A family just lost their kitten to wet form FIP. And asked me when and if they might get another kitten. I responded:
“FIP is confounding.
Now, to a limited degree, you get to live under the shadow of FIP. It can stick around in the environment for kind of a while, and not all surfaces can be disinfected as easily as others, AND what’s to say you spray down every surface?
I don’t worry as much about the environment though. I mean, you can spray disinfectants on most surfaces and wash linens and such. Cut the risks down a lot.
Your other cats are the thing. And they’re just ticking.
Like, they may *never *have been viremic, or “had” the virus, but were immune.
Or they *had *the virus and *beat *it. But maybe carry it.
Or they’re going to break with the virus in a year.
It’s just ridiculous and the reason the internet is so sketch with details is because every time I think I ‘get it’ about FIP / Corona, something stupid happens like two kittens from the same litter where one blows up and dies and the other remains as tough as a marine.
Tons of kittens need homes. So, if you don’t take one, chances are, someone’s (some kitten) gonna lose their life as homeless. So I think, you should risk it. (A homeless kitten would sure risk it to avoid the ‘end’) And, I know that of course you’re going to do the best you can to disinfect the environment and just pray that FIP / Corona doesn’t transmit.
And think about it: I’ve been doing this for a VERY long time, and as “hot” as that virus is supposed to be, I’ve seen maybe *10 total cases*. I think as a group, the feline Corona Viruses are actually unlikely to cause a problem and it’s a rarer cat that actually DOES blow up.
Key words; “I think”