Feline infectious peritonitis was once universally fatal, but new antiviral treatments have transformed it into a manageable condition — a major advance in feline welfare with important lessons for veterinary research.
The FIP treatment story demonstrates what targeted veterinary research can achieve for animal welfare. A condition that meant a death sentence for thousands of cats annually — after weeks of progressive illness causing fever, fluid accumulation, and organ failure — became treatable through research investment in antiviral compounds. The transformation of FIP from universally fatal to manageable represents genuine welfare progress, converting months of suffering into recovery for cats who would previously have been euthanized. The remaining challenge is access: where treatments are unaffordable or unavailable, cats still die from a now-preventable cause.