Feline Disease FIP: A Complete Guide for Filipino Cat Parents

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is a viral disease that used to be considered fatal, but today it is highly treatable with antiviral medicine like GS-441524. In a UC Davis clinical trial, GS-441524 reached a 92% success rate, and since 2019 more than 100,000 cats have been treated worldwide. If your cat has just been diagnosed, please know this: you are not the first Pawrent to face FIP, and your cat's odds are better than they have ever been.

This guide will walk you through what FIP is, how to spot the symptoms, the four forms of the disease, and the treatment path many Filipino families now trust. Take a breath. There is a clear path forward, and it starts with the right diagnosis and your veterinarian.

A cat resting comfortably at home.

What is feline disease FIP?

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is a serious disease caused by a mutated form of the feline coronavirus. Most cats carry a harmless intestinal coronavirus at some point, but in a small number of cats that virus mutates and triggers FIP.

FIP is not the same as the common tummy coronavirus that many cats shed and recover from. FIP develops when the virus changes and begins to attack the body's own immune cells.

FIP most often affects young cats under two years old, but it can appear at any age. Kittens from crowded shelters, catteries, and multi-cat homes are at higher risk because the intestinal coronavirus spreads easily in those settings.

What are the symptoms of FIP in cats?

The most common early FIP symptoms are a fever that does not respond to antibiotics, loss of appetite, weight loss, and low energy. As the disease progresses, signs depend on which form of FIP your cat has.

Watch for these warning signs in your cat:

• A persistent fever that antibiotics do not bring down

• Not eating, or eating much less than usual

• Weight loss and a dull, unkempt coat

• A swollen, fluid-filled belly (a classic sign of wet FIP)

• Difficulty breathing if fluid builds up in the chest

• Yellowing of the gums or eyes (jaundice)

• Cloudy eyes or color changes in the eye

• Wobbly walking, seizures, or behavior changes

Many of these signs overlap with other illnesses, so FIP can be hard to pin down. If your cat shows a fever that will not resolve along with any of these signs, ask your veterinarian about FIP testing right away.

What are the four forms of FIP?

FIP has four forms: wet (effusive), dry (non-effusive), ocular, and neurological. Ocular and neurological are two separate forms, not a single category, and each one changes how treatment is planned.

Understanding the form helps you and your veterinarian choose the right medicine and dose. Here is a simple comparison.

FIP form	Main signs	What to notice
Wet (effusive)	Fluid in the belly or chest, swollen abdomen, labored breathing	Often the fastest to progress; belly may look bloated
Dry (non-effusive)	Weight loss, fever, organ involvement, little or no fluid	Slower and harder to diagnose
Ocular	Cloudy eyes, color change, inflammation inside the eye	Eye changes may be the first clue
Neurological	Wobbliness, seizures, tremors, behavior changes	Affects the brain and spinal cord

Wet FIP is often the most visible because of the fluid buildup. Dry, ocular, and neurological FIP can be quieter and are sometimes caught later, which is why a fever that will not go away should always be taken seriously.

How is FIP diagnosed?

FIP is diagnosed by combining your cat's symptoms with blood tests, fluid analysis, and your veterinarian's clinical judgment. There is no single perfect test, so vets look at the whole picture.

Common steps include blood work that shows changes like high globulin, low albumin, anemia, and high bilirubin. If there is fluid in the belly or chest, your veterinarian may sample it, because the fluid in FIP often has a distinctive straw-yellow, sticky quality.

During treatment, follow-up blood tests help track your cat's progress. Our guide on what your cat's FIP blood test results really mean during treatment explains the numbers to watch as your cat recovers.

Can FIP be treated in the Philippines?

Yes. FIP is now highly treatable in the Philippines with antiviral medicine, and many Filipino families have brought their cats into remission. GS-441524 is the hero antiviral behind this change, with a 92% success rate reported in a UC Davis clinical trial.

Treatment is a journey, usually run over an 84-day (12-week) protocol, and we walk you through each stage alongside your veterinarian. Recovery is real and repeatable, and you can read about the path from diagnosis to remission that many Filipino Pawrents now follow.

The key is starting the right treatment early and giving the full course without cutting it short.

What antiviral treatments does BasmiFIP offer for FIP?

BasmiFIP offers three main antiviral options for FIP: a GS-441524 injectable, EIDD-1931 oral capsules, and a Dual Antiviral oral capsule that combines both ingredients. The right choice depends on the form of FIP and how stable your cat is.

Here is how the options compare using catalog figures.

