Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) was once a fatal diagnosis. New antiviral treatments have transformed FIP from a death sentence into a treatable disease, with major welfare implications.
The development of effective antiviral treatment for FIP represents one of the most significant recent welfare breakthroughs in companion animal medicine. A diagnosis that once meant certain death within weeks can now be treated to remission in the majority of cases. The welfare transformation is profound: cats that would have died in distress from fluid accumulation, neurological deterioration, or organ failure can now recover fully and live normal lives. The primary welfare barrier is now access: treatment costs remain high, and antiviral availability varies by region. Supporting access programs for FIP treatment, and advocating for more affordable antiviral availability, directly improves welfare for cats with an otherwise fatal disease.