Update on my kitten: bad news

[liberalhistorian]

So I picked Stormie up from the vets a couple of hours ago and finally found out what was wrong with him. It was the FIP (or FIT, I'm not sure which) virus, which is a cat virus that can be quite serious and often fatal. It's also contagious, which means my other four cats may have already picked it up, since the vet thinks he had it at the time we found him a couple months ago when he was six weeks old.

When we first took him to the vet the day we found him, we told them we had other cats and wanted every test possible done to be sure he didn't have anything contagious, so we are really, REALLY pissed off that they didn't test him for this. We're supposed to keep him separated from the other cats (and just what are my parents and I supposed to do with him, build another addition to their house?). So now, we have to worry about our other cats, one or more of which may have already picked it up from him.

But here's the really sad, awful part. He's now blind. That's right, BLIND. Apparently, that's a common problem for cats that actually survive this. It's just heartbreaking to see him stumbling and bumbling around, crying because he can't see and he's scared and doesn't know what's happening to him. And he's not out of the woods, yet, either, he's still pretty sick although he's doing much, much better than he was.

There's really nothing much they can do, since it's a virus, and we just have to "keep an eye on him." He may very well get worse in the next couple of days. I just don't know what to do. I'd hate to have to put him to sleep, but I may not have much choice. He's blind and still sick. This whole thing just makes me so heartsick, I can hardly stand it!

[Dookus]

1. oh LH...

how horrible! I'm so sorry.

Is the blindness permanent?

I just feel awful reading this. I have three cats and the thought of a contagious disease that could affect them all is scary.

I really, really hope things will work out OK. What a terrible situation to be in. Good luck!

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

7. So very sorry

As an adorer of cats, my heart is breaking for you. I really don't know what to say other than that I'm thinking of you and hoping for the very best.

Is it FIV (feline AIDS)? Here's a link for you...


http://www.ottawaferalcats.com/fivfelv.htm

I know a family with a cat that has lived for years with FIV. I hope things will turn out the same way for you (and that your other cats aren't infected).

Best of luck to you.

[liberalhistorian]

9. Yeah, that's what it's called!

I was too upset to clearly pay attention when the vet was talking. I just don't know whether to spare him any more suffering or not. And it's really, really difficult to keep him separated from the other cats.

[liberalhistorian]

8. I don't know yet if it's permanent,

I was in such a shock that he was blind and that his disease was contagious that I didn't think to ask. I'll call the vet tomorrow, though. I'm afraid it is permanent. I think it's similar to a person becoming blind or deaf after surviving Scarlet Fever.

[RhodaGrits]

19. LH - ck your inbox. nt

[Hell Hath No Fury]

29. Yes, the blindness...

is permanent. As you mentioned, it is a common feature of FIP.

[Mz Pip]

2. How awful for you

and for Stormie. I am so sorry. This is so heartbreaking.

Take care and I will be thinking of you.

MzPip
:dem:

[madmax]

3. I'm sorry to hear this.

You've done so much for this little kitty. I'm at a loss for words and don't have any experience with cat diseases. I've never been owned by a cat - only dogs. Let the Vet guide your decision. :hug:

[Lostmessage]

He is scared right now

Hold him and that's about all you can do. You have a big heart and you have done as much as you can do for the poor kitty. The kitty can live blind but he can't live sick.

You are in my prayers.

[CanuckAmok]

4. So sorry, LH.

Cuddle him and comfort him as much as you can. Make him comfortable, and help him get around to do his tasks.

...I don't know what else to say...good luck, Stormie. Good luck LH.

[mopinko]

5. no good deed goes unpunished

i have heard so many sad stories about sick strays. i'm getting more hard hearted as i get old. poor both of you.

[yellowdawgdem]

6. Sorry

Gee that sounds awful. Sometimes it is better to have them put down, but boy that's a hard decision to make. I wish you good luck with your kitties.

[liberalhistorian]

11. Thanks, everyone, for your

concern, I appreciate it.

[LanternWaste]

10. I am so completely, horribly sorry

I am so completely, horribly sorry. I felt like the world's worst person when I let my late, beloved dog get diabetes, didn't recognize it in time and put her down because I couldn't afford the diet and because I didn't think she'd be the happy, sappy, goofy gal she was because she had gone blind.

