Meet the cats who have overcome FIP, Feline Infectious Peritonitis. These cats and their caregivers have incredible stories of survival after facing a once-incurable disease.
Read their stories below
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) has long been difficult for veterinarians to manage and understand in cats that contract the disease. In the U.S., the lack of legal treatment options meant FIP was often considered a fatal diagnosis for cats. However, recent progress in antiviral treatments has made effective therapy for FIP a reality!
Through our exclusive partnership with the Bova group, Stokes Pharmacy has made it possible for veterinarians to prescribe US-made FIP treatment! Since our treatment became available in April 2024, many cats have been successfully treated and are now FIP survivors. We celebrate their stories of resilience below!
When Jack arrived at Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, he was critically ill and was diagnosed with both feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA). Thanks to the quick action of his owners, Nico and Kinsey, and the expert care of Board-Certified Small Animal Internal Medicine (SAIM) specialist, Petra Cerna, and Small Animal Internal Medicine Resident, Yuvani Bandara, Jack began treatment with our groundbreaking Bova GS-441524 FIP therapy.
From Lara in Austin, TX
Yesterday was Louie’s last day of FIP treatment. For the next few months, Louie will be in an observation period and closely monitored to ensure he doesn’t experience a relapse.
Words can’t express how relieved we are. To be fully honest, there was a period I didn’t think Louie was going to make it. I never shared how bad he got on social media, a few people in real life told me that they thought he was going to pass away. (They told me this in retrospect after Louie had started treatment and was getting better.)
The FIP treatment felt like a miracle. In less than a day Louie’s eyes were alert again, and he came out of his backpack carrier that he had hid in for days. We got the compounded medicine (GS-441524) from @stokespharmacy and definitely recommend going to them.
From Sunshine & Tyler in Miami, FL
Thank you so much! We now are actively treating our girl Sol, who will graduate treatment on June 11.
From Skye in Upper Marloro, MD
We took Apollo to the vet thinking he was just “not feeling well” only to be told that he would most likely have to be put down. Our vet told us about FIP medications and directed us to groups for support and we learned about Stokes Pharmacy. Our vet happily wrote us the prescription and we started him on treatment. Within days he was wrestling with his siblings, climbing on the cat tree and giving us kisses. We are forever thankful for the life Stokes gave our Polly! He’s officially cured now!
From Maggie in Muncie, IN
From Claire in Brooklyn, NY
Stokes Pharmacy saved my cat’s life. Nubbi was near death when we started but with the GS-44 suspension medication for wet FIP. She’s playing with her donut ball again. We are so thankful for Stokes!
From Amanda in Redondo Beach, CA
Stokes Pharmacy literally saved my cat’s life. Well, you along with, first my vet and I and my husband were determined to get him better. But you all provided the magic serum to make it happen. He was diagnosed to most likely have FIP. It couldn’t be 100% confirmed since it’s so hard to detect it with certainty. You sent the medicine (very pricey, unfortunately. We fortunately can afford it, but it’s sad to think of others who can’t and have to just let their cats go, not being able to afford treatment. But that’s another topic).
Marvin was only 4 months old and came from the pound. It as thought that there he likely shared a litter box with others and maybe got the FIP illness from that, and maybe from too much play interaction around or in the uncleaned litter box. Absent things to play with, I suspect that kittens turn to just digging in their litter.
You guys sent the GS-451522 quickly every time, and were so nice when I called on the phone. I wish there was an attachment section here, as I’d send you a before an after of our orange kitty, Marvin. He started at about 4 pounds at 4 months, and is up to over nine pounds now, at almost 9 months old. 🙂
Thank you thank you!! You guys are amazing, and I thought that card you sent at the beginning was so nice! It was during our time of not knowing whether Marvin would respond to the medicine (would he live or die?). We are so pleased he did and we couldn’t have done it without your all’s help. Quite literally, no exaggeration.
