Almost immediately after welcoming the newest addition to our family, I became concerned with Mumble’s health. As a student of animal studies, I was noticing some disturbing things about him physically. He never really seemed to rid himself of the little pot belly he had when I picked him up that very first day. Thinking it was just round worms – which many kittens and puppies have – I had him tested and found out that he was not infected with this nasty parasite. Over time his pot belly didn’t disappear, but seemed to grow a little more each week. At the same time he was not gaining any weight. I brought him back to the veterinarian to figure out what was going on. As a student, I did not have enough information to make any determination and my mom had not seen this before with any of her cats. It turned out Mumble had a rare disease called Feline Infections Peritonitis (FIP), a disease that is deadly to young and old cats.

My very first question for the veterinarian taking care of my little baby was, “What can we do for him?” I didn’t care how much it was going to cost; I was going to try my best to make sure that my kitten made it through! We soon found out that FIP was not a disease that was easily treatable, and the medicines used had unreliable results. The next month was very rough for the whole family, knowing that on any given day Mumble could leave us, but still we did everything we could to keep him happy and comfortable and to help him make it through. I was away at school during the week and it was up to my mom to care for him and contact me with any and all changes. One morning, she called to tell me that she knew it was his time. As hard as it was to let go, I knew I had to. He was more jaundiced than I have ever seen any animal, he could hardly breathe on his own, and his belly was very large and very hard. I came home to be with him and held him as he passed away. My only solace was that he was no longer in pain and he was not alone. Mumble will forever be a part of my heart. I always feel he is an angel watching over me. The bond between us was immediate and strong and I’m grateful for the time we had together. I felt it was important for the Whales & Friends Blog readers to get to know me and the pets that have impacted my life. They drive me to work even harder at becoming a vet. Now that this said portion of my story has been told, you can look forward to regular posts with a happier theme. Have you hugged your pet today?

What is feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)?
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a disease caused by a coronavirus infection. Many different strains of coronavirus are capable of infecting cats, but most do not produce serious disease. FIP-producing strains are distinguished by their ability to invade and grow in certain white blood cells. The infected cells transport the virus throughout the cat’s body. An intense inflammatory reaction occurs in the tissues where these virus-infected cells locate. It is this interaction between the body’s own immune system and the virus that is responsible for the disease.
Infected cats shed coronavirus in their saliva and feces. Most cats become infected by inhaling or ingesting the virus, either by direct contact with an infected cat, or by contact with virus-contaminated surfaces like clothing, bedding, feeding bowls, or toys. Although the virus can survive for a number of weeks in the environment, it is rapidly inactivated by most household detergents and disinfectants. An inexpensive and effective disinfectant is one part of household bleach in thirty-two parts of water (4 ounces of bleach per gallon of water).