What the hell is wrong with me that I get misty-eyed and tear up over the thought of a kitten living 1000 miles away from me, but don't find those same tears for the homeless, or for kids getting shot up in Iraq, or a mother in Iran getting crushed in an earthquake?

I saw absolute destitution when I went to Mexico about ten years ago; but to this day, all I can think about that trip is a skinny, mangy mutt this side of death I saw and wanted to feed and take home.

My maudlin musings aside, if the kitten is well enough that you can put it in your lap, do so and pet it and soothe it. Regardless of the eventual descision you make, comfort it as much as you can in the here and now.

[liberalhistorian]

13. I'm trying to do that,

since he was such a cuddler, but he won't stay still. I think he's scared because he's blind and sick and doesn't know what's happening to him.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

12. I'm so sorry....

I'm keeping you and all your kitties in my prayers.

With regard to blindness in pets; while it's heartbreaking to see, they can function quite well without sight. My brother had a diabetic dog who eventually went blind; and she would walk slowly through the house, rarely bumping into anything. They had to be careful if they moved furniture, to introduce her to the new pattern; but she did manage to retain a feel for where things were.

:hug: for all of you

[CatWoman]

14. I'm so sorry

that poor innocent kitten!!!!!!

I'm in tears.

All you can do is hold him and let him know he's loved.

The poor kitty.

[Blaukraut]

15. I'm so sorry for you

I had a kitten that died from FIP. It's a horrible illness and very contagious. Be sure to keep your other cats separate from the little one. While they may not contract FIP, they could well end up carriers of the virus.

Comfort kitty and keep him warm.

[liberalhistorian]

18. Now, I'm really confused,

I don't know if it was FIV or FIP! I wasn't wearing my hearing aids at the time, so I don't know if she said V or P. She said cats can go for months or even years without showing symptoms and that even a positive test only means they were exposed to the virus. That sounds to me like FIV, but I don't know for sure.

[RhodaGrits]

21. probably FIP

because that can cause a granulomatous encephalitis and enlarged kidneys etc. But you need to know which it was.

[liberalhistorian]

23. Yes, he did have enlarged kidneys

when I took him in yesterday. Would that have caused his blindness as well? Thanks for the PM, btw, but when I tried to respond it said you didn't have enough posts yet.

Will his blindness be permanent? Do you think he'll get worse? Should I put him to sleep?

[RhodaGrits]

27. it depends

You really need to know if this is FIP or FIV. I really doubt FIV and if it is FIP, the kindest thing would be to euthanize him. FIP is a coronavirus that can trigger an overreaction by the cat's immune system and it is this massive inflammatory overreaction that kills some of them. Not every cat that gets FIP develops the fatal form... some just get a mild upper respiratory infection, others have no symptoms but are chronic shedders of the virus and can expose other cats. Testing is very difficult and interpretation tough. It is a common problem in feral cats and in high density catteries. If you have other questions, I'll try to respond on thread.

[RhodaGrits]

32. link to info on FIP

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=2&SourceID=19

[liberalhistorian]

45. Thanks for the link,

I'll check it out. I just really hope our other cats don't get it as well, since we've had him for two months, now.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

30. FIP ---

the symptoms you mentioned are exactly what my Mom's cat went through when dealt with FIP.

FIV is a wasting disease that takes place over a long period of time.

[prole_for_peace]

16. even if they had tested, they may not have found it.

5 years ago my baby, peggy, started acting strange. she was hiding and wouldn't eat. she looked all scruffy like she wasn't cleaning herself. i took her to the vet and they tested her for everything, even FIP (feline infectius peritonitus). all the test came back negative and they gave me antibiotics for her. well, two days later she was even worse. she cried when i touched her and would hide under bed all day. i called the vet after hours and took her in. they called a few hours later and said that they were pretty sure it was FIP and that she probably wouldn't last the night and that the best thing would be to put her to sleep. i was so mad at those people. i told them that the FIP test had come back negative and they told me that it isn't always accurate. THEN WHY DID THEY SUGGEST IT AND NOT TELL ME THIS. i was so relieved when i thought she didn't have it because it is just about always fatal and very painful.
i still think about it and if i had know 3 days earlier that she had FIP i would have had her put to sleep then so she wouldn't have suffered so much.

