I am so sorry about your kitten, but also concerned for the health of your other cat. Please ask your vet if you should keep the two apart, especially the litter boxes.

I'll put a link to information about the disease:

Here is a link that might be useful: information about FIP

At this point, separating them will not help, Roo has already been exposed. That does not mean she will contract FIP, though. We lost our 5 month old kitten Mayu to FIP 4 years ago (within months of losing our 16 year old, and 15 1/2 year old cats--talk about tearing your heart out...). Anyway, we had brought home another kitten, Shizu, about a month and a half after bringing home Mayu and they were together until the day we lost Mayu. Shizu is now 4 years old.

I want to say how very sorry I am that you have received such devastating news. FIP is a horrible disease. The tests for it are useless because the coronavirus that causes FIP is constantly mutating, the tests are not reliable. If the cats antibodies are all bound up with the virus, there are none available to bind to the test, and a cat may test negative, as ours did, when they are pretty far along with the disease. Also, there is no way to predict which kittens/cats will actually develop FIP once exposed to a coronavirus. A kitten/cat must be genetically predisposed for the virus to become FIP upon exposure to a coronavirus.

Then, once an anecdotal diagnosis is made--the only way to make a definitive diagnosis is after death, with a necropsy--biopsy of the liver (or other organ) tissue, there is no cure.

Henry was probably exposed before you even brought him home (his mom, another cat).

I wish I had some good news for you, but if you've read up on FIP, and I'm sure you have since Henry was diagnosed, you know I don't. The only thing you can do, is make him as comfortable as you can. Our Mayu had a high temp (fluctuating, but the antibiotics just weren't making it go away completely) and we were already syringe feeding her by the time the vet at the Animal Medical Ctr confirmed that it was highly likely that Mayu had FIP. Almost one month to the day before, we had had to put our 15 1/2 yr old cat to sleep (fibrosarcoma, surgery earlier in the yr, but by Sept, it had spread to her lungs and she deteriorated greatly by November), and we'd already lost our 16 yr old cat in August of that year (the morning after exploratory surgery--likely stomach or intesticnal cancer). By the time Mayu was diagnosed, she'd gotten sick a number of times, and each time we'd done our best to nurse her back to health (while taking care of our remaining older cat who was dying). We just couldn't go through watching this little kitten (who'd captured our hearts when we'd needed her so) continue to worsen when we knew there was no hope and no cure. So, in the afternoon, after we returned from the AMC, we took her to our vet to be put to sleep. For a long time afterward, I wondered if I should have waited another week or two, but I don't know that that would have been the right thing to do. She would only have gotten much worse, and been in more discomfort as her abdomen continud to fill with fluid, and I know my husband and I could not take much more (it's still painful today, 4 years later, and my husband can't even talk about her).

I would suggest you ask your vet how far along he/she thinks Henry's condition has progressed, and see what he/she thinks about how much time you might have left with him.

I would suggest cleaning the litter box often (with bleach and water)--one of the ways the virus is shed is through the feces. Keeping the box clean cuts down on the shed virus available to contaminate or recontaminate Roo (she could actually be a carrier because of prior exposure, or exposure to Henry). She could be a carrier or shed the (corona)virus without ever contracting FIP herself. Because of this, if and when Henry's time on earth is no longer, you should wait some time before bringing home another kitten (we'd heard/read anywhere from 30 days to 6 months to a year or more--we waited 30 days, but it was winter, so it ended up being a little over 4 months before we found another kitten we'd wanted to bring home to be with Shizu). Also, keep on cleaning the litter box with bleach and water for a few months (if Roo is shedding the virus, it can only help) and try to disinfect or replace any toys that you can. According to our vet, the virus cannot live very long on household surfaces, so that's good to know.

I wish you strength in the days and months ahead. Know that Henry will live on in your heart always. (((HUGS)))

I am so, so sorry about your Henry. I know that no one can take away the crushing ache in your chest, but maybe it helps knowing so many of us know exactly what you mean when you say you are devastated. I just lost my kitty 4 days ago, and I still can't believe it, it seemed to happen so fast and was so unexpected.

