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Coronavirus in Cats
Written By Darlene Stott
Published: 08/22/2016Updated: 08/02/2021
Veterinary reviewed by Dr. Linda Simon, MVB MRCVS
What are Coronavirus?
Coronavirus is most often found in young cats or multi-cat households where it is spread through feces and airborne contaminants. Fatalities most often occur in cats who are young or have a weakened immune system.
Coronavirus in cats, or feline infectious peritonitis, is a viral disease caused by certain strains of feline coronavirus. Though most strains of feline coronavirus do not cause the disease to occur, some strains can cause symptoms that range from mild to severe. These strains may also mutate in the cat's body, becoming feline infectious peritonitis virus. This virus attacks the immune system and vital organs, resulting in the death of the cat.
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Average Cost
$800

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Symptoms of Coronavirus in Cats
Symptoms of feline infectious peritonitis depend on the type of strain of coronavirus that the cat has contracted, the age of the cat, the cat's immune system and what specific organs are attacked by the virus. The virus can be one of two types, wet or dry, with symptoms depending on the type of feline infectious peritonitis the cat has contracted.
Wet/Effusive
  • Fever that doesn't respond to pain relief or antibiotics
  • Weight loss
  • Anorexia (lack of appetite)
  • Lethargy
  • Sneezing
  • Watery eyes
  • Nasal discharge
  • Diarrhea
  • Abdominal distension (nonpainful abdominal swelling)
  • Breathing difficulties
  • Fluid in chest or abdominal cavity
  • Granulomas that form on different organs of the body
Dry/Non-Effusive
  • Fever that doesn't respond to pain relief or antibiotics
  • Poor growth (in young kittens)
  • Eye inflammation
  • Jaundice
  • Depression
  • Anemia
  • Diarrhea
  • Depression
  • Neurological symptoms, which include loss of sight, loss of balance or inability to properly run/walk due to loss of coordination
Causes of Coronavirus in Cats
Feline coronavirus is fairly common among cats and is transmitted through the feces of other infected cats or from breathing in contaminants. Feline infectious peritonitis is caused by the feces or airborne contaminants of certain strains of the coronavirus. Some types of feline coronaviruses can mutate and attack the white blood cells, which then carry the disease throughout the body. When this mutation occurs, it causes feline infectious peritonitis.
Diagnosis of Coronavirus in Cats
Feline infectious peritonitis is difficult to diagnose as there is no definitive test that can determine if a cat has a mild form of coronavirus or feline infectious peritonitis. The symptoms can also mimic other diseases or viruses, making it more difficult for veterinarians to diagnose properly.
The veterinarian will ask for the cat's health history, which includes the cat's symptoms, when symptoms first began, and if the cat lives with other cats at home or was frequently placed in a kennel. The veterinarian will examine the cat, listening to the cat's breathing and looking for a distended abdomen. 
Labs, which include a complete blood count and an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test, will need to be done. The complete blood count will look for white blood cells that are indicative of an infection while an ELISA test will show the presence of any coronavirus antibodies. A sample of fluid may be taken from the thorax or abdomen for further testing. Additionally, a fecal test using a stool sample may also be performed to detect the virus. Because these tests only show if the coronavirus is present and not if it's mutated, however, the veterinarian will diagnose the cat with feline infectious peritonitis if it doesn't have the symptoms of other viruses or diseases.
Treatment of Coronavirus in Cats
Most strains of coronavirus don't require treatment as the cat's immune system will produce antibodies against the virus. Unfortunately, there is no cure if the cat has developed feline infectious peritonitis. Care is centered on keeping the cat comfortable and prolonging its life for a few months. 
If the cat is diagnosed with the non-effusive type of feline infectious peritonitis, medications will be prescribed. Antibiotics will help kill bacteria, immunosuppressants will prevent the virus from mutating, and anti-inflammatory medications will reduce the pain the cat is experiencing and reduce inflammation throughout the body.

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Recovery of Coronavirus in Cats
Feline infectious peritonitis is fatal in approximately 95 percent of cases. In some cases, the prescribed medications can keep the infection dormant, or in remission, for several months. It's important to follow up with the veterinarian so medications can be evaluated for effectiveness and changed, if needed, in order to allow the cat to be comfortable.
Though there is a vaccine available to prevent feline infectious peritonitis, its use is not recommended by the American Association of Feline Practitioners as it hasn't proven effective in preventing the virus in all cases. 
The best way to keep coronavirus from spreading to other cats is to vigilantly clean the cat's food and water dishes, regularly disinfect the cat's living space and keep sick cats away from other cats in multi-cat households. Kittens should be kept away from other cats, other than the mother, to prevent them from contracting the virus. If a cat passed away from FIP, it is sensible to wait awhile before rehoming a new cat and to thoroughly clean the home.
Coronavirus Average Cost
From 359 quotes ranging from $200 - $3,000
Average Cost
$800
Top
Coronavirus Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
domestic short hair
Moki
6 Months

6 found this helpful

6 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Diarrhea
Sneezing
Lack Of Appetite
My new rescue cat has been diagnosed with Coronavirus and now I'm seriously paranoid about that mutating. How might I know if the virus mutates? What can I do that I have not already done- took him to the vet, had him tested (currently FIP negative), and put him on a perscription cat food for digestion.
Sept. 16, 2018
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Savannah
Molly
2 Years