From Kellie in Birchwood, TN
My boy was diagnosed in October when he started sleeping all the time, fluid in abdomen, fever and not eating. They took fluid from his abdomen for testing to confirm diagnosis. He started treatment in November. The very next day after his first pill we could see improvement. He finished treatment the end of January and is back to his normal self. Thank you Stokes Pharmacy for saving my baby!
From Kimberly in Barstow, CA
I rescued Binx from an animal shelter, he was a small little thing, and I noticed he had crusty eyes and a sneeze took him to the local vet. They kept giving him anabiotic‘s for a few weeks and nothing was working. Finally, he had problems walking he didn’t want to eat or drink anything. I ended up taking him to Bear Valley Animal Hospital , where he was diagnosed with dry / neuro FIP and the vet told me the only option was to put him down. I then did my own research and found that Stokes Pharmacy carried a medication that may save his life. I talked to the veterinarian at Bear Valley Animal Hospital. He put the prescription in and immediately after three days he started playing and eating and gaining weight because he was so small and he did 84 days on the pill and he just completed his 84 day observation on , 2025 and he’s going strong. I cannot thank you guys enough for carrying this medication that has saved his life!
From Ashley in Apple Valley, MN
Penelope was diagnosed with FIP the day before her first birthday on , 2024. I recognized her symptoms immediately because unfortunately six months prior her brother and littermate passed from wet FIP at just 6 months old. I had never heard of FIP until this terrible experience. Thankfully, our vet office had her seen the same day I called and immediately ordered lab testing and reached out to Stokes Pharmacy. Within a few days she was started on GS- 441524. Within 24 hours of starting GS she was back to her normal self! We continued with medication for 84 days and regular vet checks for lab work. As of a few weeks ago she is considered cured from FIP.
From Beverly in Childress, TX
Sterling was diagnosed with FIP after a new kitten was introduced to the household, and some of the cats in the house showed signs of a mild infection. Sterling was one of them. After being treated with antibiotics for a couple of weeks, he was still running a fever and not not feeling well. I took him back to my vet for a complete chemistry panel and bloodwork. The lab work had the markers indicating the possibility of FIP.
My vet had not treated an FIP case before, but knew a vet who had, and already consulted with her about Sterling. I’m very thankful that my vet didn’t insist on doing extra tests to rule out other problems. She called in a prescription to Stokes for the GS-441524 tablets and I was able to get them overnighted. Within a few days, Sterling started feeling better and was playing again. It was very easy to give him the pills and he would run to the kitchen table every evening to get his nightly ‘candy’ (medicine and a churu lickable treat afterwards). He sailed through his 84 days of treatment and his 84 days of observation and is now considered cured!! He is back to his normal, energetic, crazy self – running through the house at full speed, slithering up the cat tree, opening cabinet doors to inspect the contents, and batting his favorite spring toys around the house.
Thank you, Stokes Pharmacy, for being a huge part of saving me special Sterling’s life!
From Heather in Christiana, TN
When we adopted him, he faced numerous health challenges after being rescued from a hoarding situation. Despite my efforts to boost his immunity, the improvements were only temporary. The veterinarians encountered difficulties diagnosing him, as FIP can be elusive and requires ruling out many other conditions.
Legolas has transformed into a healthy, happy, active, and playful little boy! I look forward to seeing his progress on day 84! Thank you, Stokes Pharmacy, for providing access to this life-saving medication! Before this medication, FIP was ultimately a death sentence. I am incredibly grateful.
From Jesse in Rixeyville, VA
Just days before , our sweet Mocha was diagnosed with FIP. He was only four months old and weighed under three pounds — a tiny fighter who had already survived so much. Born to a stray mom, Mocha and his siblings lived outside through a hurricane before being rescued by Jeepin’ For Paws.
Mocha’s early days after diagnosis were tough. He needed daily subcutaneous fluids, hand-feeding, and lots of time curled up on a heated blanket just to stay warm and comfortable. Thanks to the incredible medication provided by Stokes Pharmacy and the dedicated care he received, Mocha began to turn a corner.
Thank you for being part of Mocha’s miracle.
