Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) was once a fatal diagnosis. New antiviral treatments have transformed outcomes, making access to treatment a critical welfare equity issue for cats and their owners.
The transformation of FIP from a death sentence to a treatable disease is one of the most significant recent advances in feline medicine. The welfare implications are profound: cats that would previously have died in distressing circumstances can now achieve full remission and long, healthy lives. However, treatment access is unequal — high treatment costs exclude many owners, and reliance on unlicensed medications creates legal and medical uncertainty. Advocacy for affordable, licensed FIP treatment access is a welfare issue. Every cat with FIP that cannot access treatment because of cost represents a preventable death and preventable suffering.