Piper, our FIP warrior kitty, found her forever home in time for the holidays!
Piper was rescued earlier this year at 7 weeks old. It was a very typical rescue story. Her mama was an outdoor cat and by the time the family was found, there were only two kittens left. They both entered a foster home and began preparing for adoption. Then in August, Piper was finally adopted and was off to start her new life at her forever home. Everything started out perfect until her tummy started to grow and she became very ill. Her adopters were extremely concerned and reached out for help. Once Jess, our Adoption Manager, laid eyes on her, she knew something was wrong.
Piper’s abdomen was filled with fluid and she was losing weight rapidly. Her adopters decided to surrender Piper back, as that was the best option to get Piper the care she desperately needed.
Our medical team examined her and diagnosed Piper with Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), a viral disease of cats caused by certain strains of the feline coronavirus. There is no test or prevention for this disease. Once a cat develops symptoms of FIP, the disease is usually progressive and results in death in nearly every case.
Until recently, FIP was considered to be a non-treatable disease. However, there is a newly developed treatment that is having success. We have seen it with our own eyes. Inky, another cat in our foster care, went through the treatment and is thriving today. The treatment is very expensive and difficult to find. Luckily, with the generous support of our donors and supports and a $3,000 grant thanks to Kitten Lady and Orphan Kitten Club, our vet team was able to get their hands on the treatment for Piper. Without that treatment, Piper might not have survived.
Piper went through 80 days of injection treatment and was a champ the whole time (as long as she had some churu tubes). Within 40 days of treatment, the fluid in her abdomen dissolved and she was starting to get back to her playful, spunky self. Her amazing foster mom and our dedicated vet team continued to monitor her, checking her weight and blood work, throughout the 80 days.
At the end of her 80 treatment period, Piper was doing fantastic and healthy and she still is! Today, Piper is about halfway through her 80-day observation period just to make sure everything continues to go great. Her journey has been a true miracle!
Piper found her forever home in time for the holidays. Her new adoptive family had recently lost their cat to kidney disease and the younger daughter was longing for another cat. The mom, dad, and older sister adopted Piper as a Christmas surprise for the younger sister. Piper has a zest for life and this family totally gets her. She’ll be spoiled rotten and receive LOTS of love and attention.
Happy life Piper! We wish you the best life at your new home!
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