FIP is currently considered to be a MUTATED form of the common corona virus--up to 90% of cats who have been in a multi-cat environment will have been exposed to one of the corona virii. (the same percentage of humans show the same exposure rate!).
there is some question about whether or not there is one form of the virus that is more likely to mutate into FIP than others, but the chief proponent of that seems to be the lab that created a test for that strain, which in research has not proved to be reliable or accurate. in other words, most cats have been exposed to corona viruses, but most cats do NOT develop the mutation that causes FIP. the corona virii are contagious, the mutation per se is NOT. current research is showing that there is a genetic predisposition for FIP, which may turn out to be the major factor--right now, no one can predict who will get FIP, there's no way to protect against it, and, essentially, there's no treatment. if you have siblings of the kitty that developed FIP, those would be the most likely to develop it, but the new cat should be at no additional risk. MC On 8/7/06, Leslie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hello, it's Leslie again, So here's the FeLV+ kitten update from the Humane Society: I went to visit and play with both kittens last Wednesday and they were so cute. Incredibly active, curious, friendly. The volunteer and I talked about my situation a lot and we agreed that since they are together, it would be ideal to get them a home together. I can't take them both, so I decided to let fate take a hand. Yesterday was my day to volunteer with the dogs, but every 30 minutes or so, I'd wander back over to the cat side and give them a scratch. Since I'm obsessive, I check the website hourly, and at 6 pm last night, Trixie was taken off of it - meaning that she'd found a home! That leaves Powder (the bobtail) and the one that pulled my heart strings a just a little tighter, truth be told. I'm going to call the humane society when they open in an hour and confirm that it wasn't a computer glitch. So now that it looks like I will be taking Powder, I have one question and one request. The question: my last + cat to pass, Hepburn, was taken down by FIP, she had the wet variety, potbelly and all. So whether or not my current + guy, Satchmo, introduced it to her, he was certainly exposed to it before I knew what she had. Should I worry about this in introducing a + kitten to him? I would feel just awful about giving something to a cat that I'm trying to help. What do you think? The request: I know that it's riskier than average to expect a kitten to make it the long haul with leukemia, but do any of you have these success stories? I've heard of kitten's turning negative from you (and please reiterate those and if you did anything special to reach that conclusion), but are there kittens that are positive that grow to be healthy, positive adults? I have already embraced (or am trying) your philosophy that the control we have is over our attitude toward the events in life, not the events themselves (well, to some extent, but not totally). So if my expectations in adopting this kitten are that if we have two months, that's a success, and anything above that is a gift, then that's what I'll do. Thank you all so much, Leslie
-- MaryChristine AIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCats MSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ICQ: 289856892