[Arugula Latte]

17. Oh, sweet little kitty

I send a kiss to his fuzzy little head... :(

[Pithlet]

20. I'm sorry.

I wish the news had been better. I hope your other kitties are okay.

Our cat was a very sick kitten. Shortly after we got him from a shelter he became very ill. He had some kind of infection that affected his breathing and his heart. All the fur fell off of his face, too. The vet told us that we had grounds to take him back. 3 years, and many vet bills later is a perfectly healthy cat.

[Cleita]

22. If he's better he'll be all right.

One of my stepdaughter's cat's went blind. He learned his way around the house, but it was important not to move the furniture around because he got confused. They also kept him in from then on. He lived to be nineteen. If you move, you may have to leave him with your parents because their house will be his world from then on.

At least you know the other cats could be infected and hopefully the vets can treat them early. I don't understand why they aren't giving them something now. Is there a reason? I'm not familiar with that disease.

I'm hoping this ends well for you and your kitty.

[liberalhistorian]

24. The vet said that, since it was

a virus, there wasn't much they could do, since, just as in humans, viruses don't respond to antibiotics. She said that testing the other cats would only show whether or not they'd been exposed, and there wasn't much they could do for them even if they were exposed, except for treat any symptoms as they appeared.

[FuseONE]

25. well

If he survives, but is blind, obviously it's not a preferable way for him to live, but I've seen blind cats who manage fine. they'll bump into something every so often, but they're generally ok.

[liberalhistorian]

46. The major problem, though,

is having to keep him isolated from the other cats, which is almost impossible to do. I've been keeping him in my room, but I'm not sure how much longer I can do that and if it's really fair to him.

[UrbScotty]

26. That's what happened to my dog in June.

We put her to sleep. :-(

[Hell Hath No Fury]

28. My Mom went through this...

with one of her cats. He went beyond blindess and into full systemic failure, and she had to let him go. It just about killed her.

She had two other cats at the time (including his brother) who were exposed but have been fine since, no troubles. My cats have also been exposed to and tested positive for FIP but have never come down with the disease, so there is the possibility your other guys will be okay.

I'm so sorry to hear about your guy -- I hope the virus stops is damage and he goes on to lead a great life with you.

On edit: I would recommend not bringing in new cats or letting your cats outdoors now that they have been exposed -- they could pass on the virus.

[NightTrain]

31. I just gave LH a call.

She's keeping Stormie in her bedroom so he'll be away from the other cats. Unfortunately, the poor little guy keeps bumping into things and walking through his water dish. :cry:

On the other hand, LH told me the kitten is doing a lot better now than he was over the weekend. So even if Stormie has to go through life blind, it's looking like he may just continue to *have* a life. And with a loving, tender-hearted person to care for him, as well. That ain't bad, considering that Stormie came into this world an abandoned kitten in Northern Ohio in the dead of winter.

LH, you are truly an angel of mercy! O8)

[blondeatlast]

34. Thanks, NT--a little good news in an otherwise pretty bleak

night!

We needed that!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

35. That's good news!

If he is showing improvment, that is great! It normally is a disease that is all downhill, with no improvements along the way.

Glad to hear it. :)

[Kathy in Cambridge]

36. Thank you!

Poor Little Stormie!

You're right-liberalhistorian really is an angel!

[Mikimouse]

38. Bless them both...

I sent her a website reference yesterday when she first posted about this. I was really hoping that it was not FIP, but it sure sounded like it. Too bad that there aren't more people like LH around. I talked it over with the fur kids and they said to tell her that they send her and Stormie a bunch of purrs and loves. Hugs to LH!:hug: O8)

[blondeatlast]

33. I'm so sorry. Poor thing. Still saying prayers for all involved.

[Beaker]

37. Do YOURSELF and YOUR CAT a huge favour-

say your goodbyes, and have him put down...I had a cat that developed FIP(feline infectious peritonitis), and there really is nothing that can be done, and nothing you could have done...I'm really sorry- it was the roughest episode I've ever been thru with a pet, I stayed up with him all thru his last 2 nights, but he never got any better. even thinking about it now is making tears well up- and this was 5 years ago...Luckily tho, none of our other 3 cats developed any problems from being there- the vet told me that pretty much they either have the immunity or they don't. there is a vaccine, but it only improves a cat's chances by 2 or 3%, which doesn't really even make it worthwhile.

