My kitten died of FIP. Is its littermate at risk of FIP too?

Question

Hello. I had a 15 week old kitten die of FIP last week. We still have our second kitten who is the littermate / twin of the diceased. What are the chances that the surviving kitten has FIP. They shared litter boxs, water and food bowls, and of-course genetics etc. Everything. Concerned about the future of the living kitten. Opinions please. Honesty please. I can still return surviving kitten to the breeder if risk is too high. Pet's info: Cat | Bengal | Female | unspayed | 3.5 lbs

Daniela Jessen, DVM · Accepted Answer

Just a little bit about FIP one of the most misunderstood and frustrating disease. It all start with a virus in cats called Feline Coronavirus. This virus usually doesn’t cause illness or if it does just a little diarrhea or intestinal inflammation. It is very common and most cats (up to 80% of cats have been exposed to it). Sometimes for reasons that we do not know this virus mutates or changes into FIP. The mutation that causes FIP is more likely to occur in immune compromised cats (kitten for example) . the FIP virus is not being passed once it mutates and is not contagious. So to sum up FIP is not contagious but it is a mutation of a contagious disease. The thing we can do is stop the contagious Coronaviruses, from which the FIP virus mutated, they are not very sturdy viruses and can be removed from the household environment by common household cleaners like bleach. There is no need to dispose of bowls, blankets and litter boxes since the dishwasher, clothes washer will decontaminate. I am sorry to hear about your little kitty FIP is a horrible disease but I wouldn't give up on the other one as I explained the FIP will not spread from one cat to another.

My kitten died of FIP. Is its littermate at risk of FIP too?

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