Feline Infectious Peritonitis

[livingwith]

Six months ago I made an appointment to take one of kitties to a new veterinarian for his first check up. Little did we know that fate would play an incredible role in our lives that day.
As I was sitting in the waiting area I noticed a flyer about a special needs cat who was blind and needed a special loving home. Two days later my husband and I made the call to find out more about this precious kitty named Captain.
The instant we met Captain we fell in love with him and knew that we were des...Read the full article

[soluna]

Hello,

How are you and the Capitan doing? I just want you to know that you are an amazing person with a huge and beautiful heart, and that I know the suffering through FIP is a sad journey for everyone.

My thoughts and prayers are with you in this time. Love Capitan completely, I find that the most peace I have now is that I know that up until Hermes' last moment he knew without a doubt that he was loved dearly. Sometimes that is why we are found by these special cats in the first place.

[barbaralynni]

On Saturday October 20, 2007 at 6:22 pm our precious Captain passed away. I am still numb and suppose I have not yet accepted the fact that he really is gone. Captain was my companion and my friend and there are no words to describe how much I loved him. It was only eight short weeks since the original diagnosis of FIP and my hope of being able to keep Captain alive and well was, as it turns out, just a dream.

Last Sunday Captain started declining a little more and each day he became weaker his temperature had returned the week before and unlike the last time we were unable to bring it back down. Captain, who over the past few weeks had never lost his thirst for water, had stopped drinking and was now being hand fed his food as well as his water. As a last ditch effort he was put on a steroid and a strong antibiotic in hopes that it might be Toxoplasmosis and not FIP. I had read about cats that lived for months and even a year or more after the diagnosis of FIP and I was willing to do what ever it took to keep him alive as long as he was happy and not in pain or suffering in any way.

Our Vet asked to have Captain admitted into the hospital so that he could observe him closer. On Saturday afternoon I received a call that Captain had slipped into a comma and our Vet felt it was time to let him go.

I thank God every day for allowing me to find Captain and for allowing me the honor of caring for him. Captain suffered a great deal of pain the two short years he was alive and being blind seemed to be an obstacle for everyone except him. Yet through all his pain and being tossed around from shelter to shelter as he was he emerged the calm, sweet, patient and forgiving little kitty I grew to love so much.

Looking back, if I knew then what I know now...I wouldn’t change a thing. Yes, if I had the power to have taken away the FIP I would certainly do that but the FIP was just Captains last hurtle in life and he conquered it with more love in his little heart than I ever knew existed. Captain is somewhere with all the other little blind kitties bringing them love and teaching them forgiveness.

I love you Captain...

“Captains Mommy” Barbara

[barbaralynni]

On Saturday October 20, 2007 at 6:22 pm our precious Captain passed away. I am still numb and suppose I have not yet accepted the fact that he really is gone. Captain was my companion and my friend and there are no words to describe how much I loved him. It was only eight short weeks since the original diagnosis of FIP and my hope of being able to keep Captain alive and well was, as it turns out, just a dream.

Last Sunday Captain started declining a little more and each day he became weaker his temperature had returned the week before and unlike the last time we were unable to bring it back down. Captain, who over the past few weeks had never lost his thirst for water, had stopped drinking and was now being hand fed his food as well as his water. As a last ditch effort he was put on a steroid and a strong antibiotic in hopes that it might be Toxoplasmosis and not FIP. I had read about cats that lived for months and even a year or more after the diagnosis of FIP and I was willing to do what ever it took to keep him alive as long as he was happy and not in pain or suffering in any way.

Our Vet asked to have Captain admitted into the hospital so that he could observe him closer. On Saturday afternoon I received a call that Captain had slipped into a comma and our Vet felt it was time to let him go.

I thank God every day for allowing me to find Captain and for allowing me the honor of caring for him. Captain suffered a great deal of pain the two short years he was alive and being blind seemed to be an obstacle for everyone except him. Yet through all his pain and being tossed around from shelter to shelter as he was he emerged the calm, sweet, patient and forgiving little kitty I grew to love so much.

