#FIP warriors

[foggy-milk]

Maples cousin Mikey (black cat in picture) has FIP which is essentially feline coronavirus (please do your own research I’m just being brief here) there are three types that I know of wet, dry, and neural.

Wet is more deadly. But Mikey has dry/ neural

Most vets will tell you that it is not treatable and that it’s a death sentence but that doesn’t have to be the case.

If you google FIP Warriors it will show you a webpage and a face book group that will help you treat your kitten/cat. It is expensive since you will be paying for months worth of treatment.

Mikey is currently being treated. From what I know he is doing better.

[chisotahn]

I will never, ever shut up about this.

After our much-beloved elderly cat passed away in summer 2020, we adopted a bonded pair of kittens. One of them, Thistle, ended up having FIP. He would have died without this treatment that FIP Warriors helped us get.

The vet told us about it in a very roundabout way because, for liability reasons, they couldn't do more than that. Shortly after we got in contact with FIP Warriors, their Facebook page got nuked for maybe the zillionth time because the pharma company keeps doing that. God forbid someone save lives, I guess.

Within a few days of receiving his treatment (an injection every day for 84 days), Thistle started perking up. He started playing again, and wrestling with his brother. He became a rambunctious little thing who loves careening around the apartment, carrying around his favorite stuffed strawberry toy, and yelling very loudly in the bathtub for no apparent reason. He's now a completely healthy adult cat.

FIP is 100% fatal without this treatment. It was a death sentence for decades. The people at the rescue we'd adopted from spoke sadly of the hundreds of kittens they'd lost to the disease, and how miraculous this cure felt.

It is completely unconscionable that this treatment is kept away from us for the sake of profit. We were very fortunate that we were able to afford the cost of importing this treatment. Many are not, and because it's not approved in the US, no pet insurance will cover it.

I will be forever grateful to the network of FIP Warriors that helped us save Thistle's life. And forever angry that such an elaborate workaround was necessary.

Do y'all ever think about how wild it is that for years there's been this heartbreaking incurable disease that kills thousands of cats. And Gilead Pharmaceuticals found a drug that treats it but won't actually sell it to veterinarians because of patent bullshit? Because I do.

Anyways. I'd never advocate for acquiring drugs illegally to save your cat's life. Which is why if your cat has FIP you should check out the organization I've put in my tags. So that you remember to avoid getting GS-441524.

Capitalism is evil in general. But capitalism in medicine is cartoonishly monstrous.

[laserpaper118]

My cat is 6y5m old, he was diagnosed with ocular type dry FIP

He had subcutaneous injections of GS-441524 for 13 days, he was eating and drinking and moving around and sleeping in my bed but developed really bad injection sores so a switch was made to oral formulation

After 1 single capsule 2 days ago, he became lethargic and kept vomiting, so I had him admitted to the vet clinic. Yesterday he had IV fluids, anti-emetic meds, and a second capsule mixed with soft food. I last saw him 7 hours ago, he was very weak but I know he sensed me there. He also kept vomiting today.

Tonight he developed respiratory distress. He passed 16 minutes ago. My vet and her vet paramedics videotaped the whole critical condition and their interventions, which I am grateful for.

On the one hand I wish he was home with me, right now at almost 9pm, so I can have him go through his last moments in my arms. He must have been so scared and in pain and discomfort.

On the other hand, had I just decided to let him stay home and cuddled him without letting him receive supportive treatment, however futile, I may never forgive myself, and constantly torture myself with what-ifs.

I can't talk about this anywhere else bcos I don't think I have catlover friends who love their cats as much as I do, so. Yeah. Bear with me, guys.

My world just split clean in two

[mamaspark]

This is from a friend on FB.

BEST. NEWS. EVER !

“Happy Friday everyone! FIP Global CATS has been supporting treatment for FIP cats for years, but our dream and goal has always been legal treatment available through veterinarians. Today I have an exciting announcement that legal treatment with GS-441524 will be available in the US starting June 1!

