Adopting after FIP

So my GF saw a cat for adoption today who apparently almost made her cry.  We just lost our kitten a couple of months ago and have five older cats.  I don't think we would even consider adopting again.  Would it put the other cats at risk as well as the new cat?

I'm sorry, I don't know much about FIP, so hopefully someone else will come along who knows more.

But it seems to me that if the kitty who died had FIP and none of the others have come down with it by now, I would ask the vet if its safe to adopt another cat now.

Good luck!

You are referring to Feline Infectious Peritonitis?, the deadly auto-immune deficiency to Calici virus.  Are you saying your departed kitten had FIP or the new candidate?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feline_infectious_peritonitis

Just to be sure that any adoption can bring disease into the family, so do take precautions and keep new adoptee isolated from your others for a few weeks just in case.

I wrote on your other question about FIP and being on clothes, did you read it? FIP in itself is not contagious.  FIP is believed to come from a mutated feline coronavirus within the cat's own body, and feline coronavirus IS contagious. Your other cats will almost certain have coronavirus because you have a multi-cat household.  Your kitty who died from it was unlucky, but it was a mutation in her own body rather than catching FIP from anyone or another cat.  Young kittens and old cats seem to suffer the worst (reading about it) because their own immune system is relatively weak. If you really want another cat, then perhaps try a slightly older cat.

FIP is relatively rare - there are many cats who have feline coronavirus with little problem and live a long and happy life. Introducing another cat into your house is always a risk but the chances are that this cat you want to introduce, esp if it's in a rescue home. a multi-cat household or a cattery will probably have coronavirus anyway. It's that common and infectious.  There is little point in keeping a new cat away from the others because there is not an infectious time period- if your other cats have feline coronavirus, they will always have it.

Have a good read around the internet, it will answer many questions for you and FIP, or chat to your vet. There are a few misunderstandings about this disease, mainly that FIP is contagious. It's not. If it was, we would probably have no cats in this world.

One other thing about FIP, it seems to be associated with stress.  In other words, the mutation of the corona virus seems to occur when the animal is under stress (think illness, or stessful conditions, operations like desexing, vaccinations).  So really the only thing you can do to prevent FIP (and it is random, so not much is known about preventing it) is try to optimise your cats' health and space out necessary stressors/avoid unnecessary stressors. 

Re your situation about adopting a new kitten, I'd have a chat with your vet and see what their advice is (we did that in a FIP situation).  IMO if the kitten is in a shelter/multi cat environment, they most likely have corona virus, and are stressed.  So there is not much of a negative change in coming over to your place!  As for your present cats, they have mature immune systems so 'should' be ok re FIP.  I'd definitely segregate initially until kitten is vet checked and deemed healthy, just on the front of other bugs.

Thanks for all the replies.  The cat we were interested in was adopted the day we decided to adopt him.    My GF found a black kitten who has been at a shelter for a long time and is the last of his litter.  From what we read and what everyone here has said, the kitten has already been exposed to coronavirus.  She is still afraid to adopt another kitten though.  I think he is four or five months old. 

FleaBags Mom,

Yes and thank you very much.  My GF really worries about our cats and she can't read reassuring posts enough.  This has been very hard on her.