With the little bit of retrospect I can have after only 4 days, I'd say that you probably won't do it just right, even though you try, so just do your best to determine when he's started to suffer, and let him go. It's hard to say whether you'll regret letting him go a day too early, or a day too late. I'm glad for the last 8 hours with my girl because I was in a position to devote all my attention to her. Yet, knowing now she was probably in quite a bit of pain those last couple of days, I wish I'd let her go a day or two earlier.

I wish I had more pictures of her, I wish I'd been able to hold her more, I wish I had taken a video of her...... maybe you can do some of these things now if you can, or want to, with Henry.
My prayers are with you and your family and I will definitely be thinking of you during the next days and weeks.

Thank you all for the kind words of my little Henry....I am still in such shock, i thought I would just take him in to the vet and walk out with some antibiotics and he would get better. I had never heard of this FIP, but it really needs to be out in the public more; I have always had multiple cats, usually outdoor ones, and I have never heard of this like feline leukemia. It is just so unfair, and then i started to worry, maybe my Roo cat is a carrier?? I did get her from a shelter, and she has always had this little sniffy thing going on but when I first got her the vet played it down and said some cats just sniff a lot and not to worry.
The vet called me last night to let me know I could give Henry steroids and some other autoimmune med.? She was going to call me back today and tell me more about it and if I want to try it. I am so confused and upset, like so many other people I had never even heard of FIP and now it has totally invaded my life with this prognosis of our dear pet. I don't want my kitty to suffer, but I somehow feel like if I can just have him for a few days to get used to the idea of him being terminal i can deal with it better? I know that is selfish, it is just so hard to gauge where he is in terms of time left. He ate some salmon juice this morning, I know he must be so hungy, and he drinks very little. I am afriad of him getting dehydrated.......he seems to be o.k. for the moment, but I know he is getting thinner. I have warmed a blanket for him to sit on and he seems to appreciate that, and he also seems to want to be near me although he is not a true lap cat, just likes to be around people i think. It is so heartbreaking, i hate to say that I have favorites when it comes to pets but I do, and he is one of them, even in such a short little life. I appreciate all the kind words of you all, I would not wish for anyone to have to deal with this because it is so sudden and vague........and you know, you have no way of preventing it or knowing if a cat has a history of getting it. I do hope the pet vacccine people out there are working to cure this, it just is so senseless. And now i am wondering if I will ever be able to adopt another young cat without wondering it this will happen again? Aparently from what Ive read purebreds are just as suspectible as shelter kitties. Does anyone out there know once a young kitten starts to show signs how much time they have left? days? a week? that is the hardest part for me right now, looking at him and knowing he might not be here next week or ever day after tomorrow. and of course, I need to make a decision to spare him his suffering, which is so hard at the moment since he is not blind or vomiting but just swollen in the tummy and low on appetite. Thanks all

We had a similar experience 3 years ago. got two maine coon kitten from a breeder, and within just a few weeks little Gus, who had seemed a bit on the scrawny side to begin with, got really lethargic, and his belly seemed swollen. The vet confirmed he had FIP, gave him some subcutaneous fluids, which perked him up a bit that afternoon, but she did not hold out hope for any long-term improvement, and suggested we contact the breeder. We did, as we were too devastated to deal with putting him down. They picked him up that evening. They also saw a brief improvement the next morning, with subcutaneous fluids, but I think they had him put down the same day. I think maybe a week in total from when we first really registered how quiet he had become to when the breeder's vet put him to sleep.

I think the lethargy is a really good indicator. Normal kittens seem to go from one extreme (mad racing around and playing) to sleep. When they just curl into small, quiet balls of fur...and don't want to drink...don't want to eat...at that point i suspect anything you can do will be very short-term improvements.

It is the toughest decision we have to make about our pets, and the most loving thing we can do is not prolong their suffering--it is nice we are in the position to do that, even when it breaks our hearts....
Hope these words help. I know how hard it is.

