I am so very sorry, Dee. How heartbreaking for your family. Losing one of our furkids is never easy but facing two sad passings in such a short time.

We have 3 Maine Coons, two of them are siblings, Moose and Bob. We were adopting Moose when the breeder called to ask if we would take Bob as well. Bob has a head shake, was probably in the birth canal too long, but the poor baby had to be handfed and was Moose's shadow. So we said okay....Bob is short for Bobblehead. I don't regret taking him for a minute, what a sweetheart. He'll be 2 in January but we were not sure how long he would live....sure hope it is a long time!

I'm sorry for you loss.

Have you checked Siamese cats for allergies. I am allergic to most cats, but Siamese don't bother me near as much as other cats. You might be able to find a siamese cat closer without a 17 hour drive and a 4 month wait?

I think honestly you need to sit back and say to yourself- your "wonderful breeder" failed you twice, why don't you get a healthy cat/kitten at a shelter and save all the money for pet foods- like Innova EV0.

Lab costs on kittens/cats are $5 a head, if every unwanted cat in the usa found a home,then every home in the usa would have 36 cats!! I heard that somewhere on a you tube video, on pet overpopulation.

runswalken - your message is a good one, but the way you deliver it is too harsh. The poor family is greiving and just lost family pets.

Give them a break and deliver your good message in a more understanding "tone". They might then actually listen, instead of feeling like they were attacked.

abcmom, my heart goes out to you, your family, and your remaining kitten.

We experienced something similar about 5 yrs ago, losing our 16 year old cat in August, our 15 1/2 yr old cat in November, and then the kitten we'd gotten that September was diagnosed with FIP in December (same symptoms as your little one), and we put her to sleep the day after Christmas. Believe me when I say that I know what you are going through.

We were left with a shy 4 month old kitten (we'd gotten her shortly before losing our 15 1/2 yr old as a companion for our other kitten) at the start of the winter season, when finding a new kitten isn't too easy in the northeast. We'd decided to wait about 30 days before bringing home another kitten (just in case our remaining kitten was shedding the virus, having been exposed to it by our first kitten). Our vet felt that that was a reasonable approach, although he also felt that it would probably be fine to bring another one home sooner (there's no guarantee that a kitten/cat will or will not contract FIP once exposed to a coronavirus).

As fate would have it, we ended up having to wait 'til May (when the right one finally came along). Our then 8 1/2 month old kitten took to her right away although she did act a little differently with us for a brief time.

I guess I'm trying to tell you that there is really no right or wrong answer, you have to follow your heart in this.

I wish you peace and much luck in the days ahead. If you want to, please don't hesitate to email me via this forum.

(((HUGS)))

Thank-you to those who shared kind thoughts.
Lynn, how thoughtful of you to welcome Bob into your home.I'm sure he's a sweetheart, & I'm sure the love & care you continue to give Bob,will allow him to live a long happy life. I will keep him in my thoughts.
Joepyeweed, I think I will talk to my kids about a siamese kitten,and look into any breeders around my neck of the woods.
Runsnwalken, Please do some research before you put pen to paper. My cat had a rare,brain glioma, not havng anything to do with the breeder, and it is the same type of tumor Ted Kennedy has, should we call his parents bad breeders? This happened to be the only kitten this breeder had lost to FIP. She has been breeding for 25 years, & is very well respected in her field. She will only breed when she has enough request for her kittens, which may mean only 1x a year. She too is heartbroken over our lost. As for getting a shelter cat, we tried, & after having to give back many a kittens to my local shelter because of my kids asthma, we decided to go the egyptian mau root. I donate food, and or money monthly to my local shelter, you? I'm actually surprised you didn't mention declawing as a possible factor for my cats passing. Like Pamghatten said, your message may mean well, but your tongue is sharp. We are greiving, and although I appreciate & respect your beliefs, you should do the same to the other members of this forum.
Again, thank-you to those for your kind thoughts. Dee

Catmom,
Thank-you for sharing your story. I honestly can not believe how much pain the lost of a pet can cause, no matter the age. I am praying that this little guy with the big blue round eyes, does not come down with this virus, it would simply be horrible for my kids, and will send my husband and I over the edge, & I didn't know about the 30 day shedding period. After the 30 days, are the kittens usually in the clear? As I stated, his blood was taken, & it looked fine, but the vet would like me to have another blood series done in 2wks.
Poor little guy has been howling & looking for his brother for 2 days now & I can see he is a little depressed(not playing as usual). To be honest, I am worried about adopting another kitten when he is 8mths, I fear it may be too late, & that he will not be so accepting to a new kitten, but only time will tell if I begin to feel differently.Again, Thank-you for sharing your story, thank-you for your kind thoughts.
Blessings to you and your family. Dee

