LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) -- It's been a little over three weeks since our Joey the Garden Cat passed away.
A lot of Joey's fans have been curious about what happened, but it's taken some time to figure out what caused his death.
Dr. Bob Hale from Briarwood Animal Hospital as well as Dr. Terry Dew with Azzore Veterinary Specialists in Russellville shared details with THV's Tom Brannon.
Joey's official cause of death is Feline Infectious Peritonitis, or FIP. FIP is a fatal incurable disease caused by a Corona virus found only in cats at a rate of 1 in 5,000. This disease caused a viral meningitis in Joey's brain.
A Final Goodbye: Spreading Joey's ashes in the Weather Garden
There are two forms of the disease:
- Wet Form - Usually fluid in the abdomen or fluid in the lungs, a fast process
- Dry Form - Usually in the brain, a slow process
There is a vaccine for FIP, but is controversial and considered ineffective unless administered very early in life, 4 to 6 weeks of age.
Cats can be a carrier of the virus and never have any symptoms of the disease. Today, we believe most cats are infected at birth and the virus either remains dormant in the host carrier or the host remains disease free but able to spread the virus to other cats from fecal matter or contaminated surfaces.
There is a test for FIP but is a very poor test for a positive confirmation. Presently, there is no definitive diagnostic test for FIP in a living cat. Unfortunately, a positive FIP diagnosis can only be confirmed from tissue samples. These are usually obtained from necropsies. Cerebral Spinal Fluid in the Dry Form and abdominal fluid in the Wet Form can also help in the diagnosis but is also limited for a positive diagnosis of FIP.
There is no cure for FIP. Infected cats are treated symptomatically.
Learn more about this disease with the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