Sarah

Thanks Sarah.......I'm hoping Henry can tell me when he's ready.......he just came over to the computer and laid down like he used to, so even though he is sleeping and not playing as much he is still able to get up and move around if he feels like it. Other than the bigger belly and the lack of appetite (which he wants to be there, is interested but doesn't eat much)he doesn't seem to act like he's ready.....he was always kind of a laid back kitten. I guess I am just having such a hard time with the suddeness of it all...i know putting him to sleep will be the right thing to do but it seems like just this past weekend he was fine. I will let him tell me as best he can i guess, you just naturally want to hold onto them as long as they seem semi normal, but you know, i don't want to have bad memories of him suffering either. We are heading into the weekend today (friday_ and I can only wonder what will happen with his condition and if I am going to have to make a frantic decision if he really makes a turn for the worse....

drewe--you will never know if Henry had been exposed before coming into your home, or from contact with Roo, so don't even try to figure it out. Most (all?) cats are exposed to coronavirus at some point in their lives. Between the period when mom's antibodies start wearing off after weaning and when their own antibodies start to kick in is when they are most vulnerable (to any disease). This is one of the reasons why breeders will often not allow kittens to go home until they are at least 12-16 weeks old.

You can carry the virus (and others) in on your clothing or shoes even. Some cats will never get sick at all (though an anitbody test may show that they were exposed to the virus). Others will get sick, a gastro intestinal episode perhaps, and then get well. Others (kittens and senior cats are most susceptible) are genetically predisposed, as I mentioned above, for the virus to mutate into FIP (either the dry or wet form, both fatal, I believe). It's such a crap shoot, and with no vaccine (the one that is out is somewhat controversial as far as efficacy goes), and no cure, it's just evil plain and simple.

After we lost Mayu, we waited (to make sure Shizu was going to be okay, and to let the virus die down in our home) before bringing in another kitten. Since it was winter and kittens were not in abundance during that time, we didn't get Miku until May. We had toyed with the idea of getting a purebred kitten, but that would have been no guarantee against this insidious disease.

It was tough bringing home another kitten, we were still so raw from losing 3 (our 2 long time cats and the kitten) in a four month period. We wanted our Shizu to have a companinon though, and I'd always had two cats together, and knew it was something that we needed to do for us, too. You will decide if bringing home another kitten is the right thing for you to do as well.

If you ever need a shoulder, you can contact me via email through GW. Henry is lucky to have such a caring mom as you.

I am very sorry for what you're going thru. I have no advice since I've never dealt with this particular disease but have heard of it. It made me sad since I have a young cat named Henry and he is also very special. Spend qualtity time with him and take pictures. It may sound gruesome but I took pictures of my Emma at the vets before we put her to sleep. I can't look at them yet after two years but wanted them for some reason.

I know how you feel. I lost one of my very special cats to FIP about 9 years ago. I still cry for her, as I am right now reading about your Henry. I think she lived about 2 weeks after diagnosis. I spent as much time with her as possible but it wasn't enough. I'm so glad you have Henry at this time. He'll be given lots of love.

Drewe,

I am so, so sorry. We lost Cleo on 10/7 to FIP. She was just over 2. It's sounds like Henry has effusive (wet) FIP. My Cleo had noneffusive (dry) FIP. Cleo had it in her eye, then lung (it went away but left scarring) and then it attacked her spine. She had weeks of illness and then months of normalcy. When it attacked her spine she also had symptoms of lethargy and wouldn't eat. The last day she had seizures and that is when we put her to down. It took 18 months from diagnosis (she was 7 months at diagnosis). Other kittens from the same litter also developed FIP, so the mother was likely a shedder (she was fine and the breeder had her spayed and shut down her breeding program).

In your case, Henry may have brought it with him or your other cat might be a shedder. I beleve there is a way the vet can check to see if Roo is a shedder. I think it involves testing the cat's feces several times.

Unfortunately the wet form tends to take them more quickly. Based on what I've read it will probably be only a few weeks at most. I would try the Pred and spend some quality time with him so you are ready to let him go. Make sure you have the number of a 24 hour vet in case you need it.