From Wendy in Boardman, OH
From Lily in Medford, OR
I adopted Laura from CARMA, specifically inside a PetSmart. About two months after adopting Laura she stopped eating, drinking, and generally wasn’t herself. I had no prior knowledge of FIP and when Laura skin was jaundice I freaked out. I took her to a nearby clinic who ran a PCP test and bloodwork that after two days confirmed that she was most likely FIP positive. I quickly took her to Mission Park Pet Hospital that works directly with CARMA and have worked with several FIP cats. They were able to prescribe her the oral tablets that saved her life.
As of January she no longer takes the oral medication and gets frequent checkups to ensure that it won’t come back.
From Margie
From Tanya in Thornton, CO
Ernie’s journey started off semi normal. He had a few health issues that we dealt with but he seemed like a normal kitten for the most part. Out of nowhere he changed. He became reclusive and lethargic and stopped eating. We took him to the vet and within a few days he had to go to an emergency clinic and was diagnosed with FIP. We were devastated. Our vet contacted Stokes Pharmacy right away and they overnighted the meds. Within a week of his change in health we started the medication. Within a week or so the fluid in his belly went away and he started playing and Eating again. He completed treatment in early He is the most playful, sweet little boy and we are so thankful to have him healthy again!
From Heather in Bloomfield, CT
We rescued Jake and Maggie from Halfway Home Rescue in . They were littermates abandoned in the streets. Maggie needed eye surgery while in their care, but the vet saved her eye and both cats were otherwise healthy at adoption day. A couple months later Jake got extremely lethargic, stopped playing, and was not eating well. It took 2 weeks and 2 ER visits & 2 visits to our former vet’s office to get the FIP diagnosis confirmed by Pieper Veterinary ER. He was diagnosed JUST after the FDA approved FIP treatment meds for cats in the US, but it was still very unknown by our vets, so I relied on the rescue to get the medication for Jake to save his life. He showed improvement within 48 hours and was jumping and starting to play again after 2 weeks. We were able to switch from injections to Stokes after just 2 weeks. It was a miracle! He got a clean bill of health ad was finishing up his observation period off medication, when Maggie fell ill with the ocular form of the disease in her good eye. We caught it very early for her, so her illness and treatment was much smoother. We are forever grateful for the help received and the medication that saved their lives during their illnesses. They are both happy and healthy one year old now!
From Ashley in Palmyra, VA
We brought Ollie home from the shelter to foster at 41/2 weeks old. He started to act lethargic, and then developed a fever of 104 degrees that lasted for nearly a week. We tried antibiotics before his stomach started to fill with fluid. We got the official diagnosis at around 7 weeks. Stokes delivered the meds within 24 hours. We were able to start treatment and Ollie showed signs of improvement within 48 hours. He started treatment in July of 2024 and has been cured since January! We are so thankful for the amazing vets in Charlottesville, VA and the Stokes Pharmacy for doing all they could to save Ollie’s life ❤️
From Jarrett in Maryland
From Katrina in Pennsylvania
Bartholomew has just had one difficult first year of his life. Bart came into rescue with horrible upper respiratory issues and both his eyes were pasted shut. We got him healthy and ready for adoption only to notice something now seemed a bit off with one of his eyes. After having him checked out he was diagnosed with needing entropian surgery. We had this completed when he was neutered. He healed and was once again ready for adoption… at least we thought he was. Once again, something just wasn’t right with Bart. He wasn’t himself and then had difficulty breathing as well as fluid. The bloodwork and drained fluid determined FIP diagnosis. This was my first experience as a pet or foster parent with FIP. We started Bart on the GS medication and he was able to fully recover. The same day that Bart was going in for his follow up appointment to clear him, we had an emergency with another foster kitty who turned into to also have FIP! We are so grateful for the treatment to be available for them. Since Bart has been fully cleared from his observation period, he has had new eye challenges which we believe to be herpes related flare ups. He has seen an ophthalmologist and we are working through those current issues which seem so minor after having dealt with FIP. Bart has also become a support friend for his pal, Nutter Butter, the white/grey kitty in the photo with him who is also now an ocular FIP survivor! In 2025 we have had 4 FIP diagnosed kitties so far, 3 of which (Bart, Esmo, & Nutter Butter) have all survived with the help of our veterinarians & the GS medication.
