My cat is slowly responding to meds. Could it be FIP or mycoplasma?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! FIP is hard to diagnose. It is usually a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning all other diseases have been ruled out. The most accurate test is PCR of belly or chest fluid when the cat has the wet or effusive form of FIP. There is also the Dry or granulomatous form which likes the brain and eye. A simple blood test is riddled with false negatives and positives. Simple put a cat positive for coronavirus doesn't mean it has the mutated viral form that causes FIP. Unfortunately Mia's eye problem could be from FIP, but also many other things and sadly there is no 100% way to tell you that. FIP is not curable, it is a terrible disease. If Mia is doing well then I'd take that. And see if anything happens in the future. I hope this helps and I wish Mia the best!

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Symptoms of the dry form of FIP can be vague and non specific and include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and decreased appetite or anorexia. I hope this helps answer your question and thank you for posting!

In situations like this you can take it a day at a time - as long as Watson seems to be doing well (enjoying his normal routine, interacting with you and other family members or pets, eating and urinating/defecating normally) you can continue with supportive care. If the bad days outnumber the good it may be time to consider euthanasia. Polyprenyl immunostimulant has shown some promise when used for the dry form of FIP - I believe it is more readily available than it was a few years ago but most veterinarians have not used it. There is also a newer experimental drug that seems to show promise being developed at the University of California Davis. The specialist at Blue Pearl might be able to look into each therapy further for you. Either way you would probably want a definitive diagnosis first since these would not help cancer, and that might involve exploratory surgery to obtain biopsies.

I'm so sorry to hear about Theo's battle with FIP. That is, by far, one of the most heartbreaking diseases to diagnose in this field. Most cats are exposed to the coronavirus that causes it, but only an unlucky few convert the virus to FIP. As far as we know, this is based on a genetic predisposition and has nothing to do with exposure from the environment or other cats. If Meika is having loose stool, I would recommend having her seen by a vet. It is much more likely to be due to a common problem, such as a minor parasitic infection or stress colitis from grieving her playmate. They will likely recommend a bland diet, probiotics, or a short course of anti-diarrheal antibiotics if her only symptom is mild loose stool. I cannot say that FIP is impossible, but it would be very low on my list of concerns. I hope this is helpful and gives you some peace of mind. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! A recheck would be a good idea as cats can often have inflammation of their urinary bladders without an infection or after an infection clears. It would be worrisome if Lolo continues to have issues with urination which would mean she may need long term management with diet and supplements to help reduce the occurrence of such episodes. Hope this helps!

I understand you are concerned about FIP. The reality is, if you don't have money for a veterinary visit (and in many cases even if you did), FIP is typically fatal and untreatable. The best thing you can do is separate your sick cat from your healthy one and see how things transpire over the course of the next few days. Typically, cats with FIP, regardless of the form, will be inappetant and not wanting to eat anything at all. The worst form of it will cause massive fluid buiid up in the chest / abdomen and result in difficulty breathing. The other form typically produce clinical signs that are both ophthalmic and/or neurologic, plus several other non specific clinical signs (a couple of which include what you are descrbing). Overall, FIP would not be near the top of my list. I would definitely make sure all three cats have been tested for leukemia and AIDS however in order to rule both of these life-threatening conditions. While not as rapidly fatal as FIP, both conditions can carry poor long term prognosis. It sounds like the one cat with a fever and swollen belly might benefit from pain management and a recheck for the presence of worms. While dietary indiscretion could be an issue, it is not likely to cause a fever unless an infectious organism was present in the food. Hope this is more helpful than my previous response.

Hello. Unfortunately, the symptoms you describe are pretty vague & can really fit with a lot of things. I do not know how much veterinary care is available in your country, or even what diseases are present, but it sounds like Poufpouf needs antibiotics at the least, & then have some diagnostic bloodwork done, too. This might include a complete blood count, serum chemistry analysis, urinalysis & tests for feline leukemia & aids. This is what I would recommend if you lived in the US. I hope Poufpouf is feeling better soon & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.