My cat has FIP. Separate him from other pets? What's his life expectancy?

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.

No, this is impossible, FIP is a mutation and it's not contagious in it's active form, as your other cat is suffering from the same symptoms i would say that it is probably some other type of infection and not FIP.

I'm sorry that LouLou may have FIP! Feline coronavirus (which causes FIP) can be found in high quantities in the saliva and feces of cats during acute infection, so it can be spread via cat-to-cat contact and in the litter box. Given that, it is possible that your other cats could have contracted feline coronavirus from LouLou, but it would be best to quarantine her to be safe.

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.

FIP is caused by a mutation of feline coronavirus and the disease itself is not contagious. Feline coronavirus is very contagious but in most cats will not cause symptoms or even will only cause mild diarrhea. Only 1-5% of cats with coronavirus will develop FIP. I think its fair to be cautious but the likelihood of your cat developing FIP is very low. If you prefer peace of mind then maybe consider helping your sister find another pet sitter.

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.

Unfortunately, there is no treatment for FIP and if your cat is suffering then euthanasia is the best option. I'm so sorry you're having to go through this and make this decision. I wish there was more we could recommend for you but I think you're a vet has your cats best interest at heart.