Feline Infectious Peritonitis was previously a universally fatal diagnosis. Antiviral treatments have transformed it into a manageable condition, dramatically improving welfare outcomes for affected cats.
The development of effective antiviral treatment for FIP represents one of the most dramatic welfare transformations in feline medicine. Cats that previously died inevitably within weeks of diagnosis after significant suffering from effusion, organ failure, and neurological disease now achieve complete clinical remission and live normal lives with treatment. The welfare responsibility is ensuring that diagnosis and treatment are pursued rather than accepting FIP as an inevitable death sentence, and that treatment remains accessible regardless of financial barriers. Supporting veterinary charities and low-cost treatment access programs ensures that the welfare benefit of FIP cure reaches all affected cats.