Stokes pharmacy in the US has partnered with BOVA to bring legally compounded GS tablets to the US. The tablets will be compounded in the US in a formulation identical to the BOVA formulation currently in use in the UK and Australia. Availability begins starting June 1!

Pricing is not yet available, but I'll share more information as I have it!”

My cat, Cole, had FIP. The only way he survived it was by me obtaining treatment through the secondary market. The network is extensive and the medicine expensive. I’m super excited for it to be legal and available here in the US!

Please reblog and share share SHARE!

This is my healthy best friend! He turned 7 this year. Without treatment I would have lost him after only 3 years. 🖤🐈‍⬛🖤

[chihooahooas]

I don't make a lot of Akari updates because I can't get pictures of her. Ever since I treated her with daily injections for 12 weeks she's very wary of me. Recently though, Akari has approached me and even let me pet her!

Akari survived FIP. She was diagnosed at 5 months old, and she almost died. These days she is as big as her sister and is doing AMAZING.

FIP treatment has been legalized in the US. Cats like Akari can live now with an easily accessible oral medication, instead of 84 days of painful injections.

A few people here on Tumblr did donate and share her post. I'm a few years late but a special thank you to @furshrimps and @doomspaniels for always signal booster Akari's fundraising posts. She is here, and she is healthy thanks to a loving community that came together for her.

[salemdiaries]

Here is a little update photo comparison! Top photo is back in December (9.2lbs) and bottom photo is today (10.8lbs). It’s amazing to see all the progress he has made! I’m so proud of him, and myself if I’m being honest. This has been absolute hell, but I have remained strong so I could fight for Salem to have an amazing life. We are so close to being done. Originally his treatment got extended for 2 weeks and I went in today for his follow up blood work. His treatment was extended because his globulin levels were still a bit too high (5.6). When cats enter observation they should have globulin levels below 5, or at least that’s what I’ve come to understand. With that 2 week extension, his dosage went up as well. I’m feeling really good about it today. I feel almost certain that we will be cleared for observation tomorrow.

[gdenofa-blog]

Please help Lil’ Red. The eight-month-old foster kitten has begun the long road to overcome FIP. The treatment is extensive so every bit no matter how small will help her path be a little smoother. Donations can be sent to Whiskers of Love Cat Rescue & Sanctuary by Venmo: @whiskersoflove and PayPal: whiskersofloverescue@gmail.com

Lil’ Red treads on, she just needs a helping paw.❤️

[hairy-jeff]

My boys

[therisingdarkness]

Sanji's GoFundMe

So, my baby isn't doing too well.

We had a a nasty hospital stay and a ton of nasty tests done and it looks like he has FIP (feline infectious peritonitus), also called kitty coronavirus. It's not good, but it's not the absolute death sentence it used to be. There is a cure, but I can't get it through the vet and have to go through FIP Warriors. But that's fine if it means he lives.

In the meantime, all those tests ran up a $3,800 bill that honestly, I wish I could say I was fine paying off. But I could use some help. I still have to pay for the treatment, which will probably run me around $1,200 (maybe a few hundred more, depending). I can handle the FIP treatment myself, but the $3,800 is a bit much to handle on my own, and everything happened so quickly.

This is his GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/6a783dd0

I would appreciate this post being shared, if possible. Donations are amazing, but I know how things are. Still, every little bit helps. If anyone who sees this can share it, I would appreciate it immensely.

Thank you for reading.

[catsofcalifornia]

Pesto Fries from Itsie Bitsie Rescue in Orangevale, California

Click here for more information about adoption and other ways to help!

Click here for a link to Itsie Bitsie Rescue's main website.

