FIP is a very rare virus. In the last seven years, Friends For Life has only had around a dozen cases of cats that our veterinary team has labeled FIP. Most cats are likely already infected with the coronavirus, but only in some cases will it progress and change into FIP—and no one really knows why.
FIP is not contagious to dogs or humans, and the mutated virus (FIP) is not shed by cats, even though the more benign coronavirus is contagious to other cats.
The disease damages that body very quickly, and unfortunately there is no definitive diagnosis. As long as a cat is still eating and seems to feel okay, we manage their symptoms. It is, however, and extreme illness that doesn’t respond to any treatment.
This brochure on Feline Infectious Peritonitis was prepared by the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the Cornell Feline Health Center, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine. The center is committed to improving the health of cats by developing methods to prevent or cure feline diseases and by providing continuing education to veterinarians and cat owners.
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