Question about Corona Virus please advise!

[natasha_p]

Hi everyone,

Hoping for some advice as I live abroad and am not convinced the vets here know much about this problem.

I have two healthy cats in my home (2.5 years, unrelated, they don't go outside as I live abroad in a city hostile to cats). About a week ago I took in a friendly stray kitten (7-8 months, seems healthy but skinny). I've kept the new cat in its own room, but have been exchanging smells between all the cats on fabric and allowed my cats into the room to sniff about when the new cat was at the vets.

I found yesterday the stray tested positive for Corona Virus though it doesn't appear sick. The vet here said it had to be put down and that my existing cats were probably already infected. He talked about wearing protective clothing to handle it and all sorts of precautions. I'm really confused as everything I read seems to say Corona Virus is very common and only rarely develops into FIP (at which point we'd see symptoms and he wouldn't be so contagious anyway?). Seems our existing cats might be infected but there's not much we can do anyway, it's just about probabilities/genetics.

What should I do? Is it safe to integrate the stray cat into our home? Should we re-home him? Do we need to get our cats tested now/in the future?

Thank you very much for any advice or information you can give.

Natasha

[Kay]

FIP is a mutation of the Corona virus, which is by no means inevitable

have a look at this site - Dr Addie is a leading expert on feline diseases

http://www.dr-addie.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Hunnybunny]

Corona Virus is endemic in cats effecting about 80% of the population at some point or other. The virus in itself is benign for most of the time and in very rare cases for reasons still unknown can mutate into FIP which is terminal but by no means a threat to your existing cats.

Think of Corona as MRSA or Strep, both really nasty blighters but carried of the skin of a huge percentage of people but with no ill effects at all.

You vet needs to educate him/herself and stop panicking you and by no means does this mean PTS.

The links that you have already been give are great and she is the leading knowledge regards Corona.

Can I ask why Corona was tested for? Is Kitty poorly or was it just a routine test. If so was it a snap test or more comprehensive than that?

[MarkB]

I know very little about this, but a high titre doesn't automatically mean FIP. I remember several years ago CP had a Siamese with a very high titre. Brigid who runs Siamese Rescue, offered to put the cat in solitary for several months. The cat recovered and was eventually rehomed by her. I understand the virus is shed in poo.