4 found this helpful

4 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Tired
Hi, a friend of mine has two cats who are carriers of the corona virus. They caught this from two cats in their household who both died if FIPs having contracted this from the breeder. The titles of the two cats were 1000. 18 months later the two carrier cats have titre readings of 330 and 160 respectively. Is there a possibility they will rid themselves of being a carrier or will they always be one and if this is the case does this mean a kitten can never be introduced to the household who has come from a FIP background.
Sept. 2, 2018

Sorry meant to say can a kitten ever be introduced to the household if he come from a FIP free household
Sept. 2, 2018
Molly's Owner
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Manks
Blue
5 Months

1 found this helpful

1 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Lethargy
Loss Of Balance
Watery Eyes
No Vomiting
My 5 month old cat started to lose control of his backend. He literally couldn't walk. He Is on antibiotics for the last week. How long before we should see some ı improvements.?
Aug. 21, 2018
1 Recommendations
The symptoms described are not really consistent with coronavirus infection and any medications like clindamycin would only be for secondary infections since it isn’t effective against a virus; the resolution or improvement in symptoms would depend on the actual underlying condition. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Aug. 22, 2018
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Domestic shorthair
A
5 Years

1 found this helpful

1 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Watery Eyes
My cat's PCR panel came back positive for coronavirus (along with CPA and CPE). He's 5 years old, and his PCR panel was negative for coronavirus as late as 6/13! Does that mean he was exposed to coronavirus since 6/13 or he could have been exposed long ago but it never showed up on PCR until now? Thanks!
July 6, 2018
1 Recommendations
A single negative PCR test is not meaningful as the shedding of the virus isn’t continuous, this is why we recommend that a minimum of five consecutive monthly tests come back negative before we can be relatively confident that the cat is negative. So he could have been ‘positive’ before but wasn’t shedding. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
July 6, 2018
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BSH crossed with Scots fold
Fergus
1 Year

0 found this helpful

0 found this helpful

How long does it take for Coronavirus to mutate into fip? Our cat has been (not 100% but highly suspected) diagnosed with fip.. he’s an indoor cat and I’m curious as to how & when he could have caught it, we have 2 cats, both indoor & got them at the same time, they’re a year & 2 months old.. he’s far too young & doesn’t deserve this.. other is healthy.
June 29, 2018
0 Recommendations
Coronavirus is a common infection in cats, however only a very small number of cats develop feline infectious peritonitis from a virus mutation; there is no set time frame for mutation rate and this may vary depending on age, stress and other factors. However, I will note that the mutated virus is no contagious. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
June 30, 2018
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moggy
Smokey
14 Years

1 found this helpful

1 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Restless,Lethargy, Breathless
My cat was put to sleep on sunday. Her symtoms were lethargy, restless, noisy breathing. It was sudden onset, she was ok one day, next eve she got restless, the following morning she was lying on the floor. Trying to move.she would struggle to her feet then fall down again. Her breathing got very bad and on advise of emergency vet, brought her in. Her heart beat dropped rapidly on route. The heart breaking decision was made to euthanise her within 5 mins of getting there. As far as im aware she wasnt tested for corona virus.
china
obama
9 Days

0 found this helpful

0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Sad
my cat is a Chinese and like to eat bat soup it is now couphing it is a bad HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if u feel the same leave a like subscribe and share video with friend
Domestic shorthair
Shadow
6 Months

0 found this helpful

0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Diarrhea
Our kitty has had diarrhea ongoing; sometimes explosive all over the house. First she was treated for worms, then they thought it was food related. She recently tested positive for cornavirus but the vet is still thinking her issues are related to food intolerance. She is only 6 months old. We have two other babies (not from the same liter but around the same age) who are not having any symptoms. Do I need to be concerned about them? Do I need to be concerned about her? Is it just a wait and see or is there something I should be doing for ANY of them??
Common
none
2 Months

0 found this helpful

0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Fever
What can be done to fasttrack the approval of GS-441524 as a treatment and to petion for a decent price? It's absurd that there is a cure found and it's not available asap and hundred of beloved pets are dying because of this. There are concrete facts it works most of the cases, to a point a whole black market developed arround the cure, and I right one as atm FIP is a death sentence for the cat. The problem is the treatment costs way above 1-2000 usd, which makes it impossible to afford for more than half the world
Domestic shorthair
Mathilda
5 Months

0 found this helpful

0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Uveitis Anterior
Mathilda is a stray cat. We adopted her from the streets. She was spayed and 2 days later developed and eye infection on her left eye. Got her immediately to the ophthalmologist and gave her eye drops. She then developed uveitis in right eye too. It was not due to trauma and there was protein in the aqueous flare. She lost appetite and was mostly sleepy. Vet thought it was FIP so we did blood tests and the A/G results got back 0,8% with albumin a bit lower than globulin. Globulin was perfect though. She has a huge rate of coronavirus antibodies. So all pointed out to dry FIP but 2 weeks have passed, she is eating, playing, gained weight and is super active. No other symptoms and uveitis is cured. We will repeat blood exams in 2 weeks to see if maybe she’s ok she can happily live with her disease or maybe it was a misdiagnosis somehow.
Coronavirus Average Cost
From 359 quotes ranging from $200 - $3,000
Average Cost
$800

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