From Nicole in Pennsylvania
I adopted 12-week-old Finnegan from the shelter in . In early February, I noticed he was not eating, was having trouble breathing, slept a great deal, and was very lethargic. At the vet, he had a fever of 105º and was diagnosed with FIP. His vet gave me a treatment plan and Stokes delivered his 12-week course of pills the next day. Within 24 hours, Finnegan was eating and playing again. GS-441524 worked miracles, and now Finnegan—who finished treatment about a month ago—is a feisty and rambunctious nine-month-old. He went from 6 to 12 lbs. during his treatment and has been making up for lost time racing around the house with his buddy, Frankie. We are so grateful to Stokes and Bova!
From Dwight in Massachusetts
Gwenevere was born on , 2024 and came to our home in October. In late , prior to being spayed, she was found to be anemic, and was referred to Dr Loftus. Dr Loftus initially thought she might have Juvenile Lymphoma. An image showed a mass on her liver and another on a kidney. Samples were drawn from them and from nearby swollen lymph glands. The initial examination of sampled lymphocytes was inconclusive. A subsequent DNA analysis ruled out lymphocytic cloning, which ruled out cancer. Although Gwenevere tested negative for FeLV, FeV, and FIP antibodies, Dr Loftus felt that she might be in the early stages of a mutation of FeCOV into FIP.
He felt that any possible side effects of a 12 week regime of BOVA GS-441524 would be minimal relative to the devastation of FIP. The clinical impacts of BOVA GS-441524 were dramatic! After just four weeks, the masses on both her liver and kidneys were gone, and the blood panel elements were heading in the right direction. After we completed the full course of the twelve week regime Gwenevere’s blood panel is perfectly normal. Dr Loftus considers her to be in full remission. Her energy level was never terrible, but it is higher now and she can’t resist pestering our sweet little Cocka-Poo dog … her canine sister!
From Cheryl in North Carolina
We adopted Onyx when he was about 8 months old. He was active and loved to play fetch! He seemed healthy but constantly had a winky eye. Took him to the vet where he was given eye ointment. It cleared up and came back several times. Trying different ointments and antibiotics. It was decided he had chronic eye issues. In October noticed he was eating less, not playing as much. Dr did bloodwork. With the return of the bloodwork Dr Mashburn suspected FIP and explained it he was also anemic at the time. So we decided to try a bottle of your medicine. She said if he reacted well then we should continue the 84 days of treatment. So after just a few days his appetite came back and a few weeks his playing came back and he was chasing his brother around the house. He’s now a little over 3 years old and is doing well. A couple of months ago he had his first eye thing since being on medication and it cleared up quickly with some ointment. He is now 11 pounds, eats and plays well. We will continue to monitor him but I believe this medicine saved him for sure!
From Gaga in New Orleans
From Joe & Christine in Montana
Cobalt, aka Coby Boy, was diagnosed with FIP on , 2025. He had become very lethargic and not doing much of anything for about three weeks prior to the vet visit; FIP treatment started 2 days later. After about 2-3 days, he started to come around. After 2 weeks, he started to play with toys and played with his siblings again. He has been going strong ever since then. He has another checkup in 2 weeks and we feel he will do just fine. He has kept his weight on, still plays and chases, and eats and drinks normally.
From Michael in Delaware
From Marlana in New York
Rosie was diagnosed with FIP in February and was immediately put on FIP treatment. She had all the symptoms for wet FIP. swollen belly, fluid in chest, difficulty breathing, not eating, etc. She had to be hospitalized for a few days just because her body was giving out and I felt so helpless. I am so grateful for the wonderful doctors, staff and this incredible medication that saved my baby’s life. I’ve spent thousands of dollars just to make sure I was doing all that I could to save her. At one point it felt like she wasn’t going to make it. Fast forward through all the hard and stressful parts- Rosie finished her treatment and has been improving far beyond what I thought! She is back to her playful silly self again! Can’t thank Rosie’s whole team for saving her life.
