Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), once universally fatal, can now be treated with antiviral drugs, but access to these life-saving medicines remains highly unequal globally.
The transformation of FIP from a universal death sentence to a treatable condition is one of the most significant recent advances in feline medicine. However, its benefits are distributed highly unequally - cat owners in high-income countries with access to antiviral treatment can save their cats, while those in lower-income settings, and the vast population of community cats globally, continue to die from the disease. Addressing this inequity requires veterinary education to improve diagnosis rates, regulatory pathways for affordable generic antivirals, and community cat welfare organisations equipped with treatment capacity. Expanding awareness among veterinarians in developing countries is the first step to ensuring that cats everywhere can benefit from this therapeutic breakthrough.