More bad news about the kitten, he has FIP, not FIV, blindness permanent

[liberalhistorian]

In my update thread I posted last night, I expressed some confusion over whether the kitten (we found him as a stray at six weeks old, he's four months old now) had FIP or FIV, and if his blindness was permanent.

Well, I just talked to the vet and it is, unfortunately, FIP and not FIV, which would have been a little better. His blindness is permanent and he's still fairly sick, although he's much better than he was this weekend. He could still get as violently ill as he did this weekend. I have to keep him isolated from the other four cats, since it's contagious, and that's proving to be extremely difficult to do. I kept him in my room last night, and that's where he is now. But I can't do that permanently.

This is really depressing, I was hoping it was FIV, not FIP. I don't know if the kindest thing would be to have him euthanized or not. I have the other cats to think about as well, they like to come in my room and sleep with me, too. What should I do?

[Whitacre D_WI]

1. IF...

IF the vet can get him long-term stabilized, he could still live an okay life -- but not with other cats in your home to think about.

If you and the vet can get him healthy, you may be able to find somebody locally who would like to care for a special-needs kitten. If not, the best course of action (for both him and your other cats) would be to have the little guy put down.

Whatever you do, you should not keep him and your other cats in the same house for very long.

It's a hard decision to make, but you have two main things to consider: his best interests, and the best interests of your other cats.

Best wishes to you.

[liberalhistorian]

2. Thanks. Yes, the other cats

are a major consideration as is the fact that, even though he's stabilized now, that might not be the case for long. It was horrible to watch his suffering this weekend, and I don't think it'd be fair to make him go through that again.

On the other hand, I have, indeed, thought about trying to find someone who doesn't have any other cats but who wouldn't mind taking him in and dealing with his special needs.

[SoCalDem]

3. The other thread was pretty long so I am reposting here

Did you ask the vet about disinfecting things that he came into contact with.. I am thinking litter box here..(for the others)

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SoCalDem (1000+ posts) Tue Jan-20-04 11:32 PM
Response to Original message

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

[liberalhistorian]

5. He had his own

litterbox that he used, and still uses, separate from the others. We originally did that because the litterboxes for the other cats were down in our basement up on a table that he couldn't reach, being so little. I'm really glad we did it that way now.

Yes, that's true that sometimes you just can't save them no matter how much you may want to. I just wish it didn't have to be so heartbreaking!

[wysimdnwyg]

4. LH

I, thankfully, have no real idea how much pain this causes for you. I do hope you get good news on your other cats, but it's important right now to keep them completely separate from the little guy. Especially the litter box.

What has the vet said about his survival expectancy?

[liberalhistorian]

6. She said that

she couldn't be sure, but he could become very ill again at any time and that he might not survive another bout with it.

[SoCalDem]

7. Something else to consider.. The impact on your child(ren)

It can be very disturbing to a child to watch an animal suffer.. Did you ask the vet about whether this was contagious to humans?? or just to other cats?? I know that toxoplasmosis CAN be transmitted to people.. Not sure about the others..

[liberalhistorian]

8. Fortunately, FIP is only

contagious to other cats and not humans or dogs (we have two dogs, one of whom has "adopted" Stormie, so that was one of the first things I asked her).

[radwriter0555]

10. It sounds like the best course of action is to help the lil guy along to a

better place, as gently as possible.

Given the overwhelming odds against him; that he couldn't be around your critters, the virtual impossibility of finding someone else to care for this terminally ill lil baby... that he could indeed perish at any time; perhaps the best course of action is to have him put down so that he doesn't suffer any more.

Unfortunately with ferals, you can't save every one of them. And were he to have been out in the 'wild', he certainly wouldn't have lived this long. It sounds like it just wasn't meant to be.

Good luck. Passing a critter along to the other side is very hard...

[liberalhistorian]

11. I'm afraid you're right,

Rad, as heartbreaking as it is to even think about. And I do feel a little better knowing that he at least had a couple of months of love and care, instead of freezing to death alone at six weeks old.

[radwriter0555]

15. You have my complete and total support in helping him along to the

other side.

You've done everything you can, the best you can, over and above what most people would do.

You'll cry, and be upset and it isn't easy... but it will pass. I had to do it to the SWEETEST bunny in the whole world. But as the day passed on, the squeezing in my chest and heart finally subsided.

And luckily, the process of the injection is truly painless for the lil guy, thank goodness.