From Hattie in Oklahoma
Robert Frost is 12 years old. Robert developed goopy eyes and a high fever. He would occasionally hold up his paw. We tried a couple of different medications when his fever became too high and when that didn’t work, we took him to the emergency vet. After the emergency vet, we were able to get Robert Frost in with Dr. Donna Woods at Danforth Animal Hospital in Edmond, OK. It was suspected that Robert had FIP. He was diagnosed , 2024. Dr. Woods was able to get Robert a prescription called in with Stokes and we started on his medication right away. Within 24 hours with his medication, his symptoms were already improving. After being on his medication for a week, you could tell he was feeling better. Dr. Woods in addition to Robert getting this medication, saved his life. We have had bonus time with our amazing boy. Even though for his case we need to continue with his medication, he is doing well. He is a happy boy who loves love. We are so thankful to have him in our lives.
From Nicole in Washington
We got Bowser when he was 3 months old. He was thriving, and we got him fixed at 9 months. Shortly after that, he lost some interest in food, and was dropping weight. I assumed it was because his mom was a small cat, but we were leaving on a trip so I wanted to get him checked. He had a 105 degree fever and our vet was so concerned. Trip postponed, lots of supportive meds and chorus, and information from Stokes in hand, we settled in to get him healthy. We are 10 days post treatment, and he is a completely different kitty. He loves playing with his brothers Cosmo and Mogie, eating everything he can, and playing with everything!
We are so thankful Dr. Wendy was so well versed on FIP and Stoke, and appreciate Stokes for having so much information available and being so quick to respond and help!
From Rebecca in Kentucky
I fell in love with Peaches at first sight during an adoption fair. She was about six months old at the time. It was pretty apparent that she was sick and feverish from the time I took her home. But what we thought was a simple upper respiratory infection was soon enough diagnosed as FIP. During those fraught few weeks of diagnosis, Peaches went from a relatively playful kitten to a lethargic, feverish cat with a distended belly. It was terrifying. Even her eyes were getting darker as she got sicker. Within 24 hours of starting her treatment, she became more playful. Within a week of treatment, she had gained half a pound and her eyes were lightning to a nice golden brown. If in two weeks, her weight was growing and she became what looked like a perfectly normal kitten. And she even loved the flavor of it and considered it a treat! Without this medicine, I have no doubt that she would not have survived. But because of it, she had such a quick turnaround and looks to have a long, happy life ahead.
From Heidi in Ohio
From Raechel in Connecticut
Diego’s first symptoms were an elevated white blood cell count and slow weight loss, observed a few months after his 3rd birthday. A couple of months after that, he was severely jaundiced. Diego was tested for everything possible. The vet treating him had no idea what was wrong, didn’t think FIP was likely, and suggested invasive biopsies which I did not do. Diego was on several antibiotics for several months but kept getting worse. Finally, a different vet recommended that we try FIP treatment. Diego hates pills, so we got the liquid oral formula. It was easy to give him his meds, and they worked like a miracle. His fever was gone in less than 24 hours and he made noticeable improvements every day. He finished the observation period , about a year after he first started losing weight, and he weighs more than he ever has his entire life.
From Ashley in Wisconsin
It had recently stormed and there were urgent cries coming from under the hood of my car. That’s where we found Kenny, a spunky little kitten, only maybe 2 months old. Our intention, after freeing him, was to foster him, but that plan quickly went array when we fell in love with him. His first few vet appointments went well and he was growing nicely. Right around the time of his second round of vaccinations, I noticed my spunky little kitten seemed a bit off. His appetite was declining and while he still was interested in playing with his Siamese brother, he spent a lot more time sleeping. His next vet appointment was later that week and I mentioned it to the technicians, feeling silly. I told them I just knew something wasn’t right. The doctor took his temperature and said he definitely had a fever, surprising her as he was not acting like he was sick in any way. She praised me for catching it and saying something and we decided to try some fluids and keep an eye on him. We went home, hopeful he had a small bug, but things didn’t improve. I brought him back a couple of days later, Kenny still having a fever. This time we did bloodwork. His bloodwork was mostly normal, however through a process of elimination, his doctor determined he had FIP. We were all deviated, but weren’t ready to give up and neither was he. His doctor set out to find the best solution to give my once spunky kitten his quality of life back. She found us Stokes and we started him on the medication right away! Within just a couple of days, his fever was broken and he was running around with his brother again! We went through the allotted treatment time and , he is happy, healthy and you’d never be able to tell he was sick. This June will mark his first birthday, a day I didn’t think we’d see! I am so thankful to his veterinary team, who quite literally, held my hand through this process and to Stokes for being the reason we could save my orange boy!