There is no "30 day shedding period"--it's possible that they can shed the virus their entire lives, for a short time, or ? One vet even told us to never get another kitten/cat because our remaining kitten could expose any kitten or cat we brought into home to the virus. Our regular vet felt that 30 days was a reasonable amount of time to wait (the virus can only survive for so long on household surfaces) but he also told us we could bring in another kitten right away had we so desired. It really was up to us.

FIP is such a crapshoot--from the odds of a kitten or cat developing the disease after exposure to the coronavirus (not all kittens or cats do develop FIP after exposure) to the ability of the virus to mutate, which makes testing difficult and prevention and cures impossible. It is generally found in animals with weakened or immature immune systems; those being kittens or older cats.

A friend had had two kittens from the same litter years ago. One of her kittens from that litter (maybe all the others?) succumbed to FIP, while her other one never developed it and lived to a ripe old age. Our cat Shizu is now 5 years old, BTW. A fairly sizable number of kittens that had been up for adoption at our vet's office in and around the same time as our first kitten ended up with FIP. It is just a nasty disease.

As I'd mentioned, it is transmitted fecal-oral, so we took the precaution of dumping/disinfecting the litter box quite often after losing our kitten (daily at first and then tapered down), in case our remaining kitten was shedding the virus. We wanted to reduce the chance that she would infect or re-infect herself, and to eliminate the virus from our home to reduce the likelihood of infecting a new kitten.

Some things we read online about the disease advised precautionary measures that ranged from less to more drastic--you'll have to decide which approach works for you. We did enough to feel somewhat proactive without going to extremes.

My heart aches thinking about your little guy's grief. When we lost our first cat, our 16 year old, our other cat (the 15 1/2 yr old who'd been battling cancer all year) hid under the covers for days. Then, when we had to put our kitten to sleep, our other kitten would go downstairs and howl and roam around, much as your boy is doing. It broke our hearts anew every time she cried. All you can do is comfort them as best you can.

Only time will tell if your little boy will be okay or not. I certainly hope he will be, and my heart goes out to you waiting to see what will be.

As for adopting another kitten, that's always a crapshoot as well--some kittens and cats take new additions to the family in stride, others are somewhat less welcoming. See what the vet says in 2 weeks. Your little one might need that time to grieve anyway, and it'll give you a chance to see how you feel.

Keep me posted, ok? More (((HUGS))) to you all.

I hope your second kittens are in better health, Siamese are over bred in some cases and can have other issues, They want to be in your face, they are loud and can be blind/deaf, siamese are like dogs in they need lots of attention. I would get a mix, they are healthier, live longer and your being part of a solution to end over population.

The OP stated that one of her children has allergies and asthma so they'd prefer a breed that is less reactive, so a mixed breed of unknown origin may not work for them.

abcmom. I had a 6month old and a 3 month old that were buddies back in 87 when FIP was just being recognized. We had to ut the 6 month to sleep when she reached about 8 months. The younger one was devistated and depressed while we waited the recommended 6 months our vet told us to wait. We could only hold out for 4 months, the surviving cat was just so depressed it was pitiful. The younger (male still not fixed yet, another story)was so happy when we brought the new "baby" home. I was afraid he wouldn't take to her but to my surprise (and panick for a moment) he picked her up by back of neck the way mom cats do and brought her to his favorite spot and licked her for about 20 minutes. He was her protector the rest of his life. I hope when you get to bring a new one home it works as well.
Best wishes.

