Dear Dr. Jody: Our new kitten, “Oscar”, has been diagnosed with corona virus. We have read on the internet that corona virus causes FIP in cats. What is FIP, and should we be worried?
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is a devastating viral disease of cats that results from the mutation of the relatively harmless feline corona virus into its deadly evil “twin”.
Feline corona virus (FCoV) is a very common, contagious, but usually harmless virus of cats which causes mild to moderate cases of diarrhea. It has been estimated that 30% of solitary household cats and up to 90% of cats in multi-cat households, catteries, and shelters have been exposed to the virus at some point in their past. The vast majority of these cats and kittens go on to clear the infection on their own and live normal, healthy lives, even without specific treatment.
Unfortunately, in rare instances, the harmless FCoV virus can mutate into a deadly variant, resulting in severe lethargy, fever, poor appetite, weight loss, and sometimes accumulations of fluid in the lungs and abdomen. Sadly, there is no effective treatment for FIP, and the disease is rapidly fatal in all cases.
A mutated corona virus causes all sorts of havoc inside a cat’s body. Interestingly, most of the damage from the infection occurs as a result of the cat’s immune system trying to fight off the disease. An angered immune system, while attempting to combat a foreign virus, can actually cause significant damage to the body’s own tissues. This damage is what leads to the pleural and abdominal fluid accumulations called effusions.
So how can we prevent it? I have searched current research papers to gather the most up to date information possible on this devastating disease. Frustratingly, researchers still have yet to figure out what causes the harmless form of the virus to mutate into the deadly form. Because we don’t understand why the virus decides to mutate, we can do very little to prevent that mutation from occurring. And sadly, there is no effective vaccine available against either the harmless or the deadly form of FCoV.
The other frustration is that researchers have not developed an effective and accurate diagnostic tool to help confirm whether a cat is indeed infected with the deadly FIP mutation. If your veterinarian suspects your cat may have developed FIP, he or she will certainly run several blood tests to help gather clues as to the cause of the illness. These tests are helpful in ruling out other illnesses that can have similar symptoms to FIP, but they cannot definitively rule in FIP. The only completely accurate test to diagnose FIP is through an autopsy.
Even though there is no vaccine to prevent feline corona virus, you can help to keep your cat safe from FCoV by keeping him indoors. Indoor cats are significantly safer than outdoor cats simply because they are not being exposed to other cats carrying the virus. If you do decide to let your cat outdoors, consider vaccinating your cat against Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV). Cats that contract FeLV are more likely to have a harmless corona virus infection mutate into the deadly FIP. Additionally, if you are considering purchasing a purebred cat, you need to be aware that purebred cats seem far more susceptible to FIP than mixed breed cats.
The good news is that if your cat or kitten has moderate tummy upset and has been diagnosed with an active feline corona virus infection, he or she will likely recover uneventfully within several days. Your cat should be kept away from other cats during the course of the illness in order to minimize spread of the disease. Your veterinarian may provide fluids or other medications to support your cat’s health while his immune system is mounting an army of antibodies to effectively fight the harmless virus.
The other piece of good news is that fewer than 10% of cats who are exposed to feline corona virus will actually develop the deadly mutation FIP. And despite the fact that the harmless form of FCoV is highly contagious, the deadly mutation, FIP, is not.
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