FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis)
CHS recently experienced a cat crisis with a virus that swept through our cattery. Sadly, the shelter lost well over 80 cats to this disease.
FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis) is a fatal
viral disease in cats only that usually occurs in multi-cat or shelter environments.
Approximately 8-20% of cats exposed to the disease will contract it.
FIP is a very difficult disease to definitively diagnose. It can look very different
in different cats and often has no symptoms unti late in the disease.
Symptoms vary but can include lethargy, chronic fever, weignt loss, swelling of the
abdomen or chest, and inflammation of the gums. The only certainty is that if a cat
contracts the disease it will succumb to it. Once positively identified to be in the
later stages of the disease, a cat is euthanized to spare it the suffering the
disease causes.
FIP is passed through feces and droplets from mouth and nose. There is no treatment
for FIP. A vaccine has been developed but it is controversial. Many experts feel the
vaccine may bring on the disease in susceptible cats due to the strain it puts on the
immune system. At this point the vaccine is not widely used.
After the first outbreak a few months ago, we instituted measures aimed at stopping
this disease. Unfortunately, the cages we had were old and allowed the litter that
spills onto the cage floors to fall from one cage to another. All of the cats are
now in individual cages and have their own food, water, and litter boxes.
Another route of transmission is through droplets produced when a cat sneezes.
This allows airborne transmission of the disease. Cats with upper respiratory infections
are being isolated.
We have purchased new cages of stainless steel with solid bottoms
so the litter cannot pass between cages. Besides containing the litter better, these
metal cages are easier to clean and sanitize. We are also bringing in an expert from
Midway Veterinary Clinic to teach the staff how to clean and sanitize cages and the
cattery while avoiding cross contamination between animals.
Midway has now tested all cats remaining at the shelter for the presence of FIP.
When the new cages arrived we did a thorough cleaning of the cattery and then placed
the healthy cats in the new cages in the clean cattery. Borderline cats are being
housed separately for another few weeks until they can be retested. All
highly positive cats have been euthanized.
Since the onset of the FIP outbreak we have not been able to adopt out cats or take
in cats that people in the community can no longer care for. We have been affected
negatively by this in two ways. First, we have had to withdraw funds from our money
market account to purchase the cages and pay for the blood tests, seriously depleting
our resources. Secondly, with the cattery closed we have not been able to adopt out
or take in any cats for several weeks, thus substantially reducing our principal
source of income, adoption fees.
We feel that the crisis has passed and that we have instituted measures that will make
any further outbreaks of FIP very unlikely. We are very grateful to Midway Veterinary
Hospital for their assistance in this situation. We have applied for a grant to
reimburse them for their expenses.
At this time we are looking into fundraising ideas to replenish our depleted financial
reserves. If you would like to help please earmark your donation for this purpose.
Thank you in advance for your support. We know our Columbia County community is
behind us and we appreciate the support.
Questions? Call or Email us today:
Columbia Humane Society
2084 Oregon St.
St. Helens, OR 97051
phone: (503) 397-4353
fax: (503) 397-0355
email:
Located inside of the Holsheimer-Lamar Animal Shelter
Shelter Hours
Monday-Saturday
11am to 5pm
Closed Sundays