Joepyeweed,
Thank-you for pointing that out to Runsnwalken. I chose not to reply to him because of his continued ignorance on not just my posting, but others as well.
Runsnwalken... you are exactly the type of person who should be banned from owning pets. I truley don't know if you mean well, or your just mean. I chose not to listen to your radical views, so please, do not write anymore "suggestions" on my post.
Izzie..I'm sorry your loss. I understand how hard it must have been for you. My husband & I are holding our breath for our remaing kitten. My husband told me this morning how much in love he is with this little boy,& is praying for his health. We are telling our kids that he, Bella,still has a chance of getting the virus, to prepare them, but as expected, we are already so attached to him. I had just assumed if he had'nt shown signs in the next month, he would be clear of it. If he does develop the virus, I had already told my husband I will not go through this again, were done. I have never experienced being so devistated by a pets death, and believe me, I have had many pets as a chld. My heart aches for my kids. What a life lesson, if there is one.So for now, we are on a wing & a prayer with this little guy. Blood panels done monthly, & just loving him one day at a time. Thanks Dee

abcmom, my heart breaks for your loss. I just lost Holly, a sweet calico kitty I had for 12 years, on October 19th. My son took me kitten shopping the same day. I wanted one kitten but when she was crated, she and her sister began crying for each other, having never been separated in their 12 weeks of life. The one I hadn't picked turned out to be the sweetest kitten. A week later I noticed she was developing a pot belly. The Vet confirmed she had HIP and I lost her just two weeks after losing Holly. The Vet said the remaining kitten would need to be watched for symptoms for a year and not to bring other kittens or cats into our home until we are sure she doesn't develop HIP too.

abcmom, Holly was my FIRST pet. I have to admit that I never really understood how upset people got when they lost a pet. Now I do. I feel worse than I did when I my parents passed away. It confused me at first but then I realized I had never lost anyone that lived with me at the time. I didn't realize how much of my life was intertwined with my Holly-Cat! We had habits and routines, some were her idea, some were mine. We loved each other so much. I still look for her and dream about her. I don't want to go to bed at night until I'm exhausted because she is not there and won't be there in the morning.

It's been nearly a month since Holly passed and I'm crying as I write this. I don't know when I'll feel happy and really want to do anything again. I won't pretend I know how you feel but I can imagine you feel a loving presence is missing from your life. I know pets don't live forever but that doesn't mean we can't wish they did. I don't talk about Holly to others because I can sense that they don't understand just as I didn't.
The kitten I have now is cute and I'm sure we will bond as time goes on but there is no way to replace the one you lost...I guess we just will learn how to reconcile ourselves to it and enjoy all of the happy memories.

abcmom and lovs2garden, you both have my utmost sympathy. I wish I could take away your grief and pain. In time, it will become less raw, but there is no actual timetable for that, and no right or wrong. It took us a very long time to feel somewhat "normal" again, a very long time.

Yes, your remaining kittens could end up developing FIP, but there is also a good chance they will not. Just love them, and enjoy them, and take care of them as best you can. That's all anyone can do. I will certainly be hoping that this is the last you will experience such a loss for a long time.

As for bringing home another kitten, or ever getting another one, don't let their inevitable departure keep you from enjoying the love and friendship we get to have while they are here. I never thought I could love another cat the way I loved my first two, but I also couldn't imagine living in a home without any. My life would be all the more empty without them.

The two we have now will never replace our others in our hearts. But they will always have place in there beside them. I love them, and I will miss them just as much when they join the others in heaven (which I pray won't be for many years to come). This is their time with us and I am honored to have them in our lives.

It's never easy, but I continue to wish you peace. (((HUGS)))

Hi abcmom, and I am so sorry for your losses. ((hug))

No, you should be fine introducing another kitten for your little guy at 8 months of age. We had an elderly Himalayan and a young Siamese mix. The Himmy was 14 years old when we had to put her to sleep due to invasive cancer, and our then-year old Siamese was despondent, as was my husband. After a few months, DH wanted another Himalayan, so we got Tara-- our little glamour girl. We weren't sure how the Meezer would react, but we went ahead anyway.

Well, at first, Meezer was "hissed off". He would growl, hiss and try to nip at Tara. Yes, we should have kept Tara in her own room for a while and introduced them slowly, but in a one-bedroom duplex, that's just not possible so we had to go with the crash course.

Over time, though, we realized that Tara was pretty much unflappable and kept the Meezer in his place. Meanwhile, it became very apparent that there was a genuine friendship... but the details needed work.

Today, the two are almost inseparable. Tara is two and a half years old and the Meezer (his real name is Schrodinger, BTW) is just a year older. They play and sleep together, but she is the alpha and sets the rules, LOL!!

