My cat tested FIP positive, but seems fine. Is it a false positive?

Cats infected with a feline coronavirus generally do not show any symptoms during the initial viral infection, and an immune response occurs with the development of antiviral antibodies. In a small percent of infected cats (5 to 10 percent), either by a mutation of the virus or by an aberration of the immune response, the infection progresses into clinical FIP. Cats can become persistently infected and continuously or intermittently shed virus with the feces. One of the most difficult aspects of FIP is that there is no simple diagnostic test. The ELISA, IFA, and virus-neutralization tests detect the presence of coronavirus antibodies in a cat, but these tests cannot differentiate between the various strains of feline coronavirus. A positive result means only that the cat has had a prior exposure to coronavirus, but not necessarily one that causes FIP.

Fluid in the abdomen is called ascites. I agree with your vet that FIP (coronovirus) is the most likely due to your cat's age but there are some other possibilities (none of them good): 1. heart disease 2. tumor/cancer 3. liver disease Coronavirus is constantly mutating so it is actually not easy to test for. I'm not sure what tests your vet did but that may be why they are getting negatives. I suggest you refer to this link for more information and go over this with your vet. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feline-infectious-peritonitis ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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 :)

Good question. This is a complex disease that most cats are exposed to. Most cats that are just exposed but don't end up sick with the disease are going to come up positive for antibodies against the virus. However, a pet is only confirmed to have this disease if they have positive Antigens. Therefore, since your pet Sonia had a positive antibody and negative antigen, this means she was exposed to the virus, but has not developed the full blown disease. With this said, cats can at any point do what is called seroconvert to the active strain of the virus and become sick since they are carriers of the gene. If your pet becomes sick in the future, rechecking the antigen levels is highly recommended. Because your pet is a carrier for Coronovirus (FCoV), loose stool may be seen, but nothing more severe than that. Here is more information on Coronavirus (FCoV) in pets and also information on how pets can seroconvert into full blown FIP (FIPV) from exposure to this virus. ---> https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951308 ---> https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951549

Hi and thank you for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The blood results are in German so it is hard to interpret. There are two types of the feline corona virus: the enteric version and the mutated enteric version which causes FIP. A FIP diagnosis requires a blood test, clinical signs/symptoms and a history. If fluid is present in the abdomen, testing that fluids for the virus will indicate FIP. Just becomes Hadid has antibodies against the corona virus, does not mean he has FIP. All is means is he has been exposed to the virus and developed antibodies. Blood results together with Hadid's history will help determine diagnosis. It is great news Hadid is eating and has no fever. This is a good sign Hadid is heading the right direction. I hope this has helped!

It is surely possible that the diagnosis is incorrect if he is doing this well with just an NSAID. Most pets require intensive care and the prognosis for survival is very low in pets truly FIP positive. I hope that things continue to go well for Ferb moving forward. Best wishes and take care. : )

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!