You won’t find a boy more special than Pesto the Besto! He is ready to fulfill your desire to become a cat bed by fulfilling his desire to become a blanket. This sweet boy loves to hear you sing his name- in any tune and with any lyrics. He can be shy and nervous about change and strangers, but once you have his affection, his love is unconditional and endless. Pesto is a huge cuddle bug who will reach his paws up to hug you whenever you pick him up. He will race you to the bed to curl up on your chest and tuck his head under your chin, purring loudly enough to be heard from the next room. Pesto Fries is a legendary FIP warrior, overcoming two rounds of treatment and a lengthy post-treatment observation phase. This dreadful disease caused some neurological symptoms that resulted in some loss of control of his bathroom functions. He is crate trained and litter box trained, but sometimes has leakage. He is good about wearing his diaper (which never fails to look absolutely ADORABLE) and with a good routine, his special needs don’t take much extra time. FIP couldn’t damage Pesto’s big heart. He is pure love. He is magic. He is glorious. He’d love to be your player two while you game or your lap warmer while you work. He is determined to ensure you’re never lonely and is prepared to accompany you to every potty break you take. His sweet chirps and purrs will repay you for taking care of his special needs.

[pickerelstripe]

[CM] Mammals - Prey

Third and final mammal post (for now), most of the animals here are taken by ClayClan as prey. They’re the size of or smaller than cats and generally safe to hunt, though there are exceptions. Below are translations for red-backed voles, bog lemmings, eastern chipmunks, and short-tailed shrews, plus several animals with the same name as base Clanmew.

Bats (general) - Fip* There’s several bat species in ClayClan, buuuut I’m yet to look into them, so for now I’m just listing the general term. Bats aren’t hunted (they’re too fast and have too little meat) but are instead enjoyed as nimble predators in their own right. Someday I’ll make a bat expansion with more words! 

Snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) - Yywaya* Cat-sized or slightly larger. The largest mammal that’s regularly hunted; hares make for a challenging but rewarding meal. They change color depending on the season, bearing a mottled brown coat in summer and a pure white one in winter. The god Chikik is believed to resemble a snowshoe hare!

Long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata) - Morfaf* Long snake-like body, very similar to an ermine. Both a hunter and the hunted - weasels compete with cats for small mammalian prey like mice and chipmunks, but are also killed to be eaten by the Clan.

Gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) - Chakchak* About a third of the size of a cat. These animals are found all over the forest, especially during fall, when they bury nuts for later retrieval. Hunted year-round as a hearty meal. Typically gray-and-white but sometimes all black!

Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) - Twipip A small, relatively non-challenging prey animal. Easy to find foraging on the ground in open woodland.

White-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) - Nai* White-footed mice are hunted often, but warriors must be careful to inspect the prey before transporting it for one important reason - white-footed mice are a favored host of larval deer ticks! Nobody wants to be the one responsible for bringing those back to camp... 

Red-backed vole (Myodes rutilus) - Kakak Common and easy to hunt, but not preferred due to their lack of meat. More valuable in winter when other prey becomes scarce.

Bog lemming (Synaptomys cooperi) - Wee Rare! Sometimes hunted when found, but generally considered not worth it due to their small size.

Star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata) - Bosgo* Found in shallow tunnels under wet soil. Hunted on occasion. Considered strange for their branching nose tentacles.

Short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda) - Mwsswo (mwssaf*, owo*) Hunted semi-frequently, but warriors must be careful to avoid getting bit, as short-tailed shrew saliva contains a toxin that causes unusually painful bites!

[careforcritters]

Vet Med in Warrior Cats: Reproduction and Theriogenology

Disclaimer

Additional disclaimer for this one: I fully understand why a lot of these issues were not addressed in the series since it is written for children, but I still think the topic is interesting and that some concepts, especially those involving kitting, could have been more accurate.