So yes, it can DEFINITELY work out, at 8 months and even older! We have a third cat, a 6 year old Domestic Longhair female... and she has also gotten used to these two. She was around when we got the Meezer after we lost the older sister of our other elderly Himmy to the same kind of cancer over a year prior. The older cat isn't crazy about the Meez since he's so "in your face", but she is quite friendly with the Himalayan. I would recommend opposite genders (spaying or neutering as appropriate, of course), and selecting carefully to choose one with a personality that complements the personality of the one you have now. I know that's not easy and personalities refine as pets mature... but if your current kitty is quiet, you might want to choose another kitten who seems more mellow rather than one who's a fireball that might overwhelm the older quiet type (for instance).

Short Form:
Skye= 6 years old spayed female DLH. Indoor/outdoor. Likes Tara (Himalayan); doesn't like Schrodinger (Meezer). Quiet and retiring.

Tara= 2-1/2 year old spayed female Himalayan. Indoor only. ALPHA CAT. Confident, playful and friendly. Likes Skye AND Schrodinger.

Schrodinger= 3-1/2 year old rescued neutered male Siamese mix, found as tiny kitten in bushes. Indoor only. Heart defect, doing well on medicine. Class clown, must be part monkey, athletic and non-stop. Loves Tara; wants to be friends/playmates with Skye but overwhelms Skye with his "boy"-sterousness.

So SURE-- it can work out. And I hope the best for you, too.

Blessings!!

Thank you Cat Mom.

Dee...I hope you find this comforting...

The Journey

When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey. A journey that will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known, yet will also test your strength and courage.If you allow, the journey will teach you many things,about life, about yourself,and most of all,about love. You will come away changed forever, for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its mark. Along the way, you will learn much about savoring life's simple pleasures --
jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joys of puddles, and even the satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears or on the belly. If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly experience every element, for no rock, leaf, or log will go unexamined, no rustling bush will be overlooked, and even the very air will be inhaled, pondered, and noted as being full of valuable information.

Your pace may be slower, except when heading home to the food dish, but you will become a better naturalist, having been taught by an expert in the field. Too many times we hike on automatic pilot, our goal being to complete the trail rather than enjoy the journey. We miss the details; the colorful mushrooms on the rotting log, the honeycomb in the old maple snag, the hawk feather caught on a twig.

Once we walk as a dog does, we discover a whole new world. We stop; we browse the landscape, we kick over leaves, peek in tree holes, look up, down, all around. And we learn what any dog knows that nature has created a marvelously complex world that is full of surprises, that each cycle of the seasons bring ever changing wonders, each day an essence all its own, each day a gift from God.

Even from indoors you will find yourself more attuned to the world around you. You will find yourself watching: summer insects collecting on a screen; how bizarre they are; how many kinds there are or noting the flick and flash of fireflies through the dark. You will stop to observe the swirling dance of windblown leaves, or sniff the air after a rain. It does not matter that there is no objective in this; the point is in the doing, in not letting life's most important details slip by.

You will find yourself doing silly things that your pet-less friends might not understand: spending thirty minutes in the grocery aisle looking for the cat food brand your feline must have, buying dog birthday treats, or driving around the block an extra time because your pet enjoys the ride. You will roll in the snow, wrestle with chewie toys, bounce little rubber balls till your eyes cross and even run around the house trailing your bathrobe tie with a cat in hot pursuit, all in the name of love.

Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find dog biscuits in your pocket or purse, and feel the need to explain that an old plastic shopping bag adorns your living room rug because your cat loves the crinkly sound. You will learn the true measure of love. The steadfast, undying kind that says,''It doesn't matter where we are or what we do, or how life treats us as long as we are together''

Respect this always. It is the most precious gift any living soul can give another. You will not find it often among the human race. And you will learn humility. The look in my dog's eyes often made me feel ashamed. Such joy and love at my presence. She saw not some flawed human who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only her wonderful companion. Or maybe she saw those things and dismissed them as mere human foibles, not worth considering, and so chose to love me anyway.

If you pay attention and learn well, when the journey is done, you will be not just a better person, but the person your pet always knew you to be. The one they were proud to call beloved friend.

I must caution you that this journey is not without pain. Like all paths of true love, the pain is part of loving. For as surely as the sun sets, one day your dear animal companion will follow a trail you cannot yet go down. And you will have to find the strength and love to let them go. A pet's time on earth is far too short, especially for those that love them. We borrow them, really, just for a while, and during these brief years they are generous enough to give us all their love every inch of their spirit and heart, until one day there is nothing left. The cat that only yesterday was a kitten is all too soon old and frail and sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy now wakes up stiff and lame, the muzzle gone to gray.

