FIP-suspected Kitty Needs Prayers!!

[Jessika]

Please keep JD in your thoughts and prayers. We already lost his brother Ernie John to FIP late last week, and now JD is displaying some similar signs. We are all very worried that the other kittens may have it, eventhough the mom tested negative it can take six months to show up from the time of contraction so she may very well have been positive.

He had bloody stool, vomited five times while we were in the cat room yesterday, has a high fever to normal temp to a high fever again, and is not eating or drinking much at all. His abdomen isn't distended but that isn't until later. His activity is also that of a normal, 3 1/2 month old kitten!

I just pray it hasn't spread to the other two litters, the "crusty kittens", we call them. We've had the "crusties" in isolation though since they arrived at the end of April but there is a small chance someone may have played with these kittens and then gone into isolation and brought it with them. Slim, but still a chance.

I worry for my Shelly (one of the crusties I'm adopting), I get to bring her home tomorrow for the break, but I'm very worried something may spread to my cats.

So just, prayers all-around! FIP isn't fun

[Catty1]

Prayers that it is a kitty flu or something else - ANYTHING but FIP.

PT Prayers going out to the furbabies, and you too!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear this. I sure hope that the others don't get this terrible disease. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent to JD.

[Medusa]

Of course we'll pray for these little ones and you.....

[Yorkie Lover]

Oh, I am so sorry! Could somebody tell me what FIP is?

[Jessika]

Oh, I am so sorry! Could somebody tell me what FIP is?

Feline Infectious Peritonitis is a disease cause by a strain of corona virus. There are two forms of it; wet and dry. Both are usually fatal. There is no cure or treatment except symptomatic treatment (as in, you just treat the clinical signs).

In Ernie John's case he became EXTREMELY lethargic and wouldn't eat or drink, his body was consuming his Red Blood Cells so he was also anemic; and fluid was accumulating in his abdomen (hence "peritonitis"), which caused his abdomen to become distended (it swelled because of fluid accumulation) and put pressure on his thorax, which caused him to have breathing problems. He was put on oxygen and did ok, but was still lethargic. Without oxygen he had an extremely hard time breathing. The decision was made to put him to sleep because we knew his condition would only worsen.

JD is displaying similar early signs but nothing is certain. Ernie John had fluctuating temps for weeks leading up to his euthanization.

With this disease you can be a carrier and not show signs for weeks, months,or even YEARS with or without shedding it (being contagious). One of our instructors had a cat that lived for 13 years before showing any signs. But once you start showing clinical signs, it usually goes downhill in a matter of weeks or even days.

I believe there is a vaccine, but its effectiveness is questionable.

[critters]

The "similar signs" bit doesn't sound good. It's my experience that FIP isn't contagious except by birth, and, even then, rarely. The 2 I had that got it were mother and son, although the rest of her babies that I've been able to follow did NOT get it. They lived here in the house with everybody else for several years, and NOBODY else got it either, not even MamaCat, who was Joy's absolute, inseparable best friend. Like you say, once Mist became sick, Joy followed very shortly thereafter in exactly the same way.

[Jessika]

It can be aerosol if, say, a cat sneezes DIRECTLY in another cat's face. That's what the vet at school explained anyway, she said that it is rare yes but it is still possible.

I guess we'll find out if one of the other litters come down with it, because the younger litters were never in the same room as the older litter.

[kittykatharine]

Your kitties are in my thoughts and prayers. I hope that it is nothing serious, like a cold, and you guys can move on together. I am sending postive thoughts, prayers, and vibes your way!