Hello again everybody, thanks for all your concern and advice, it is very helpful to me. On the one hand I go from trying Henry on a steroid and the other drug the vet has told me about, then I get online and research things and it is like no, don't give this to your young kitten. I am pretty confused.....the vet sympathizes but because this disease is so vague she can't really tell me one way or another how he will respond to the med.s. I just don't want to make things worse, but I do want him to feel better if that's possible. He is still somewhat interested in food and will drink little bits, but I know he will get weaker if he doesn't eat more. I don't think he is near the end yet- actually if he didn't have his little belly rounded I would say he acts fairly normal, except that he doesn't want to play with his playmate. He will sleep for long periods of time, but will also come and find me when he wants to lie down. I save him the energy by putting him near his litterbox every so often so he can use it, and he does have small results. If I put him near some water he will lap at it. So do I go on and give him the steriod pills? will i be doing damage to his little system? I am really so uneducated about all this......and it is so all consuming just trying to figure out what to do, so I really appreciate any comments or help from anyone who knows more than i do. The vet says she doesn't think a couple of days will matter to Henry if I want to think about it until Monday, but I feel like maybe he should have the steriods ASAP just to get him to eat more? I know he will get weak, so what should I do? by the way, he still comes to my side every morning in bed early and just lies there looking at me, and I am trying to understand what he is saying. His eyes are always so full of sweetness and love.....I am going to rely heavily on his signs to tell me what to do, but for now he just doesn't seem like he's ready to go. Thank you for more help! I appreciate it for my little baby Henry!!

here is a picture of Henry, maybe you can tell how sweet he is?

Here is a link that might be useful:

Oh, Drewe, he IS precious. I feel so bad for you and for dear little Henry.

Oh, Drewe he is a sweetie. I think the steroids might make him feel a little better, and might perk up his appetite in the process. At this point, I don't know that it would hurt to give it to him.

Henry's behavior is pretty typical from what we experienced with our Mayu and what we'd read while researching online. Just keep him comfortable (warm blanket or bed in which to snuggle, he'll be looking for warmth) and tempt him with warmed a/d or other highly palatable and aromatic foods (Mayu loved roast chicken, so we'd heat up some little bits of it for just a few seconds in the micro with some of the strained pan juices, sometimes mixing in some jarred baby food--chicken, if she'd eat it). If your vet thinks Henry might have some time left, ask about syringe feeding as a way to get some nourishment into him.

My heart breaks for you and for Henry. I wish I could make this nightmare go away....

Oh, so precious!

I'm awfully sorry you're having to face this. But know this, you gave him the best home and most love you could.

Hugs.

OH drewe what a beauty Henry is. I agree with cat_mom - I would think that anything that would help make him more comfortable would be appropriate.

Drewe,
I would give Henry the Pred. I've read hundreds of articles on FIP over the last 18+ months and except for a few truly experimental medicines, it is the only thing that might help that I found. When Cleo first developed lung symptoms she was put on Pred and I kept her on it for quite awhile until she started getting fat. Then when symptoms returned (eye again) she was put back on it and was on it steadily for her last six months. She only had symptoms for the last 3 weeks or so. I believe it helped, along with a quality diet (Cleo ate Wellness). Both her vets said she was the longest lived case of FIP they ever saw.

In addition to Pred, there are appetite stimulants they can give him. I believe the one Cleo took was Remeron. It didn't work for her, at that point she had severe spinal symptoms. I stopped the Remeron because it seemed to make her want the food, but she still wouldn't eat it. But maybe it would help Henry.

Just be aware that if it is truly FIP everything you do may give him more time, but it can't cure him.

Are they SURE it is FIP? FIP can only be 100% diagnosed post mortem, but in many cases it is the appropriate diagnosis when everything else has been ruled out. If his only symptom is a swollen belly and no appetite I would make sure they have eliminated other possibilities. What was his FCoV titer level?

Almost forgot, the Pred level is based upon weight. The vet should be able to look up the proper Pred dosage for his weight.

My kitten has been diagnosed with effusive fip..6 months old on NOv. 4...she is on prednisone and trental..she has been drained twice but the vet says we can't keep doing it every 2 weeks due to risks of anesthesia..she eats well and drinks so it is sooo hard to think she is dying..she shwos no signs other than the belly bloat and all the extensive tests done on the fluid...she hops up on my bed and wants to cuddle..its hard to think of euthanasia when she seems to be ok but she doesn't play any more..I have heard about feline interferon omega..anyone out there ever hear anything positive about this treatment..I am grasping at straws and crying myself to sleep at night with her at my side...I know how painful this is for everyone out there..need some support...thanks

just wanted to ask if anyone can help with what to look for if a kitten is in pain with fip...she is eating, drinking but not playing...only signs are the swelling due to fluid...thanks

Carol, I'm sorry to here about your kitty. Even if you keep draining her the FIP will manifest in other ways. I believe you have to do what is right for you. As long as it isn't painful for the cat I would keep doing the draining, but that is just my non-expert opinion. My vet assured me the draining wasn't painful for her (my cat's lung had to be drained). We only did it twice and it never filled up again, but it eventually went to her spine.

