Some people thinking about getting into the cat care business may feel it to be all cuddles and play but virus invasions are a very serious matter and it pay dividends to understand what each strand is and how it can be prevented or to at least minimise risk exposure.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is a virus strand that can be found in many cats. Fortunately as commonplace as it is, the symptoms are not as harsh as some of other strands but it will still cause discomfort and can be dangerous untreated. In some cats the virus will gain access to the bloodstream and begin to attack the vessels. This can lead to a great deal of inflammation around the body and can be define as FIP. When a cat suffers from FIP, the membrane of the stomach (peritoneum) can be infected, a problematic situation as this is not easily treated with success. This is particularly hard to spot as there are no obvious patterns in symptoms to identify. Not much advice can be given to prevent this either and can be experienced in all cats at whatever stage of life.

There are various forms of FIP and the term defined as “wet” is a rapidly spreading disease that can manifest after just a day, completely transforming a cat’s behaviour and of course state of health. Instead of their usual energetic style that will come hunting for food, an owner will notice a more docile and perhaps even lethargic behaviour. At this point a wet FIP sufferer will suffer from a swollen abdomen and dull coat, an untreatable condition. Unfortunately the lack of treatment options means that the only solution would be to euthanize a cat. A sad predicament.

Dry FIP is another form of the disease and is less distinct to identify and may align or be mistaken for other diseases. The best way to discover what is wrong with a cat is to do a blood test, identifying what antibodies are present. When a cat has suppressed this illness it can be undetectable but a sudden change in environment (such as moving or adoption) can trigger it into full speed.