My cat vomited after neutering, has coronavirus. Could it be FIP?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! FIP is hard to diagnose. It is usually a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning all other diseases have been ruled out. The most accurate test is PCR of belly or chest fluid when the cat has the wet or effusive form of FIP. There is also the Dry or granulomatous form which likes the brain and eye. A simple blood test is riddled with false negatives and positives. Simple put a cat positive for coronavirus doesn't mean it has the mutated viral form that causes FIP. Unfortunately Mia's eye problem could be from FIP, but also many other things and sadly there is no 100% way to tell you that. FIP is not curable, it is a terrible disease. If Mia is doing well then I'd take that. And see if anything happens in the future. I hope this helps and I wish Mia the best!

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!

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.

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 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 :)

I am so sorry to hear that Messi isn't feeling well. With the protein levels being so high, I too, would be very concerned about FIP. I think the imaging next week should be helpful in making a diagnosis. Another possibility could be a severe abdominal abscess. This would also be very concerning. Certainly there is a possibility of finding a curable problem, but I would start to prepare yourself for the possibility of a life threatening diagnosis. I am so sorry you are experiencing this. Best of luck, and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Unfortunately, FIP is a largely incurable disease that is very very severe. If he is vomiting, not eating, and unwell, then he likely is feeling very sick and euthanasia might be the best option for him. It is hard to get an official diagnosis of FIP as it can only really be confirmed post-mortem, however you can always have a consultation with a specialist to make sure there isn't anything else going on that can be fixed, but it sounds like your vet has already done a lot of this testing. The testing rules out other things that can be treated. I suggest talking with your vet about any other possible causes that might be curable, and if you want you can ask for a referral to a specialist, however if this ultimately is FIP then euthanasia should be considered. I am so sorry about your little Leo.