Tiffbuff, I don't believe my cat was in pain until she had seizures, which happened on her final day. I'm not sure if the seizures were physically painful, but she did seem VERY frightened by them, so maybe psychologically painful? From what I've read, aspects of FIP can be painful. Untreated uveitis in the eye can be painful, not being able to breath from fluid, etc. I'm not sure about belly fluid. There is a lot of conflicting information out there about whether FIP is painful. I would talk to your vet. Maybe they can tell based on heart rate or something.

I feel so bad for you guys. I've been there, and I know how helpless you feel. Everyone told me I should put my kitty down because it was hopeless, but she beat the odds and lived 18 momths, the vast majority of it was a normal life. I honestly believe you KNOW when it is time to give up.

anyone have experience with trental?

Hi friends.......I am supposed to take the next step with the interferon as soon as my vet gets back into town to talk about it with me (my goof, she did mention she was going away for a seminar and I neglected to get back to her....feel so bad, like every minute counts here!!) but i did start Henry on the prednisone; I hate giving it to him becuase I know he is so dry mouth and this pill is cut in half and even though it's small for his size, it's edges are sharp.......have you ever tried to get a sharp edged pill down without water??!! See, I suffer through everything for him!! Henry is pretty much maintaining about the same.......he will eat bites of Boarshead turkey meat (!) but nothing else, and even with the steroid it is not like his appetite before....last night I was petting him and his backbone is getting so bony; somewhere I did read that anexoria is a symptom for the FIP cats.......i think if he didn't have such beautiful fluffy long hair he would be all bones except for his tummy. The vet had told me they can drain some of the fluid there, like Carol's cat (above), but she told me even though it would make him a little more comfortable for the time being it wouldn't last long, that the body cavity would fill up again probably within a day, and like she says, you just can't keep doing that. He is still able to move around, can jump on the counter/table and goes up the stairs to his litter box when he needs it. I don't think he relishes being petted anymore, he kind of winces (who wouldn't) but I do know he enjoys company, he is such a sweet boy. Selfishly the only (good) thing about this holding period where there hasn't been any change is that it has given me and my kids time to get used to the fact that he is dying and we will have to let him go. I was a wreck last week when I got the news, thought he was going to die on me that day, after everything I had been reading about FIP, but so far no real change, i make him comfortable, offer him his turkey, hold him close, and let him sleep most of the time. It is on my mind constantly, i think I just dread knowing what I will have to do. Such bad bad luck, my prayers are with anyone who is dealing with any kind of terminal illness for a loved pet or a person, it is just so devastating. Thank you all for your kind posts.....i do believe in the power of prayer and positive thinking, that's about all we can do sometimes........

I'm so sorry to hear about your kitten. Just wanted to say that when I had to give my cat pills I rolled the pill in a bit of margarine so it wouldn't be so dry and I used a pillpopper.

Do you have a compounding pharmacy in your area? My cat was on predisone for a couple of years because of issues with his mouth and my compounding pharmacy was able to mix it into a flavored liquid - I think I had the choice of chicken, beef or tuna. It made a huge difference in giving him his meds.

Hi..it's me...Carol back again...Aurora seems to be losing her appetite also..she is on prednisone..our vet said it would be ok to dilute it in water and we give it to her in a feeding syringe...it goes down so easily now..she hated the pill form..also the trental we began was compounded into a chicken flavored liquid so she gets everything that way...she is still eating some dry food..has begun to refuse her a/d canned food but I try baby food...don't know..she is sleeping more than usual. Did prednisone make your kitty tired acting and not wanting to bother with much..her dose has been raised to 7.5 mg. and I feel this may be to much for her...my vet is now on a 2 week vacation..I have an out of town emergency number but it's just not the same...I realy don't know if it's the drugs or if she is taking a turn for the worse now...she has been acting faiirly normal up to now except for the belly bloat..which thank God has not began again after the 2nd draining...yet...but I hear it will eventually...hope the idea for pred in water helps...thanks for your prayers and you all have mine..it's the worst thing I've ever been through with a fur baby...I also lost 2 of my angels aged 17 and 13 this past January and another in MArch...alll to cancers of different kinds...I can't believe that I finally got a baby again and began to heal and now this!!