Cats are seasonally polyestrous long day breeders, meaning that the females only cycle reproductively in the spring and experience multiple heat cycles every breeding cycle. Estrous cycles occur when the females are exposed to over 14 hours of light every day, so depending on the climate that they are in, cats are only able to become pregnant in the spring and fall. A queen’s gestation period (the time that they spend pregnant) is 2 months, so queens can have their kits from about late spring to early fall. The location of warriors is never confirmed, but it is presumed to be in England or the UK since that is where the authors are based, and since it snows every winter. With a colder, darker climate, this breeding season is even shorter. Queens in warriors are shown to have their kits at any time of year, even in the dead of winter. It is possible for some females, especially short haired breeds, to be able to cycle year-round, but not common. Narratively it makes sense to spread the litters out, but realistically the clans would have most of their kittens in the summer and fall. 

Cats are also induced ovulators, which means that ovulation is triggered by and occurs about 24-48 hours after mating. Females need to be in estrus to allow mating, but the induced ovulation makes it very likely that pregnancy will result from mating. Females may also mate with multiple males over the span of a few days, meaning that one litter can have multiple fathers. This is not something we would see in warriors since there is an unspoken societal standard of monogamy. 

Pregnant cats require almost double their normal nutrient intake in the second half of gestation, and even more while nursing. Taurine deficiency can cause pregnancy loss, as well as malnutrition in general. It would not be uncommon for a queen to lose her pregnancy if prey is scarce in her clan. There are several infectious causes of pregnancy loss, including feline herpes, FIV, FIP, feline panleukemia, toxoplasma gondii, and other bacterial infections of the reproductive tract. Many of these diseases, especially feline herpesvirus, are extremely common in feral cat populations. Early, undetected embryonic loss from these diseases could be a reason for why female cats in warriors are not pregnant as often as real life feral cats, but that is unlikely. Cats in warriors seem to be able to plan when they become pregnant (except when it's a secret forbidden romance of course), and I have no explanation for why that could be. Unless the medicine cats discovered an herb that can act as contraception (progestagens, dexamethasone (a gluccocorticoid) and dopamine agonists can all be used in companion animals as temporary contraception, but they all have moderate systemic side effects). 

At the start of parturition (birthing), queens become restless, pace, and nest. Once uterine contractions begin, the “water breaks” and a kitten should be delivered every 3 to 5 minutes. This entire process can take anywhere from 4 to 42 hours, with the average being about 16 hours. It’s unclear how much time the birthing process takes in warrior cats, but it usually seems to be much faster than this. In Bluestar’s Prophecy, when Leopardfoot has been kitting for “most of the afternoon” and then into the night, this is implied to be an abnormally long amount of time. 

Dystocia (complications with pregnancy) are pretty rare in cats. The most common cause is primary uterine inertia, which is when the queen is unable to begin uterine contractions. This would be treated with oxytocin in a veterinary clinic to induce contractions. Borage is stated to be used to help with milk let down and may work to stimulate oxytocin since oxytocin is also used to stimulate milk letdown. The other common causes of dystocia are uterine torsion and oversized fetuses, both of which would require a C-section to correct. 

When Sorreltail is kitting in The Forgotten Warrior, she is described to be in pain and having trouble passing the kits. Jayfeather gives her chervil root to help, so it is implied to be either something to give Sorreltail strength or to help with uterine contractions. Several sources said that chervil can be useful for cough, eczema, and even abscesses, but there was no indication that it could be useful during childbirth. 

Leopardfoot is also described to have a long, painful kitting in Bluestar’s Prophecy. Featherwhisker gives her raspberry leaves. Raspberry leaves have been shown to benefit with strengthening uterine tone and facilitating contractions, so this herb would be more useful than chervil root. Two of Leopardfoot’s kits die young because she kitted two weeks too early. This is called “fading” and occurs because the kits were not able to thermoregulate or breathe properly. Premature kits are less likely to be developed properly, and may be lacking in reflexes such as suckling that would have helped them to acquire sufficient nutrients and immune-boosting milk (colostrum). 

