Information on FIP

(the below is taken from an article in the The Atlantic)

Did you know?

FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis) is a fatal cat disease. FIP is also caused by a coronavirus—not the same one that causes COVID-19, but one that specializes in infecting cats. In most cats, this feline coronavirus (or FCoV) causes mild diarrhea or no symptoms at all. But in a small minority of cases, the virus infects white blood cells and the immune system goes haywire into full-blown FIP.

The disease comes in two forms, both fatal: wet, in which the cat's chest or belly swells with fluid, or dry, in which there is no fluid but the cat is still feverish and sick. Eventually, it dies. For decades, vets have had little to offer but euthanasia.

Then GS-441524 came along.

UC Davis ran small trials, published in 2018 and 2019 that suggested cats were not just having their life prolonged but seemingly cured. It has become a groundbreaking treatment for FIP, albeit illegally. A 12-week regimen of GS-441524 (remdesivir) can cost upwards of $10,000, depending on the brand, type of FIP, and weight of the cat. Plus, there is no legal way to buy GS-441524 as medicine—not for cats, not for humans.

Important Note

Not all veterinarians will support the use of GS-441524. RAIN cannot assist with this. RAIN does not support nor condone the treatment as we believe it is between a cat owner and their vet to determine the best course of action for FIP; we will not judge but we will provide information as it is found. It is up to the pet owner to educate themselves in full before entering into any treatment plan.

As this treatment becomes more and more supported, it is important to note that it has not been approved by the FDA as of yet. All medicine used is considered black-market and often obtained from unknown resources.

Support Groups

Support groups have cropped up, the largest among them being the Facebook Group "FIP Warriors".

Other resources

https://www.zenbycat.org/