FIP Is A Formerly Terminal Cat Disease
My rescue cat, Midge, has been diagnosed with FIP, or Feline Infectious Peritonitis. This formerly terminal cat disease is now treatable with new antiviral medications. I created Save Cats From FIP to help other cat lovers and to raise money for Midge’s treatment. Please visit the menus to find help to save your cat from FIP!
FIP Is Regularly Cured With New Drugs
FIP Treatment costs can exceed $3,000, which is out of reach for many cat owners. If your cat has FIP please don’t be discouraged by that number: treatment can cost as little as $9 daily. Charitable funding sources and new, less expensive medications are helping to lower the cost. Please visit the menus to find help with FIP medication and costs.
To Donate to Midge please click a Donate link or scan the QR Code
Let’s Spread Word To Save Our Cats From FIP
Save Cats From FIP exists to share information, resources, and links for anyone facing an FIP diagnosis. Please visit the menus on this site for helpful information and support. Lacking expertise, I’ll share my observations and the links I found. (I’m not giving veterinary or financial advice.)
Now To Tell Midge’s Story
I have come to truly love this cat as we became close since Christmas. Midge sleeps with me every night. As I think about Midge’s (unfortunate) history I am more determined to save her. I also want everyone to be able to save their cat from FIP. I have good reason to hope for the best for us all, because the FIP treatments have a high success rate. The Internet makes all sorts of new funding opportunities possible.
Midge Moved In Under My House
My Landlord loves animals and has always put food out for the birds, chipmunks and more recently, the cats. Now I contribute to it, too. There are at least four cats, more likely in excess of six, who dine nightly with us.
A couple of years ago we noticed a smallish, gray and white cat had taken up lodging under our house. We began putting food at the entrance to her home and kept track of her.
We Learn How Midge Became Homeless
One day a young couple stopped and asked if they could leave food for our resident cat. They recognized her as having been left behind by her former owners when they moved. They called her Midge, which we still do. Ever since we learned she was abandoned, we tried to coax her into the house. Midge was unfortunately wary and had no inclination to trust us beyond accepting food.
Christmas Eve, 2024
We were concerned for all the cats during Winter, particularly for Midge, who we now thought of as an abandoned housecat. She is indeed far milder in disposition than my other rescue cat, Little Kitty, who regrettably prefers to run other cats off rather than to make friends.
Midge Is Rescued
On Christmas Eve 2024, we found Midge sitting on the side porch, outside our door. This was not at all her habit, which was to eat and keep enough distance to escape our clutches. That night we opened the door and watched her a moment, quickly concluding she felt herself to be on her last legs.
I slowly reached out, spoke soothingly and petted Midge. When she didn’t retreat, I picked her up and held her to my chest, which happily did not result in scratches. As had happened with Little Kitty a year or so prior, Midge discovered herself inside and in friendly company. She’s been here since that night and sleeps up close with me every night.
Midge’s New Digs In The Workroom Closet
Over the next few months, Midge steadfastly remained in a large closet (with no door) in my upstairs workroom. The room has a window that receives ample sunlight. Midge let me pet her and began to roam around the room after a few days. I kept the workroom door closed to prevent Little Kitty from bothering her.
Midge’s Breathing Problem Persists
Midge clearly had respiratory problems. She sneezed and her breathing reflected phlegm or water. We took her to the vet right after Christmas and found she was negative for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) and FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus). This was a great relief but we remained concerned about her cold. So we gave her oral antibiotics and hoped it would clear up, which it did not because she has FIP.
Midge’s On-Again Off-Again Recuperation
Midge did seem to improve and her respiratory symptoms reduced and occasionally went away. Then her symptoms would return: she sneezes, has raspy-sounding breathing because of fluid in her body, and her muzzle is usually wet with saliva. I tried the antibiotics again but no dice.
More Bloodwork for Midge
So I ordered blood tests, which led the Vet to diagnose a probable case of FIP, or Feline Infectious Peritonitis. Until recently, FIP was about 100% fatal. However it recently became treatable using new antiviral drugs, at a cost of about $3,000 over three months (or potentially far less).
Chewing My Nails As The Clock Ticks
As of this writing, the Vet hasn’t received the second round of bloodwork results yet. They should arrive in a few days. She insisted we run them again, as Midge has lived since Christmas of last year, far longer than most cats survive with FIP. Our Vet wants to make sure Midge has FIP before writing a prescription. That’s obviously the correct thing to do. Yet I’m sure it is FIP, because Midge also stopped eating again, which is a FIP symptom.
How Much Do I Need To Save Midge From FIP?
I think I’ll be able to do it for under $2,000 over about three months for the drugs. Veterinary exams, consultations and monthly bloodwork will cost at least $200 monthly. I’m going to start with the intravenous version of the most-tested drug because she’s not eating, and might not eat tablets. So the sooner I have about $1000 to get started, the better.
So if you’d like to donate to help save Midge, I’ll be very grateful. I’m also going to keep up this Web page because I’m so grateful there’s a way to beat FIP.
To Donate Now please click a Donate link scan the QR Code