My cat did very well on the Prednisone. My vet said that cats tolerate it far better than dogs or people do.

Oh Carol and Drewe, my heart goes out to you both. Carol, your story sounds so much like ours. We lost our 16 year old and our 15 1/2 year girls within months of each other (8/15/03 and 11/18/03). I had brought home this perfect little kitten who crawled right into our hearts that September, and we had to put her to sleep the day after Christmas, which was also the last night of Chanukah (we were told she probably had FIP on the first night of Chanukah). Talk about twisting the knife again and again.

When the women in our vet's office heard about it they just couldn't believe it. Not that they would ever wish this on any cat or kitten or family, but knowing what we had gone through that year, they were just in total shock and couldn't believe this had happened to our kitten.

I honestly don't know how we survived it. We were totally and thoroughly griefstricken, and remained that way for a very long time after.

Somehow, we made it through to today, 4 years later. We have two cats who we adore. They will never take the place of our lost ones, but I love them so just the same. There is enough room in there to love them all (those present, and those in heaven) with all my heart. Not a day goes by that I don't miss our first three (and the ones I had when I was growing up and others I've cared for). I will love them and remember them until the day that I die, and if I am very lucky, I will get to be with all of them again then.

I will keep you in my thoughts and will continue to wish you strength as your beloved kittens go through this. I am so sorry.

Thank you all for the advice with the pills...I have been putting it in a tiny bit of ice cream(......that's how I got things down as a child!) and at least I feel like it's easier on him, although I am terrible at giving cats pills, i need someone to hold him and half the time I don't get it down the throat far enough; I think i will try the margerine idea, that sounds better than having ice cream drip all over your finger.....It is hard to say what the pred effect has been so far since he has only been taking it 5 days; his appetite was off to begin with but he always had a little interest in food. Now he seems to be hungrier when it has been awhile since it is offered...and he still only eats a few bites but to me that is better than nothing. He also seems to like meatloaf, i was going crazy wasting all the canned cat food but I really think that doesn't interest him like people food? he was always one to have his nose in a plate if you weren't careful..! I think all in all he is about the same, but I am still worried about a change anytime. The vet had told me to watch for labored breathing incase the fluid got to his little lungs......that would mean he would get up to walk and lie down quickly . I went on and told them to order the interferon for me, apparently this is not something they keep on hand at a vets office (is that how rare this FIP really is???!!!)but I don't guess Henry will start that until next week whenever I go pick it up. one of my biggest worries is what I will do with him when I have to go out of town later this month for the Holiday; I don't dare take him to the vet, they probably wouldn't take an FIP cat as a border anyway?? And how can i expect for somone else to offer him food all throughout the day like i do, to keep a watch on his condition, to just love him and let him hear me call his name........i think postive that he will even still be with me by the end of the month, but now I have to worry about his care when I go away.

I know what you mean about lost cat loves, cat mom.....i have had many and loved them all, i am just an animal lover. One of the best cats I ever had got this strange intestional disease where he couldn't have a BM, his muscles had shut down and he couldn't move his waste, and there I was giving him enemas to help him out........you just do what you have to do. that was very hard, they told me I could pay 3000.00 for a surgery to remove his lower intestine, but before I even was able to make sense of that i found him dead in my neighbors yard one morning soon after, i think his heart had just given out. My guilt stems from how he probably suffered, he was such a great cat for 7 years and I loved him so much, I am wondering if God sends us these special cases because we love so much? It is so hard, but I would not trade my pets for anything, even to avoid what I am going through now with Henry, although we have only had him a short time. It is agonizing, but I know with every pet I bring home or adopt for keeps that is what I'm getting into. unfortunatly for me I keep multiples of cats and dogs, 3 and 2, and will never live life without a fur family, they just give too much back and we all need more love and smiles in life!!

"The vet had told me to watch for labored breathing incase the fluid got to his little lungs......that would mean he would get up to walk and lie down quickly."