In Crookedstar’s Promise, Brightsky delivered 3 stillborn kits followed by one surviving kit, and then died. Brightsky had been sick not long before her kitting and was described to still be weak from her illness. Brightsky likely was sick with a virus that causes late term abortion, like herpes, FIV, or panleukemia. While it is possible for a cat to abort some fetuses and still deliver other fetuses to term, it’s not common, especially this late into the pregnancy. I honestly was not able to find the most concrete information on this, but it is feasible for Leapordkit to have survived. As for Brightsky, she likely died because the three stillborn fetuses mummified inside of her, causing her to develop an infection. If this were true, she would have had dark or purulent vaginal discharge and had abdominal pain even before her kitting.

Silverstream also died from dystocia after delivering her kits in Forest of Secrets. She is described to have powerful spasms that slowly got weaker, which sounds like secondary uterine inertia (when the queen is too exhausted to continue contractions). Since she only had two small kits and fetal malpositioning is rare in cats, there might have been some sort of obstruction to the birth canal. In later books, Silverstream was described to have been “blood soaked”. Possible causes of hemorrhage during birthing could be uterine vessel tearing, uterine rupture, or uterine torsion. Uterine torsion would cause an obstruction to the birth canal and would require emergency surgery. The likelihood of Featherkit and Stormkit surviving would have been very low without the ability to intervene and there are no reported cases of a uterine torsion resolving without surgery. It is most likely that Silverstream experienced uterine rupture due to the stress of contractions.

There are several other common reproductive issues that do not appear in warriors. Mammary hyperplasia is the spontaneous overgrowth of mammary tissue in intact female (and sometimes male) cats. This condition usually spontaneously regresses, but it can be confused with mammary neoplasia. Mastitis is the bacterial infection of mammary glands after parturition. This condition is not only painful and dangerous for the queen, but can cause the kits to fail to thrive. This would be treated with antibiotics, warm compresses, and milk replacer for the kittens in a veterinary clinic. Cystic endometrial hyperplasia is a degenerative condition mediated by a hormone called progesterone. Too much progesterone causes the endometrial glands to proliferate and over-secrete hormones, making the uterus an ideal environment for bacteria and leading to pyometra (bacterial infection of the uterus). Depending on if the cervix is open or closed, the queen will either have purulent vaginal discharge or the pus will build up in the uterus. While a closed cervix is more dangerous, both will cause the cat to feel extremely sick, vomit, run a fever, and experience renal dysfunction. A pyometra can quickly develop into a systemic condition, so emergency ovariohysterectomy is required to save the cat's life.

Sources:

BSVA Manual of Canine and Feline Reproduction and Neonatology. Gary England and A. von Heimendahl, 2nd Ed, 2011

L. Ari Jutkowitz, Reproductive emergencies, Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, Volume 35, Issue 2, 2005

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2055116917726228

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/reproductive-system/reproductive-diseases-of-the-female-small-animal/dystocia-in-small-animals

https://www.rxlist.com/chervil/supplements.htm

https://healthyfocus.org/health-benefits-of-chervil/

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/top-9-health-benefits-of-raspberry-leaf-tea

[mamaspark]

My best friend turned 7 on Friday 🖤🐈‍⬛🖤

Happy birthday Cole!

By all accounts you should not even be here. Your diagnosis of FIP was SO terrifying for both of us but we got through it. Right after you were cured I was diagnosed with breast cancer. We helped each other fight through. I would be lost without you. So happy birthday and hoping for MANY more years together!

[chihooahooas]

If you've followed me for any length of time you'll know that FIP is a disease I have dealt with a lot.

Now another cat belonging to a family near and dear to me is sick with dry FIP. They were able to get the ball rolling but donations have stalled, and they still need 24 days of treatment to buy.

If you can help, please donate. Magnus and his family deserve the help.

[champawattigress]

Not enough has been written about FIP Warriors and GS-441524, and I really wish I had the energy to do so.