The transformation of FIP from an untreatable fatal disease to one with effective antiviral treatment represents a major welfare advance, though access and cost remain barriers.
The development of effective FIP treatment represents one of the most significant welfare advances in feline medicine in decades. Before antiviral availability, diagnosis of FIP was equivalent to a death sentence with only palliative options. Cats with FIP experience significant suffering from the fluid accumulation, neurological involvement, or granulomatous lesions that characterize the disease. Effective antiviral treatment eliminates this suffering and returns cats to normal health. However, the cost and access barriers mean that many FIP cats in lower-income households or in countries without approved formulations still face inadequate access to curative treatment. Advocacy for improved access, generic availability, and affordable compounded formulations extends the welfare benefit of this transformative treatment to more affected cats.