A fatal disease occurring in approximately one tenth of cats infected with feline coronavirus (FcoV), FIP takes two forms, ‘wet' and ‘dry'. In ‘wet' FIP, fluid accumulates in the cat's abdomen, causing it to look fat. Cats with ‘dry' FIP lose weight, have a raised temperature, are off their food and a bit dull. Most have eye abnormalities, such as an iris changing colour, or bleeding into the front of the eye. Ask your vet about tests which detect either antibodies or virus. The main treatment is via corticosteroids or antibiotics but this is a serious disease and treatments may provide temporary help for a short time.
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal, incurable disease that affects cats. It is caused by Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus (FIPV), which is a mutation of Feline Enteric Coronavirus (FECV/FeCoV). Experts do not always agree on the specifics of FIP.