Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) was once a uniformly fatal disease in cats, but the development of antiviral drugs has transformed outcomes, making welfare management during treatment a new clinical priority.
Before antiviral treatment became available, FIP diagnosis was a death sentence delivered rapidly after severe suffering. Affected cats experience fluid accumulation causing breathing difficulty, progressive weakness, and neurological signs in some forms. The transformation to a treatable condition means that welfare management now focuses on the treatment experience — daily oral or injectable medication, monitoring for side effects, and maintaining quality of life across a prolonged treatment period. Cats experiencing treatment need supportive care including appetite stimulation and management of secondary complications. The remaining barrier is cost — many owners cannot afford treatment, meaning that economic factors continue to determine whether a cat recovers or is euthanised.