Should I adopt another cat if my previous one died from FIP/FeCoV?

So FIP is technically from a virus, however, most cats are exposed at some point in their life (especially if from a cattery or shelter). However, only a select few will mutate to become FIP. We don’t know why this happens, or how to prevent it. Could it happen again? Yes. But very unlikely. I have been a veterinarian for 11 years and have only had 1 FIP kitten patient. I know it’s easier said then done to not worry. Sometimes I find it helpful to give myself some grieving time and my worries seem to be less the more “ready” I am for a new Pet. I’m so sorry about your kitten, and I hope your new addition is spunky and healthy for many many years!! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Another option would be to consider adopting a healthy older cat. Most cats with FIP are diagnosed before 2 years of age. If you find a 3 year old cat (which the shelters are pretty full of!) that's healthy (based on the assessment of the shelter vet) you should be able to feel confident that it does not have FIP. Hope that is helpful.

I'm so sorry to hear about Theo's battle with FIP. That is, by far, one of the most heartbreaking diseases to diagnose in this field. Most cats are exposed to the coronavirus that causes it, but only an unlucky few convert the virus to FIP. As far as we know, this is based on a genetic predisposition and has nothing to do with exposure from the environment or other cats. If Meika is having loose stool, I would recommend having her seen by a vet. It is much more likely to be due to a common problem, such as a minor parasitic infection or stress colitis from grieving her playmate. They will likely recommend a bland diet, probiotics, or a short course of anti-diarrheal antibiotics if her only symptom is mild loose stool. I cannot say that FIP is impossible, but it would be very low on my list of concerns. I hope this is helpful and gives you some peace of mind. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Great question. I personally would not be worried about your cats contracting FIP. The coronavirus is found in the saliva and feces of infected cats. Therefore, cat-to-cat contact and exposure to feces in litter boxes are the most common modes of infection. Contaminated food or water dishes, bedding, and your clothing may also serve as sources of infection. It doesn't sound like this is a concern based on your description of how you separated the cats, washed your hands, etc. The coronavirus can live in the environment anywhere from 3-7 weeks. After 3 weeks, however, the number of virus particles present is probably too small to cause infection. Many disinfectants will kill the virus, including household bleach diluted 1:32 in water (1/2 cup of bleach per gallon of water). So, you may want to do a thorough cleaning of the area where you housed the kittens and it may be best for you to not get any foster kittens for at least a month to try to prevent the new ones from getting infected. Hope this answers your questions. Best wishes.

I'm am sorry for your loss. Wait at least 1 month. Vacuum and clean as thoroughly as you can. Hard, non porous surfaces (and bowls, toys, etc.) can be washed in hot, soapy water or the dishwasher. Rinse in a 1:32 dilution of bleach. Any toys or bedding that cannot be sanitized, should be thrown out. Normal exposure to air and sunlight will usually kill the FIP virus in the environment within 2 weeks.

There is very little that can be done regarding limiting the spread but it is important to understand that FIP is a very special infection, it's a virus that goes through a transformation in a minority of cats only, the actual FIP virus is not transmissible, the original virus is coronavirus, most cats get it but will never transform it to FIP.

I'm sorry to hear that! FIP is a nasty disease in cats, so I definitely understand your worry. I will try to answer your questions and give you some basic information about how this disease works - it's a bit more complicated than most other infectious diseases! FIP is caused by a coronavirus - coronaviruses themselves are extremely common in cats, and almost all kittens are exposed to them at some point. In a very few cats, the virus mutates into a much more dangerous form and causes FIP - this seems to be partly related to genetics, but it's not fully understood why this happens in some cats but not others. So although the coronavirus can be passed from cat to cat, FIP is not really considered to be a contagious disease because most cats who are exposed to a coronavirus will never develop the more dangerous, mutated form that leads to FIP. So, the bottom line is that your kitten will probably be just fine. There isn't much you can do at this point, since there is no diagnostic test for FIP. Although a vaccine does exist, it isn't recommended by the AAFP (American Association of Feline Practitioners) because it hasn't been shown to be effective and can actually cause illness in some cases. I would recommend preventing your kitten from having any further contact with your friend's cat to be on the safe side, and monitoring your kitty for any signs of a problem - but it's very likely that she will be just fine :)