Quote Originally Posted by Catlady711
I'm not sure by the information that it's not contagious. FIP is caused by a corona virus (not quite like the dog version). Many cats carry the corona virus but do not have FIP. Cats can spread the corona virus by saliva, feces, and direct contact. When the virus mutates it then becomes FIP. It's kinda complicated and an idividual response to the virus so not all cats exposed to the corona virus will get FIP.



[/I]
It is kind of tricky to understand. Up to 80% of cats coming from shelter or breeder environments will titre high for coronavirus. Then in only a small percentage will it mutate into FIP.
Oddly enough, of approximately 50 fosters I have had, 2 have developed FIP in their forever homes.
That is much higher than the FIP statistics read. I've had about a 4% occurrence. I hope I never encounter or hear of it again.
(my personal cats were exposed, I assume, but never developed FIP, even my immune comprimised old man Malfi)
Testing directly for FIP is unreliable. It only tells you of exposure to coronaviruses, which like I said, most of my cats would titre high for.

My gut says Mr. Meow doesn't have FIP. FIP doesn't really have anything to do with the golf ball sized lump that he's got, does it?

All the best to Mr. Meow & Jen