FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis)

Does your vet recommend vaccinating against this for an indoor cat? Mine did and I am confused and I have no idea what this is...does anyone have any idea?

My vet doesn't vaccinate for it - from what I thought - the vaccine was kind of useless?

ETA: Found this link below:

There is only one licensed FIP vaccine available; however, this vaccine has minimal if any effectiveness in preventing FIP, and it is not generally recommended by the American Association of Feline Practitioners Feline Vaccine Advisory Panel.

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http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fip.html

Hmm I am thinking of refusing it..because Jake is my only cat and he is indoors only...I read that the virus is transmitted through feces and saliva of other cats which means to me that Jake can't get it unless I am in contact with a sick cat and then come home and touch him...

All my vets said its useless and I have never got my cats that shot.
The vet said my Yoshi had dry Fip and Kidney stonhes before I lost him.
The Kidney Stones we know he had for sure.
The fip test was pos but that dosent mean a thing.
The vet said there are alot false pos.
I would never get that shot.

Yea I think I will refuse it..I am still mad they gave him the chlamydia shot, but that was part of the four in one and I don't think they offer a three in one...maybe it's this state that they give chlamydia to all kittens...This vet really had me thinking he was awesome the first time I went there, but the second time he charged me more even though the services were the exact same!!! I don't understand it...I would really hate to change vets though, I plan to travel with Jake soon and I need him to have a vet that can verify that he's had all of his shots, which I recently discovered is necessary in order to travel...We will be moving back home overseas soon. I had no idea this was required before.

where are you moving>??? you should check on quarentine laws and required vax s

Bulgaria..I plan to ask the airlines about that but I did find some info from google, that it is only required to show proof of a rabies vaccine and health certificate...however vets there vaccinate for feline gastroenteritis and flu. I don't even know of cat flu and I have no idea what gastroenteritis is, and I don't know if my info is reliable...but I could just get those once I am there

I looked up what cat flu is and sure enough it's one of the things that four in one vaccine includes that Jake got...
He just got his second booster yesterday, and again he is all lethargic I mean I'm not even sure if he is because right now he is playing with a paper ball chasing it and carrying it around the house in his mouth...but it's just that he settles down to sleep so quickly after little play sessions like this...And his appetite is amazing as usual- he is 3.7 pounds at 11 weeks..
I would call the vet because it has already been 24 hours since the shot but they are closed now and will be until Monday..

My first cat, a little girl and an only cat who never went outdoors was getting three shots at each annual vet visit. She used to be lethargic and generally unwell for about 24-48 hours after these shots. Each time I mentioned it to a vet (we moved and had several), they just said that was "normal" and continued the shots. Finally my current vet eliminated everything but the rabies because he said they were unnecessary for a cat who had no contact with other cats (I don't permit "visitors"). She was much better after that.

My current boy got a bunch of shots at the shelter before I brought him home, but when he goes for his annual visit this spring, I intend to allow them to only give him the rabies.

Yea that's exactly what I was thinking..because not only is my cat indoors, i have no other animals, but i also never come into contact with other animals...so i just didnt see how its possible for an infection to spread...
but i went ahead and got the recommended shots just in case.....He is much better now played all evening and now continues to try to play with my foot..
but he is definitely not getting that fip shot...i just wish he didn't get chlamydia, i heard that one can be dangerous

The FIP vaccine has such limited value that I never get it (and some of mine go in and out). Another vaccine that I avoid is for FIV. If vaccinated with that one, they will test positive for the disease the rest of their lives. You would never know if you cat actually had it or not.

I agree with what everyone else says - everything that I've read about it says it has the danger of doing more harm than good and studies about how well it prevents the disease are inconclusive.
Yet, just because your cat is an indoor cat and does not have contact with other animals, it does not mean he cannot contract FIP. I don't mean to scare you. Keep in mine that FIP is pretty rare. Basically, a huge majority (80-95% of cats) carry a certain form of the Corona Virus. This does not cause illness. It is spread through feces and possibly other means. There are usually no signs of it. If there are symptoms, they usually only occur around the time were the virus is contracted and they are not serious (sneezing, light diarrhea, etc). FIP happens when the Corona Virus mutates. It is still unclear what causes it to mutate, but it is thought that stress is a major factor. It is often seen after surgeries, stressful moves, etc. Low immune systems are also thought to bring it about. A cat can have the Corona Virus for years, only to have it mutate into FIP when they're a senior cat. So, your cat could be carrying the corona virus, but this doesn't mean he/she will get FIP. In saying this, I hope you and your cat never have to deal with that horrible disease.

Originally Posted by MissKitties

Basically, a huge majority (80-95% of cats) carry a certain form of the Corona Virus. FIP happens when the Corona Virus mutates. It is still unclear what causes it to mutate, but it is thought that stress is a major factor. It is often seen after surgeries, stressful moves, etc. Low immune systems are also thought to bring it about. A cat can have the Corona Virus for years, only to have it mutate into FIP when they're a senior cat. So, your cat could be carrying the corona virus, but this doesn't mean he/she will get FIP.

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I've had one cat in all my years that had the wet form of FIP. His virus mutated to FIP when I moved him from Texas to Missouri and he was stressed by the move. He died within 2 weeks of the move. In talking to vets at the time and subsequently, they seem to be in agreement that some cats are simply genetically predisposed for the mutation to FIP. My Boris lived with 7 cats who all made the same move and none of them contracted FIP, and it was obvious that all of them had been exposed to the Corona Virus. And those cats lived with some of my current older residents, who now live with my younger residents. I know I'm 100% Corona Virus positive in my house with no signs of FIP, even in the older cats.

The odds are with you that you won't get FIP, but if its gonna happen, it will happen. No vaccination is going to help you.

I basically agree with every one else's comments regarding the FIP vaccine. I think sometimes you have to be knowledgeable and educated about the various shots so you can tell your vet exactly what you feel is best for your cat.

CHeck with your embassy on the move, but as Bulgaria is now part of the Eu I think you will need the rabies jab plus a blood test taken one month later to show the titre level and prove the vaccine has taken. I had to do that when bringing my cats into the Eu from outside.

Thanks for this post, I am SO new to kittens (just got one 3 weeks ago) and must admit my lack of knowledge in this area. I do have a dog that goes out in the backyard, but I don't think the FIP shot will be necessary for the cat as she is strictly indoors.