Deep down we somehow always knew that this journey would end. We knew that if we gave our hearts they would be broken. But give them we must for it is all they ask in return. When the time comes, and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot see, we give one final gift and let them run on ahead, young and whole once more. ''God speed, good friend,'' we say, until our journey comes full circle and our paths cross again.

And bless their souls for sharing their lives with us...and adding so much to our very existence.

Author Unknown.

lov2garden.. thank-you for that passage. I read it to my daughters(17yr old identincal twins) & as much as they do not want to talk about "it", we decided to just love him as much as we can, & take it one day at a time. I took him to the vet on Monday for his rabbies & distemper,& dispite a cold in his eye,the vet said he was growing & looked great(He did a thorough exam on him).He said although he most likely has the virus, & his chances are much higher to get sick, his chances for living are better with each passing day. I can only pray that will be true.He will do another blood test in a couple of weeks to compare with the previous blood test.
The breeder has been keeping in touch with me, & in touch with the families that had adopted the other 4 kittens. All are doing well. The breeder has notified the owners of the mother cat & she will no longer be aloud to breed.The breeder had also told me she won't have another kitten for me until April because she will only breed when she has enough request for kittens. Bella will then be 9mths, if he makes it & still is growing & doing well, we will bring him home a friend. He is sooo sweet, loving & very much attached to us, we just love him so much, & I think he knows how much he's loved.
I will keep in touch.
Thank-you all again for the support, kind words & well wishes. This is why I turned to this forum. Dee

I lost a cat to FIP last year, so I understand how you feel. It's awful, I know. Please educate yourself on FIP before you proceed. Your kitten might be a "shedder" (a carrier) of FIP, making it never safe to bring another kitten into the house as long as he is there. Or the kitten might just have the coronavirus (the virus that causes FIP), which many cats have, and not be a shedder. Personally, I wouldn't let the breeder off the hook entirely. She has the virus in her cattery if even one kitten has it. Did she give you a guarantee, offering you a free kitten? Mine did, but I chose to go with a different breeder when I got Max and Belle. After Cleo died I learned from research that I should wait 12 weeks before getting a new kitten. My vet, and the new breeder, agreed with that. I also threw out Cleo's litter box and food dishes and washed the area where her litter box and food dishes were with bleach/water.

It sounds like your current kitten has the cornonavirus, how are his titer levels? Are they normal or elevated? Also, based on what my vet said, your current kitten should not be stressed in any way. No boarding, no vaccinations, no surgeries, etc. A stressing event often pushes the coronavirus to become FIP (Cleo developed it shortly after being spayed). Doing monthly blood work will get very expensive (my vet charges about $250 for full blood work). If your vet doesn't have experience with FIP you might want to seek out another vet. I'm surprised they vaccinated him knowing he was at risk for FIP.

Good luck. Assuming all goes well, I don't think you'll have trouble introducing another cat. I got Max in December and Belle in late July (they are siblings, but not litter mates). He loves her and was so happy when we got her. He adapted immediately (like 5 minutes), it took her (a tiny female) a little longer to adapt to this big male wanting to play with her, but they are buddies now.

Hi Sue,
Yes my breeder gave me a choice of a new kitten or my money back. She has been very sincere,& takes full responsability, & insisted to take time to think about getting a new kitten,the choice would be ours.These 2 liters (same father different mother) was all she had. The mother had gone back to the original owner by the time I had gotten the kittens. I too had taken the neccesary precautions after the kitten was diagnosed, but by that time, Bella was already exposed.I do remember reading that 10 days prior to the virus coming out,is the contagious period, but I could have misunderstood, & I know it really does'nt matter now.
I'm also sorry for your lose. If I understood you correctly, your cat had developed FIP after being spayed? How old was she? Any signs prior to the spaying? I am kicking myself for getting him vaccinated on Monday. The breeder was also upset that he was vaccinated, but so far he's o.k. running and playing, eating well,& his blood levels from 11/10 were normal,(the vet was very pleased) but from what I have been reading about FIP, that could all change in a day, I could be wrong, but the next 30 days are the most crucial. Thats why I will do the blood work, but I will do it again in 2wks to see if anything has changed. My breeder has offered to split the cost for the next few vet visits, again proving to me that she has taken responsability.
If he is a shedder, does it mean he too will die? My gosh I had so many question & my vet has been great answering them all, but then after reading your post, I have even more, especially,how long & at what age, would it be safe to get him neutered.
I think deep down, we know his chances are slim, & will be devistated if he does'nt make it. As everyone knows, the more time you have to bond, the worse it will be,& I can already see my one daughter is pulling away from him. It's sad. Dee

Please, don't put the cart before the horse. Yes, there is a good chance little Bella could develop FIP, BUT, there is also a good chance he won't. A kitten/cat has to be predisposed (genetically) to develop FIP following conronavirus exposure. Because Bella was from the same litter (the entire litter could've been exposed in-utero or prior to coming to your home), and because he lived with a kitten who had FIP, his chances are greater, but that is no guarantee he will develop the disease.