When my kitty had fluid in the lungs she would sit in a sphinx pose and try to sleep rather than flop on her side. She seemed fine walking around, etc. It was when she was resting that you noticed it. But maybe we caught it early?

FIP is not rare at all. The vets I spoke to don't use Interferon because it is still considered experimental. The last I heard no controlled study had been done, that the "recoveries" were anecdotal.

Regarding traveling, that's a tricky one. Our vet doesn't board, but a boarding place nearby agreed to take her even though her vaccinations are expired (cats with FIP should not receive vaccinations). I was going to bring a litter box and food dishes and they were going to sterilize the cage after. The owner of the kennel used to be a vet tech, so she is familiar with FIP. We ended up not boarding her because we worried the stress of not being home would make the FIP worse.

Someone else above posted that their cat was receiving 7.5 mg per day of Pred. That is a pretty low dosage of Pred unless that cat is very small. Our cat was on 20 mg per day. A 10 pound cat should have 9-18 mg per day, am 8 pound cat should have 7-15 mg per day. This is based on 2-4 mg of Pred per kg of body weight (so you have to covert the weight to kg from pounds).

Hi Sue........I know, the last thing I want to do is stress this little guy even more, I just don't know if I'M the one who can handle being away from him for 6 days!!! It is a dilemma for me, that's for sure.

I am still having a lot of trouble getting the pills in him, it's a battle......even with the tips (above)...... what is a "pill popper" bkydrose......is that something used for pets?? I would be intetested, so far all I can do is try and get it in his mouth and this usually takes a lot of effort and frustration even with help, his mouth is so tiny!

It's also called a pill gun--it looks like a small plunger or syringe type thing with a rubber tip to hold the pill (you stick that end in his mouth) and a plunger to push the pill in/down. We'd gotten one to use with Mayu to give her some meds before we even knew she had FIP (tiny mouth+ razor sharp little teeth=bloody fingers for me). Not all pet supply places or vets office have them, but if you call around, you should be able to find one.

I wanted to let everybody know I said goodbye to my sweet little Henry today after he took a turn for the worse this morning. It has been almost three weeks to the day that I got the bad news about him having FIP; I really thought that maybe we might have him for another couple of months, he was fairly stable and holding his own, but he refused food and water at breakfast time and by noon he had become lathargic and starry eyed. I had promised him that if he let me know when he was ready I would be with him for a peaceful end. I think, bless his heart, that he gave me three weeks to adjust to the bad news before he decided it was time to give up the fight. and maybe he know the delemma I was dealing with about leaving him for a week to go away for the upcoming holiday? It was worrying me so much, I just wonder if he knew it was a good time to go....

he was such a sweet little guy, a real keeper; We didn't have him for very long but I fell for him the moment I saw him and he will always be one of my favorites in my long line of pets. It's hard, but I have to appreciate the short time we had with him and the amount of joy he brought to me and my children. If anyone is going through a similiar situation with a sick pet or one with a terminal illness I will pray for strength for you to get through the care period and after. Just love them and hold them while you have them.......take pictures, take videos. We do make a difference, I have to know in my heart that Henry was greatful for a loving home and the love and attention that many strays do not get a chance to experience. Life is going to be a little bit hollow around here for awhile but he will always stay in my memories and in my heart, as only a wonderful pet can. Thank you all for all your kind posts and thoughts.......I would like to print a little verse that my 10 year old daughter wrote soon after we found out he was terminal.

Henry, Our Baby

Perfect Attitude, Perfect Name
Perfect Markings, he loves to play games

His little cheeks look like coffee creams,
His eyes talk to you, it almost seems

His stomach is a bottomless pit
If you put food in front of him, he'll never leave it

Roo is his older relative
He never thinks the negatives.

This is our beloved baby's personality
FIP is his enemy in reality

We love you,
HENRY
and we always will

May you rest in peace my little baby kitten..Nov. 14, 2007

I'm so sorry for your loss.

One more picture of Henry, in better days....

Here is a link that might be useful:

Drewe, i've read thru the posts, and feel you made the right decision in sending little Henry to heaven. The idea of keeping an animal alive because 'I can't deal with putting him down', isn't the issue. If you visually see the animal is suffering, it shouldn't be about what *you* feel, but what would be best for the animal.

