Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) was once invariably fatal. The development of effective antiviral treatments has transformed it into a manageable condition, dramatically improving welfare for affected cats.
The FIP treatment revolution is one of the most positive welfare developments in feline medicine in decades. A diagnosis that once meant a death sentence within days to months for a cat - often a young cat - now carries an 85%+ remission probability with appropriate antiviral treatment. The welfare impact of this change is profound: cats that would have died now recover fully. The remaining welfare challenges are access and cost - antiviral treatment is expensive and not universally accessible, meaning welfare improvement has been unevenly distributed. Advocacy for affordable access to FIP treatment and insurance coverage for this now-treatable condition is important welfare work. The FIP treatment story also demonstrates how rapidly veterinary medicine can advance when focused research produces effective interventions.