I told you about my friend's cat, who lived to a ripe old age (very old if I recall), while it's sibling died as a kitten (FIP).

Also, knock on wood, our cat is now 5 and doing well, and she spent a month, month and a half in our home with other kitten who had FIP (unbeknownst to us at the time). Our other cat is 4 1/2 and she's been living with us (and the 5 yr old) since she was 7 weeks old.

I do know someone who lost a kitten and then the sibling months down the road, so I don't want to give you false hope, but you should know that only time will tell you what will be. You are doing all the right things, so don't beat yourself up.

There is so much they just don't know about this awful, awful disease. They know that cats can "carry" the coronavirus, but there is much conflicting info re: whether or not these cats are actually "shedding" the (live) virus, whether they are "contagious" or not, whether or not a kitten/cat is likely to develop FIP in any given situation, and subsequently, whether you need to wait before bringing another kitten/cat into your home, or if you ever should--they just don't know.

Because the disease (virus) is constantly mutating, most tests are inconclusive. Our Mayu's Elisa test came back normal and it was clear she had FIP (the antibodies were probably so bound up in the virus, there weren't any left to bind to the test). From what we've read, and were told (at AMC in NY City) the only 100% way to diagnose FIP is to do a necropsy (biopsy of organs, liver? after he/she has passed on).

We only had our Mayu for a few (too few) short months, but she had already burrowed her way deep into our hearts. I will always wish for a different outcome, but I wouldn't give up a minute of the time we had her. We are very glad that she was able to spend her time here on earth being loved and cared for by us. Your Bella is very lucky to have you, and until you hear otherwise, we will all be wishing a long and happy life with you and your family.

cat mom
I am sorry that I seem to be dwelling on this, but
it is awful having to live everyday thinking that this may be the day Bella shows some type of symptom. Bella & Luca shared the same father,different mother, but yes,they were litermates, Bella being 1wk older. Each of the liter had 5 kittens. So that is why I was glad to learn the mother of Luca will no longer breed.
Our vet had also told us, a biopsy would be the only true way to diagnose FIP. He did a sonogram, withdrew & cultured the fluid from his abdoman, and showed us through the sonogram all the fluid surrounding his heart and stomach area. That with the weight loss, labor breathing,unsteadyness, jaundice in his eyes, & with the blood panal, he & his partners were more than certain it was FIP. With his blood, the white blood cells were extremly low, along with his protiens.
We are grateful that we were able to provide him with so much love for such a short time(3wks) & boy did we spoil him in that short time.
May I ask at what month did you find it "safe" to have her spayed? Thank-you Dee

Dee, believe me, you aren't dwelling, you are living with and dealing with a crappy situation. I can't tell you how long it took us to move past what we'd gone through ourselves.

Having different mother's might be a good thing in all this. Yes, there was early exposure, but maybe it's at least a little less likely that the mom passed it on (to Bella)?

They drew fluid from Mayu's (very swollen) abdomen at AMC and it was the classic "straw-colored" fluid that is seen with FIP. Along with her other symptoms, it was clearly that, despite the negative Elisa test the previous Friday.

We put Mayu to sleep the day after Christmas, and had Shizu spayed in January (the 5th seems to stand out in my memory). We'd held off, hoping to do both girls at the same time, waiting for Mayu to grow a bit and get stronger (not knowing she had had FIP). Shizu's nipples were becoming more prominent, and it was hard to tell if some of her "wailing" was for her lost "sibling" or because she was getting close to going into heat. We didn't want to risk waiting, and our vet felt no need to do so. She was in great health and her bloodwork was normal.

The only issues at this time are a slight heart murmer (which she's had for some time, and not one to cause undue concern) and she needs to lose weight! She's a little bit chubbier than she should be...

