We just lost our baby boy to FIP. He had only been with us for 8 months and was barely a year old when he died. It was heartbreaking to watch him go from being a playful kitten to such a sick cat. We made the decision to have him euthanized last week.
Now, we are full of so many questions. Where did he get it? He was in a foster home before we got him but was born outside in someone's garage. Our vet assumes that he was sick when we brought him home. Should we worry about our other cat, a 5 year old female who is otherwise in great health? Since there is no way to test for it, how do we know what to look for? How long should we be concerned? And finally...can we ever get another cat? There are so many opinions about FIP. My understanding is that it's a genetic mutation of FCoV and despite it being considered a very contagious illness in cats, it's actually fairly rare. Some say it's safe to get another cat right away. Others say it's best to wait 3-6 months or up to a year. And still others say we should never bring another cat into our home and near our other kitty, even if she seems healthy.
It's been an overwhelming week, from discovering my sweet boy was sick to losing him only took about a day. Now, I feel there are more questions than answers. I spent the first night throwing away everything he had touched, mainly the litter box and food bowls. Maybe that was overkill but in the moment, I felt like I wanted to do something. My family adores cats and I don't see us being a 1 cat family for long.
Has anyone been through this? Any advice or suggestions? I'm lost right now!
Now, we are full of so many questions. Where did he get it? He was in a foster home before we got him but was born outside in someone's garage. Our vet assumes that he was sick when we brought him home. Should we worry about our other cat, a 5 year old female who is otherwise in great health? Since there is no way to test for it, how do we know what to look for? How long should we be concerned? And finally...can we ever get another cat? There are so many opinions about FIP. My understanding is that it's a genetic mutation of FCoV and despite it being considered a very contagious illness in cats, it's actually fairly rare. Some say it's safe to get another cat right away. Others say it's best to wait 3-6 months or up to a year. And still others say we should never bring another cat into our home and near our other kitty, even if she seems healthy.
It's been an overwhelming week, from discovering my sweet boy was sick to losing him only took about a day. Now, I feel there are more questions than answers. I spent the first night throwing away everything he had touched, mainly the litter box and food bowls. Maybe that was overkill but in the moment, I felt like I wanted to do something. My family adores cats and I don't see us being a 1 cat family for long.
Has anyone been through this? Any advice or suggestions? I'm lost right now!