From Shanna in North Carolina
Soot was rescued at 5 months old by my daughter, from an overcrowded shelter. From the start she was plagued with a swollen, goopy eye, and then sneezing and upper respiratory issues. She was put on antibiotics multiple times but she never seemed to get better. When my daughter brought her home over break we noticed Soot was lethargic and not her usual playful self. As the days went on, her belly started to swell. We took her to our local vet who diagnosed her with FIP. He steered us towards Stokes Pharmacy and the GS441524, but told us not to get our hopes up. We started the medicine and as the days passed, we watched Soots belly swelling go down and her energy go up! It was truly a miracle drug! Now, Soot is a happy, healthy, playful girl, who just celebrated her 1st birthday! Thank you, Stokes for saving our sweet kitty!
From Tara in New York
/28, 2024 Barney wasn’t himself – wasn’t eating, didn’t want to be touched, lethargic, bloated belly (I assumed it was due to his awkward kitten stage). First thing morning I called our vet and got him an urgent drop off appointment. I waited all day to hear back, and finally just before they were closing the doctor called me and advised that he was very sick. They had removed fluid from his abdomen and he was in a special oxygen chamber kennel getting supportive care. I’ve had cats for most of my life and never heard of FIP. Barn was 8 months old when diagnosed.
We did the pills to complete the 84 days of treatment. We logged his weight every day, monitored his activity, checked in with our “advisors” every week – more often as necessary. We sent in progress bloodwork results as required. After 84 days we went into observation. Barney was declared “cured” , 2024 and I can hardly believe we all made it through. I am so grateful for the one-on-one attention that we were given by our “advisors”. I’ll forever be grateful. We still provide weekly updates to them.
From Dawn in Tennessee
From Kate in Utah
Poppy was found in a parking lot in Salt Lake City when she was 10 weeks old with a terrible infection in her right eye. We brought her home 2 days after her eye was removed. Fast forward 4 months and we noticed that she was lethargic and not gaining weight. A week or so later, she developed uveitis in her left eye and went blind. She was diagnosed with FIP the next day.
Stokes received her prescription late in the afternoon on a and we had her medicine less than 24 hrs later. She is now 6 weeks out from finishing her 12 week treatment. She is playful, chubby and can see!! There is still a small chance the FIP will come back but we are happy she is thriving and optimistic that she is cured. We are so grateful for the care she received and for Stokes Pharmacy!! Go Poppy!!
From Melissa in Michigan
Little Lucky Loki was down to 4.5 lbs, lethargic and couldn’t go to the bathroom. After a few days he started to drink and eat. After a while he started to play again and gained 4.3 more lbs when he went in for a check up. He’s thriving again, acting like a playful kitten.
From Morgan in Florida
Smokey was diagnosed with Dry FIP in at 10 months old. He was unable to keep down food and had severe diarrhea and dehydration. Our vet had given him prednisone which helped a bit with his GI distress, but it didn’t cure him. We were advised to contact a Facebook group for assistance. We received assistance and support from FIP Global Cats on Facebook. As soon as Stokes GS became available, my vet got our prescriptions of the pills. He was on GS for the full 84 days, and turned right around. The hardest part was the first couple of weeks feeding him Gerber chicken baby food and hydrating him with a syringe. GS was probably the first drug I’ve ever seen that actually did what was advertised and cured my Smokey completely. He’s nine months out of Observation now. He weighs about 14 lbs, and is playful and active again. While I hope he never gets FIP again, at least I know that there’s hope and FIP is not a death sentence anymore.
