FIP in Siberians
Feline Infectious Peritonitis
Almost everybody has heard of FIP TK TK TK.
Typical FIP, atypical FIP, and viral crises in kittens
In our years of breeding, we’ve had only two or three confirmed cases of FIP. If we were minded to try to minimize our numbers, we’d brag about how we have very little or no FIP. However, that doesn’t tell the whole story, and I think it’s important for owners to have the same tools we have as we as we work to keep kittens healthy. Because the fact is: We have had very little diagnosed FIP, but we have seen multiple cases of what we are provisionally calling a “viral crisis” that responded to antivirals.
These kittens are the ones that get called “late faders” or that die without a lot of clarity on what’s wrong with them. They have a variety of symptoms, none of which point to the classical presentation of wet FIP. In fact, without exception, vets have said that it is NOT FIP. But when we’ve insisted on treating with antivirals, the kitten has responded with the same miraculous recovery that we often associate with wet FIP.
I want to be clear that we have no earthly idea what these antiviral-responsive infections are. It’s possible that they’re atypical FIP, even without a coronavirus titer; it’s possible that they’re any number of other viruses that respond to broad-spectrum antivirals like GS and molnupiravir. For sure, we’re ruining our numbers (making it look like we’re loaded with FIP somehow) by encouraging owners and vets to call everything a possible FIP and treat it. But we’re absolutely smashing our numbers (in a good way!) in terms of making sure that every kitten who leaves our house makes it through their vulnerable first months alive, happy, and healthy, without costing their owners thousands of dollars in vet bills. Our goal is to have kittens that live and thrive, so let’s embrace those numbers.
Here’s what we’ve seen:
1. Typical “Wet” FIP
- Depression
- Growth slows or stops
- Belly fills with clear or straw-colored fluid
- Generally the only form of FIP that vets diagnose consistently
2. Typical “Dry” FIP
- Depression.
- Lesions on organs; slow progression of disease.
- 70% have eye or eye/brain involvement; there are often obvious changes in how the eye looks.
- Incoordination or seizure-like behaviors
- Difficult to diagnose; no slam-dunk tests to verify, but neurological symptoms are a big tell
3. Atypical infection/viral crisis/antiviral-responder (the first category of “not-FIP FIP” we’ve seen)
- Depression
- Vague complaints (sneezing that doesn’t go away, eye inflammation that doesn’t respond to ointment, loose stool) without anything that feels like an emergency
- Lack of appetite OR change in appetite; growth stops (weight may increase, but skeletal growth dramatically slows or stops)
- Vet does not diagnose FIP and tells owner it’s not FIP; we’ve heard guesses like “pancreatitis” “IBD” “just weird kitten” “organ inflammation” “failure to thrive” “late fading” and “herpes”
- Bloodwork is usually not indicative of FIP
- Corona titer is low/negative
- Cat gradually becomes seriously ill (generally over 2-3 weeks) and will die if untreated
- This is often a fight with the owner and the owner’s vet to start antivirals, because the vet swears it’s not FIP
4. Opportunistic infections (the second kind of “not FIP FIP” we’ve seen)
- Kitten starts with a known/diagnosed issue like coccidia; corona titer is usually negative
- Underlying issue is not treated correctly or quickly (vet gives albon instead of toltrazuril, for example)
- Kitten stops eating and enters a vulnerable state of low blood sugar/low electrolytes
- Kitten becomes “sick all over,” often with painful or effortful breathing; sphynx pose to sleep
- Vets can be even more reluctant to treat with antivirals, because the kitten has a known diagnosis and they want to keep treating the original issue
Red flags to be aware of
- A decline that makes no sense; the kitten is acting sicker than the bloodwork or exam would indicate
- Vague non-emergent infection that drags on until there are significant behavior changes
- Growth stops; the kitten can be coaxed to eat but is not enthused; the kitten feels flabby or shrink-wrapped (not handling fluids well)
- The owner feels like the cat “looks different” – change in face shape because the subcutaneous fat has changed and there is either dehydration or edema
- Rapid, effortful, or odd breathing patterns
- Swollen organs that are palpable through the skin, especially in younger kittens
What do I do now?
TREAT THE CAT. You will lose nothing by doing seven days of treatment. If you bought your kitten from us, we sent you home with seven days of molnupiravir. If we encourage you to start it, please start it! You don’t need permission from any authority on high to give it; you aren’t “disobeying” your vet by treating your kitten. You will not hurt the cat by doing seven days at the minuscule dose required for molnupiravir. If the cat responds to the treatment, even if your vet continues to be sure that “it’s not FIP,” continue the treatment for the full 12 weeks. Again, you will not hurt your cat by trying, and you are quite likely to save it. You can continue to use antibiotics and even steroids while you’re trying the antivirals. If the cat doesn’t respond to the molnupiravir, then continue to chase down the other possibilities.