My heart's with you. Been there and done that. Have countless pets of my own that I'll be facing the same thing with all too soon again.

((((hugs))))

The sooner the better.

[BiggJawn]

21. You did Good.

Whatever the outcome, the lil' feller knew kindness in his last days, and you really can't have better than that.

[Neko hime]

9. Sorry to hear that

I had a cat who contracted FIP. She had the respiratory kind. Its like they're drowning, their lungs fill up with so much fluid. She could barely breath towards the end and was euthanized. It was a very hard decision to make. Just do whatever you think is right and the most humane.

Good luck!

[commander bunnypants]

12. I am sorry LB

I just had to help my kitty to the other side. Be strong and do what is best for the kitty. :hugs:
\
DDQM

[SiNiK]

13. Ignorance truly is bliss...

My heart is crushed every time I read something like this. I LOVE cats so much I nearly worship them. Please, please, please don't post such gruesome details in the subject from now on? As one cat-lover to another?

[Lostmessage]

14. My heart goes out to you

It's a hard decision to make but your other kids need to stay healthy.
You have raised this little guy since he was 6 weeks old and you have given him a good life and If he is sick please don't prolong the inevitible.
You might be able to place him with someone who has just lost their cat and needs a special kitten in their life. Try to find someone to take this little guy before putting him down.

[liberalhistorian]

16. I'll probably try to do that,

but I really don't know how successful I'll be given that the area shelters are currently overflowing with healthy cats that also need homes.

[SoCalDem]

17. Ask for guidance from your vet..

He/she would be a good one to get advice from.. A live kitten with no quality of life , will only break your heart every day, and is it fair to him to be isolated and in darkness? It's a horrible dilemma, but your vet can probably advise you.. (you will make the right decision, no matter what you do.. ) You just need to come to terms with whatever you decide.. Sometimes an "uninvolved" person can help you..

Our vet was so helpful when the outdoorsies started to get ill and die.. (We lost 5 within two weeks..) :(..

[liberalhistorian]

19. I think that is, indeed, the

best thing to do, ask the vet for help and guidance. We've been going to this particular clinic for about fifteen years, so I really trust all of the vets there.

[Philostopher]

18. I'm awfully sorry to hear this.

I'd hoped it was FIV not FIP, for your sake, since it was already clear to you the kitten was ill. Cats can live for years with FIV, if they're kept away from sources of infection, and often live perfectly comfortable lives with it.

Here's a good resource with some information, if nobody else has posted it already:

http://web.vet.cornell.edu/public/fhc/fip.html

Cornell is a veterinary research hospital, their information is usually as up-to-date as any.

A little information on testing your other cats, too -- don't panic if your vet tests them for coronavirus exposure and they show positive. Most cats who started out as strays were exposed, at some point, to one of several coronaviruses. Exposure doesn't necessarily indicate that they'll become ill.

A few years ago, we had a cat at the shelter where I volunteer that obviously was unwell, but didn't show any particular signs it had any of the diseases we all were used to seeing in the cats there. He was isolated from other cats, for the most part, and given anything he would eat and plenty of attention, of which he never tired (even when he stopped eating, he'd still purr if you petted him). When he lost interest in food, we started force-feeding him canned cat food with a syringe. Ultimately, when he died, one of the local vets was able to say he'd had 'dry' FIP (the 'dry' version often results in a drawn-out end for a cat, because they're not virulently ill). Our only regret was force-feeding him -- he should have been euthanized when he lost interest in getting up and feeding himself. That's usually a sign, unless the cat has dental problems, an upper respiratory infection or fatty liver disease, that it's ready to let go.

On edit: don't feel bad if you elect to have him euthanized. As much as I love my cats, having watched a cat die from it, I would decidedly have put him down when he lost interest in food, if not before.

[liberalhistorian]

20. Good for you for working

in an animal shelter, I really don't think I could ever handle that!

[KamaAina]

22. A friend of mine who's blind has a blind cat

she irreverently named him "Stevie the Wonder Cat"! (She also has two sighted cats.)

So, perhaps you could start building cross-disability coalitions (for your AS group) by hooking up with a cat lover who's blind.

Do we need a "Cats with Disabilities Act"? Some (not all) white cats with blue eyes are Deaf.

[NightTrain]

23. Sorry the news wasn't better

I only wish I didn't have to be 550 miles away from you at such a difficult time. ;(