From diagnosis to an FIP cure
Seven concrete phases from day one to the declaration of a cure. Knowing what to expect at each stage takes the edge off the anxiety and helps you make the right decisions at the right time.
The road to a cure
184 days that can change your cat's life. Here is the full map.
Diagnosis
Confirm the diagnosis with your vet: full blood work, ultrasound, fluid analysis where possible. Work out the dose from the weight and the form of FIP.
Starting treatment
First week of treatment. The first signs of improvement usually appear within 48-72 hours in wet FIP. The cat starts eating better. Abdominal fluid may begin to reabsorb.
Early follow-up
First control blood work. Assess the response: total protein, albumin/globulin, complete blood count. Adjust the dose if needed. Follow-up ultrasound in wet cases.
Mid-treatment
Interim blood work. The cat should be showing significant clinical improvement. Assess whether neurological cases need the course extending.
End of treatment
Last dose of the antiviral. Final blood work. Start of the 84-day observation period. The cat must continue to be monitored.
Observation period
No medication. Periodic blood work, monthly or every two months. Monitoring of symptoms. At the end of this period, if all is well, the cure is declared.
Cured
Your cat has beaten FIP. Keep up regular veterinary check-ups. Celebrate it: you are part of the story of the cats that came through FIP.
Take the protocol and the calendar with you
To keep to hand through the 84 days and note down every dose.
FAQ
Questions about the treatment process
Clear answers to the most common questions.
Relapses occur in roughly 10% of cases. If they happen during the observation period or afterwards, a second course of treatment is usually started, sometimes at higher doses or with the other antiviral. Most cats that relapse achieve a second remission.
A cure is considered when the cat completes 84 days of treatment plus 84 days of observation without symptoms, with blood work normalised or on its way there. There is no universally accepted analytical threshold, but the disappearance of clinical signs and improving blood parameters are the best indicators.
Yes. As we keep saying, mutated FIP is not contagious between cats. Your cured cat can live with other cats without any risk of passing FIP on. The benign feline coronavirus, however, can still circulate in the household.
Does your cat have FIP?
Tell us your situation and we'll tell you where to start.