I needed to make this decision a few months ago, and it's never easy, no matter what the age of the kittie.

Little Henry will forever be with you in spirit. =^-^=

I'm so sorry.

Although Henry didn't have a long life, he knew he was loved.

(((HUGS))) with tears in my eyes for you and your Henry.

The dear little thing..I am so sorry for you. It never gets any easier. Keep the memories.

I am so, so sorry.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I lost two cats to FIP but it was the dry type. The first one, a purebred Birman, was diagnosed when he was almost two years old and lived a year before he got so bad we had to put him down. The other cat, who we got one month before the Birman and had tested for FIP before we adopted him (one breeder where we looked at Birmans had had FIP and I was paranoid) and the test was negative. We have no idea where the FIP came from but I suspect the Birman had it as purebreds are more susceptible.

Anyway, after we put the Birman down, we had the other cat (Smokey) tested and his titers were off the charts. But, he lived, asymptomatically, for 2-1/2 years after that diagnosis. One day, he started having difficulty breathing, and two days later, we had to have him put to sleep. I have never cried so much in my life. He was my cat (I rescued him from the shelter because he licked me). He would come into the room where I was and would start purring so loud. It was devastating to lose him.

I know how you feel. I still miss my Smokey. We got two female littermates a few weeks later, after I washed every single surface in our house with bleach and water. I was paranoid about them getting FIP and for the first three or four years worried myself sick about it. They are 11 years old now I guess I worried needlessly.

It hurts so much to see them suffer. I feel for anyone that loses a dear pet, and especially those who lose them to FIP because there is little that can be done except to make their lives as comfortable as possible while they are with us.

Thank you everyone for your kind words and prayers. It has been not quite two full days after saying goodbye to Henry and it is still hard to not imagine him being in his favorite spot when I go in a certain room or find him following me. It has been such a hard emotional month dealing with all this; I miss him terribly even though there is a relief that I don't have to worry about him anymore. It was hard to put away his bedding and I have yet to clean his food dish with his latest meal still in the fridge, but I know it will probably take me a few more days before I am able to think of him without such saddness. I am just still so bitter and in shock that something like this can be so devastating. I wish I could do something to help fund research to find a cure or a medicine that would allow cats to live with this disease. Does anyone out there know if there is a place that is working on an FIP cure/vaccine? I would be interested to know. Soemone said it earlier, that this is just such an evil disease, and I figured out that it is because there is no hope that one can hang onto........you feel so helpless........as his "mom" that was just so hard for me to deal with, and of course the not knowing when and how long he would stay with me until the time came to relieve him of his suffering.

I found comfort in reading all your words, so thank you again for supporting me through this hard time. Wow, it hasn't even been a month........i think back to a few weeks ago, I have a picture of him in my washing machine where he was exploring one day and I had to snap a picture, that was Henry.......just a sweet little kitten snooping around my space while I was close by. He always had a way of looking right at me with his eyes, almost like he was trying to tell me something.......and I have to believe it was love, and that's why losing him has been so hard, he was one of those kitties who really, really loved you(me).

I hope that if anyone else is going through this with their kitty they can find some help and support through this forum, I didn't know who I could talk to and this really helped fill a void. So onto the healing and again, just love love love your animals, in sickness and in health, because once they're gone you can't go back and have more time with them, and at least you can hold onto the fact that you gave them all the time, attention and love that you had. Again, peace and thanks for your prayers, D.

When we lost our Mayu, I think Cornell was researchin vaccines/cures for FIP, but haven't looked into that in the few years since then. I know there is an intranasal vaccine for FIP, but it is or was controversial (success with it, or possibly causing the disease; I honestly don't remember, just that it's not highly recommended).

If I had the $, I would love to fund research into prevention and a cure. It is so awful that an FIP Dx is really a death sentence.

It will take some time for you to feel less raw about losing Henry. He will always occupy a special place in your heart.

I lost my 22 month old Norwegian Forest cat to FIP on Nov. 15th. There is still much ongoing FIP research through the Winn Feline Foundation Bria Fund - I am posting the link to the website below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bria Fund

((((drewe))))) (((((everyone with a fip kittie))))
This was one of the most heartbreaking threads I've read in a long time. I belive that they sometimes come back to us in the flesh and in death they aren't as far away as we belive.