Re "i hate FIP more than FeLV, even, because you can't predict it, you can't prevent it, and in most cases, you can't really treat it.... "
I hate it too, for these same reasons. It leaves me powerless to make a difference. I have had losses over the past two years, so far (and may it so remain) only in foster kittens under one year and even at that only in a tiny percentage of the ones who pass through my doors. But each one breaks me a little more. And I always worry, if someone sleeps too much or doesn't eat enough or I see any little "off" thing.
It does appear that for a cat to develop FIP after exposure to the corona virus, there much be some genetic predisposition. I suspect this is why the incidence of FIP is so much higher in some commercial breeding catteries.
TenHouseCats <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
TenHouseCats <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
hideyo,my understanding is that corona viruses are contagious, and very common (i've seen statistics ranging from 85-95% of cats in a multi-cat environment will show a positive corona-virus titre--and that almost as high a percentage of humans will show the same thing!). however, the most recent thinking is that FIP comes not from the common corona virii themselves, but from a MUTATION of the common virus. the mutation is not contagious--and so far they don't really know what causes the virus to mutate, nor no way to predict if any specific cat's corona-virus exposure might result in such a mutation.i know that the feline genome project is providing evidence of a genetic predisposition to the mutation occurring, which may be why there was an initial belief that FIP was infectious in and of itself. at the sanctuary, in the special-needs section where there were no FIVs or FeLVs, but lots of cats with non-immune-supressive problems, the only cats we lost to FIP were, indeed, a mom and two adult children (!) who had survived distemper contracted when the kittens were two months old. the other two kittens, both with CH from the distemper, never developed FIP.
i hate FIP more than FeLV, even, because you can't predict it, you can't prevent it, and in most cases, you can't really treat it....
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MaryChristine
AIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCats
MSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
ICQ: 289856892