Looking back, if I knew then what I know now...I wouldn’t change a thing. Yes, if I had the power to have taken away the FIP I would certainly do that but the FIP was just Captains last hurtle in life and he conquered it with more love in his little heart than I ever knew existed. Captain is somewhere with all the other little blind kitties bringing them love and teaching them forgiveness.

I love you Captain...

“Captains Mommy” Barbara

[barbaralynni]

It has been one week since Captain passed away and I am still just as numb and am still missing him so very much. After speaking with Captains Veterinarian my husband and I decided to use some of the money we would have spent on an elaborate burial to pay for an autopsy of Captain. This decision was made for all the other little kitties out there who may be suffering with FIP and for those kitties that will be unfortunate enough to contract this horrid disease. We hope and pray that this decision will help others and will contribute in some way to the better understanding of FIP its causes and perhaps someday a cure.

Our Veterinarian called today with the results of the autopsy that confirmed the diagnosis of FIP. Captain was in the 5% group of kitties who have the type of FIP that attacks the brain. The autopsy results combined with the detailed notes we kept on Captain from the time he became ill along with the extensive tests that were performed during his illness enabled our Vet to gain a great deal of further insight into FIP

I would like to encourage anyone who is facing the decision of whether to do an autopsy or not to consider the good that it may do in the future. At present there is no cure for FIP but with the information that is gained from an autopsy a cure or more effective prevention may someday be a reality.

God Bless all of you and your precious kitties,
Barbara

[emaull]

On Saturday October 20, 2007 at 6:22 pm our precious Captain passed away. I am still numb and suppose I have not yet accepted the fact that he really is gone. Captain was my companion and my friend and there are no words to describe how much I loved him. It was only eight short weeks since the original diagnosis of FIP and my hope of being able to keep Captain alive and well was, as it turns out, just a dream.

Last Sunday Captain started declining a little more and each day he became weaker his temperature had returned the week before and unlike the last time we were unable to bring it back down. Captain, who over the past few weeks had never lost his thirst for water, had stopped drinking and was now being hand fed his food as well as his water. As a last ditch effort he was put on a steroid and a strong antibiotic in hopes that it might be Toxoplasmosis and not FIP. I had read about cats that lived for months and even a year or more after the diagnosis of FIP and I was willing to do what ever it took to keep him alive as long as he was happy and not in pain or suffering in any way.

Our Vet asked to have Captain admitted into the hospital so that he could observe him closer. On Saturday afternoon I received a call that Captain had slipped into a comma and our Vet felt it was time to let him go.

I thank God every day for allowing me to find Captain and for allowing me the honor of caring for him. Captain suffered a great deal of pain the two short years he was alive and being blind seemed to be an obstacle for everyone except him. Yet through all his pain and being tossed around from shelter to shelter as he was he emerged the calm, sweet, patient and forgiving little kitty I grew to love so much.

Looking back, if I knew then what I know now...I wouldn’t change a thing. Yes, if I had the power to have taken away the FIP I would certainly do that but the FIP was just Captains last hurtle in life and he conquered it with more love in his little heart than I ever knew existed. Captain is somewhere with all the other little blind kitties bringing them love and teaching them forgiveness.

I love you Captain...

“Captains Mommy” Barbara

Barbara, your story sounds like mine, and i am so sorry. i noticed you are helping other "mommies" out by giving them words of encouragement. my little Peanut passed a week ago between tuesday night and wednesday morning. he was in the hospital. the vet found a lot of fluid and i had brought Peanut in earlier when he started to feel sick. he had both an obstruction and possibly FIP. the vet has sent the fluid for lab testing. Peanut had the signs for it, although i never heard of it until after he died. not knowing for sure, and being angry at myself for waiting so long to hospitalize him (although he had blood tests and x-rays weeks ago) is killing me. i cried when i read your posts but i am so proud of you for being strong enough to help others. thank you and i will pray for you.
Beth