If you ever want to email me off-site, and/or talk, I'm happy to do so. I have no medical experience at all, but having gone through much of what you are going through now, I can offer an understanding sounding board....

To answer your questions, Cleo seemed perfectly healthy. She was 5 months old when we had her neutered and about 3-4 weeks later (on a Sunday) we noticed one of her blue eyes looked grayish. Having vast experience with cat eye problems (a previous cat), I immediately took her to the emergency vet who said it was uveitis. He didn't tell me how important that was. Iveitis is often how FIP first shows itself. I read a little online and decided to take her to a veterinary opthalmologist. That happened a few days later. He said the meds the emergency vet gave were all wrong and told us we needed to do blood work to rule out FIP, etc. The coronavirus titers were high enough that they were 95% sure she had it. The eye cleared and she lived about 18 months after that. She had the dry form. The uveitis came back once and she had her lungs drained twice. At one point the primary care vet began to question if she really had FIP because she lived so long (and did so well between illnesses). Then it went to her brain/spine and she began losing the ability to walk. We had her put to sleep when she started having seizures.

From what I have read, kittens that develop FIP often had what seemed to be a head cold before the FIP developed. I really can't say it that happened with Cleo. But honestly, if she had a little but of a runny nose for a day or two a month or more before she got sick, I don't think I'd remember it. She was never obviously sick until the eye thing happened.

Her entire litter (6 kittens, I think) died of FIP. The breeder eventually shut down the operation because she was so devastated. Cleo lived the longest, probably because I sunk so much money into her medical care. The vet had never heard of that happening, all the kittens in one litter getting FIP. It was believed the mother was a shedder and that it was possibly a particularly virulent form of the virus (which research I've done seems to point to). The mother never got sick. She was spayed and adopted out to a home where she was the only cat.

From what I've read some cats fight off the infection but continue to shed the virus for the rest of their lives, endangering all cats (especially young and old) around them. I don't know if they can tell who the shedder cats are from titer levels or not. My understanding is that cats with active disease (like Cleo and your deceased kitten had) shed the virus, but other cats who survive can also shed the virus. Not all shedders die, but all who die were shedders. Does that make sense?

Statistically speaking, your kitten has a good chance of making it. I believe only 10% of cats who are exposed to FIP get FIP (most get coronavirus, but it usually just sort of stays in the body, not becoming FIP), and about another 10% fight it off and possible stay shedders (the remainder may have a positive titer test, but the levels are low). I don't know what to tell you about having him neutered. I'd ask the vet. Personally, I'd wait as long as possible. But I don't really know much about the other issues with an unfixed male.

I would tell your daughter that there is no way of knowing how long the kitten will be with you...2 months or 18 years. But your job as his pet parent is to give him the best life you can for the time you have him. I was devastated when Cleo died. It came only a year after my somewhat elderly (15 yo) Persian died of cancer. After we got Max I walked on eggshells for months waiting to see if he would get sick (he hasn't, and neither has Belle). But all you can do is love them, and they love you back. It hurts horribly when they die (and they almost always die before us, that is the tragedy of pet ownership), but that is the flip coin of love. I'm getting a little mooshy here, but I think you know what I mean. If you don't risk the pain of loss you never get the reward of love.

I hope your kitten is doing well.

Here is a link that might be useful: About FIP

When my first cat, Misha was a kitten, she had an eye "thing"--dk grey-black splotch that clouded over one eye, moved to the other eye, then was gone. Our vet at the time drew blood I think (this was over 21 years ago, so my memory's a bit hazy on the details) and told me she had FIP, the dry form. I don't recall if he had told me that FIP is always fatal or what, but she was fine after that and lived to 16 yrs of age. We were told at some point by current vet that she couldn't have had FIP (since she survived whatever it was), so who knows?

From what we'd read about FIP, it begins as a GI virus, with typical GI symptoms; diarrhea and/or vomiting (Mayu had a few recurring bouts, along with cyclic fevers--all hallmarks of FIP).

Sue is right about the low percentage of cats actually contracting FIP after exposure, which is why I'd said that your Bella does have a decent shot at making it.

She also brought up the question about issues with waiting on the neutering. The one risk is Bella reaching maturity and beginning to spray. Even if he doesn't begin spraying, the longer you wait, the more you'd run the risk of him peeing where he shouldn't as a form of marking territory. Someone was just talking about this with me the other day at the shelter.

Your vet should be able to advise you on the pros and cons of doing it soon or waiting....