From Aili in Wyomning
I came back from a month long work trip guiding Denali in July of 2024 to find Cade Kitty – named for the oil drilling rig Cade 24 I rescued her from – so skinny I could see her spine. A healthy 5 year old indoor-outdoor former feral, Cade was not eating. The vet initially diagnosed her with Multiple Myeloma, which is incurable bone cancer. She has been my constant companion since 2019, traveling over 100,000 miles with me to drilling rigs and mountain guiding jobs in our RV. I wasn’t giving up on her until she received the best possible care.
The incredible oncology team at the Colorado State University veterinary teaching hospital determined after several more involved tests it was FIP. At this point Cade was down to 6lbs from her usual 10lbs. Normally a feisty, loving force of nature, all Cade could do is lie on the cool ground and pant. She had stopped eating everything but chèvre cheese and was near death.
I overnighted GS-441526 from Stokes Pharmacy and within three days she was eating her wet food again. She loved being given a crushed pill in goat cheese every day for 84 days, and a year after her successful treatment she still gets a little goat cheese at night. She is back to her sleek, majestic hunter self, and is more loving than ever. After treatment we traveled to Yosemite, Joshua Tree and Estes Park, Colorado and she continues to be my best travel companion. Thanks to Stokes Pharmacy for providing the medication to save Cade.
From Lynne in Texas
In early December of 2024, we lost our 16-year-old cat, Sammie, to cancer. We had nursed him for two years, and he was the sixth in a long line of family cats (all rescues).
To help us fill the void, we started visiting the cats & kittens up for adoption at the PetSmart at Balcones here in Austin. It didn’t take long, but we quickly fell for two 5 month old kittens named Bugsy and Spot. We were told that the rescue group that had them, New Hope, had taken them from Kingdom Rescue when they were only a few days from being euthanized.
It has been a very long road since then: worms, fleas, ringworm, diarrhea, etc. The boys were each born with kinked tails and microphthalmia and would need enucleation surgery. Once over the ringworm we had them readied for the eye surgery, which occurred on . Spot recovered fine, but Bugsy, the much smaller one of the two, developed an infection. We tried four different antibiotics, and none worked. He had a high fever and his only remaining eye turned red and completely cloudy. Thanks to a few excellent vets, he was diagnosed with the ocular form of FIP (feline infectious peritonitis).
We started him on Bova GS-441524 immediately, from Stokes Pharmacy, and he responded quickly to the treatment. He even loved the taste of it! 84 days later and multiple visits to a veterinary ophthalmologist, his eyesight and his life were saved! Through it all, his brother Spot remained his steadfast companion.
, Bugsy is doing great, a month into his 3-month post-FIP observation period. He has some scarring on his cornea from the ordeal, but he can see just fine. Both Bugsy and Spot are the loves of our lives, such sweet, playful, and loving boys, part in thanks to you all for giving Bugsy another chance.
From Melissa in Kansas
When we adopted Chandler we got her free with another cat we adopted. She had a hazy eye and they said she suffered from an eye infection and was now blind. A couple weeks after bringing her home she stopped eating and drinking and was breathing very fast. She spent a week at the rescue vet without success trying to get her to eat or get labs from her. We brought her home and was at the pet store trying to buy all kinds of foods to entice her when I found out she had 2 litter mates die with FIP. Upon doing a ton of research we made it to the emergency vet who was able to sedate her to get blood and help us come up with our diagnosis. She had a pleural effusion so was diagnosed with ocular and wet FIP. We were able to get some emergency meds and start treating her that night. Within 2 days she was eating a little again and after 3 days of injections we transitioned her to oral GS. This girl took her meds like a champ and her eye even cleared up except for a small area of scarring. She is a normal cat now who was declared cured and will celebrate her first birthday on . Thank you to all the vets and stokes for saving our sweet kitty.
Is your cat an FIP survivor? We would love to celebrate their successful treatment and their courageous fight against the disease.
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