[Sapphocrat]

39. Aw, geeeeeeeeez, LH, I am so sorry...

I mean seriously sorry. I'd throw myself in front of a car to save my cat.

Hoping and praying the little guy gets healthy enough to grow up and do what big cats do -- which they can do, even blind.

Tell you a quick story: My sister's old roomie had a blind cat who functioned just fine -- but never quite got the hang of feeling his way around moving forward. So he traipsed around the house backward, feeling his way along with his butt. It was amusing, because he didn't seem to notice any difference between himself and the other house kitties. He played, and ate, and got into trouble along with the rest of them.

Yep, right now your baby is scared, but if he gets well, he can adjust to blindness and lead a pretty normal life.

Sending all sorts of good energy!

[Valerie5555]

40. OMG, in regards to our new kitty,

when he had the "runs" last month, that momentarily :scared: me and "freaked me out," for the dreaded scary kitty scourges like FIP were at the back of my mind and I was no doubt relieved when I found that may have been a reaction to the antibiotic he had to take to recover from a boil on his leg, our Merlin at least is now more lively when we first got him.

[SoCalDem]

41. Damn.. I was so hoping that you would get better news..

Feral cats can have so many diseases..:( They have such a tough life anyway, and they also have to be sick:(:(..

I can still remember when I found Willie.. I sure hated to spend $171.00 for the advanced tests, but I was so scared of bringing something to my others..(They are all indoorsies).. We were not even sure he would live long enough for the damned tests to come back, but 5 days later the lab gave him a clean bill of health..

If I were you (and if you can afford it), I would HAVE the others tested.. If they are not infected, it might help you make up your mind on what to do about Stormie.. If he has a deadly and contagious disease and the others are NOT infected, you might actually need to have him gently euthanized.. (I know it's painful to think about, but you have had them much longer, and is it really fair to expose them to this disease?)...

If they already have it and you are willing to endure the possible problems, that's a different thing..

No matter how hard you try, you will not be able to keep him isolated from the others.. Also, is it fair to keep him separate, especially since he cannot see??

Jeez.. I feel so awful for you, kiddo.. I know how hard it is to be a devoted animal lover, and then to have something this devastating happen.. I cried like a baby each time we had to euthanize the outdoor strays..and they never even came close enough to be touched..We found each one as they were near death and were too weak to fight us when we picked them up..

Sometimes you just cannot save them, no matter how much you want to :(:cry:

[Rhiannon12866]

42. I am so sorry, but glad that he's doing better

This rips my heart out, since my beloved Rhiannon was afflicted with something called Horner's Syndrome. The left side of her face was paralysed, she became blind in one eye and I had to feed her using a syringe. It eventually turned out to be an inoperable tumor and I lost her at age seven, after several months of acupuncture, to make her more comfortable. We do what we have to do.

My present cat, whom I also found abandoned, has a growth in her ear and refuses to be touched. I take her to the vet to get it cleaned and medicated. She is much more cooperative than when I first found her. I hope that your little one adjusts to his handicap. It sounds like he was very fortunate to have found you.

[meti57b]

43. I'm very sorry to hear about your little cat.

I have a friend with a cat who is blind. He get's along fine and even goes outside, where he stays in their yard. They too mentioned the only problem seems to be in moving the furniture. Cats have a highly developed sense of smell and hearing. The blindness doesn't have to be a problem for him.

I cannot tell from what has been posted if he can recover from the FIP. I will continue to hope and send you and the little kitty warm thoughts and hugs. I wish you the best of everything.

[wantnobush]

44. hugs

for you and your kitty.

[Cuban_Liberal]

47. We had a blind dog, and they do adapt.

he lost his eyesight as a puppy as the result of an accident, and yes, he stumbled, etc. for a while, but then he adapted to life as a blind dog. He's still alive and quite happy. Your pity for your kitten is understandable, but if he makes it, he too will learn how to survive and enjoy life.

:hug: