Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) was once a death sentence for cats. New antiviral treatments have transformed outcomes, but access remains unequal and welfare implications are profound.
FIP represents a case where veterinary science has outpaced regulatory and economic frameworks, creating profound welfare inequity. A disease that was essentially untreatable until recently is now highly curable, but access to cure depends on ability to pay or willingness to navigate the informal generic market. Cats from lower-income households or in rescue situations are far less likely to receive treatment and more likely to be euthanised. The welfare imperative is twofold: ensuring that effective treatment reaches all FIP-affected cats regardless of owner finances, and advocating for regulatory frameworks that make licensed generics available at accessible prices. In the meantime, rescue organisations, subsidised treatment programmes, and vet payment plans can reduce the access gap for individual animals.