Product	Key ingredient(s)	Best suited for
Basmi FIP Antiviral (injectable)	GS-441524, 40 mg/ml, 99.4% purity, 8 ml vial	All forms, including ocular and neurological FIP
EIDD-1931 oral capsules	EIDD-1931, 15 mg per capsule	Wet and dry FIP only (not ocular or neurological)
Dual Antiviral oral capsules	GS-441524 + EIDD-1931	Stable cats, usually after about 30 days of injections

The GS-441524 injectable is the primary FIP antiviral and is dosed by form: 6 mg/kg for wet, 8 mg/kg for dry, 10 mg/kg for ocular, and 10 mg/kg for neurological FIP. It is given as a daily injection, 7 days a week, across the full 84-day protocol.

EIDD-1931 oral capsules are indicated for wet and dry FIP only. They are not recommended for ocular or neurological FIP, or for a cat that is not eating and passing stool normally.

Important safety note: EIDD-1931 is potentially teratogenic, so it must never be given to pregnant, nursing, or breeding cats. Always confirm your cat's dosing and product choice with your veterinarian.

Injectable or oral: which FIP treatment route is right?

The right route depends on the form of FIP and your cat's condition. Cats with ocular or neurological signs, or cats that are not eating and pooping normally, should start with GS-441524 injections. Cats with wet or dry FIP and no ocular or neurological signs may start with EIDD-1931 oral capsules.

A common regimen looks like this:

1. For wet or dry FIP without ocular or neurological signs, treatment may start with EIDD-1931 for 30 days.

2. If symptoms persist, the course can be extended.

3. If symptoms continue past 60 days, treatment may switch to GS-441524 at 10 mg/kg.

4. For ocular or neurological FIP, or cats not eating and pooping normally, treatment starts with GS-441524 injections for 30 days.

5. Once the cat is stable, treatment may move to the GS-441524 Dual Antiviral capsule.

The Dual Antiviral capsule is a convenient step for stable cats, but it is not used during ocular or neurological symptoms, during vomiting or diarrhea, or for cats under 1 year with wet FIP. In a field study by Li and Cheah (2025), dual-antiviral therapy achieved a 78.3% remission rate, including some previously relapsed cases. You can read more in this overview of dual antiviral therapy for FIP.

Why does finishing the full 84 days matter?

Finishing the full 84-day protocol matters because stopping early is one of the main reasons a cat relapses. The virus can linger even after your cat looks and feels much better, so the medicine needs time to fully clear it.

Many Pawrents see their cat eating, playing, and gaining weight within the first few weeks. That is wonderful progress, but it is not the finish line.

A consistent daily dose across the whole course gives your cat the best chance at lasting remission. Filipino families often sacrifice a lot to afford this journey, which is exactly why they deserve a formula built to last the full 84 days.

Which medicines and products should be avoided during FIP treatment?

During FIP treatment, avoid fluoroquinolone antibiotics, spot-on flea medications, lysine, and immune boosters. These can interfere with treatment or complicate your cat's recovery.

Always tell your veterinarian about every product, supplement, and medication your cat is taking. This lets your vet spot possible interactions before they become a problem.

If your cat needs an antibiotic for a secondary infection, your veterinarian can choose one that fits safely alongside the antiviral protocol.

Do supportive supplements help during FIP treatment?

Supportive nutraceuticals can help protect organs during treatment, but they do not treat FIP and are never a substitute for antiviral medicine. They are adjunct support only, used alongside veterinary-guided antiviral therapy.

BasmiFIP's RX Sciences line includes two options often used for organ support:

• LiverRx (cats and small dogs): SAMe 90 mg, Silybin A+B (milk thistle) 9 mg, Vitamin E 13 mg, and Vitamin C 10 mg, in a 30-tablet pack, to support liver health.

• KidneyRx (cats and dogs): a blend including L-Carnitine 25 mg, Omega-3 50 mg, Cranberry extract 25 mg, and more, in a 60-tablet pack, to support kidney health.

Think of these as helpers for the body while the antiviral does the real work against the virus. Ask your veterinarian whether they fit your cat's plan.

FAQ

Is FIP contagious to other cats or to humans?

FIP itself is not considered contagious from cat to cat in the usual sense, and it does not infect humans. What can spread is the common intestinal feline coronavirus, which only rarely mutates into FIP in an individual cat.

How much does FIP treatment cost in the Philippines?

Cost depends on your cat's weight, the form of FIP, and the product and dose your veterinarian chooses, so there is no single fixed price. BasmiFIP is affordability-aware and offers free consultation, and you can learn about FIP treatment options, delivery, and consultation in the Philippines to plan realistically.

How soon will my cat improve after starting treatment?

Many Pawrents notice better appetite, energy, and mood within the first one to two weeks. Real improvement is encouraging, but you must still complete the full 84-day protocol to reduce the risk of relapse.

Can EIDD-1931 be used for ocular or neurological FIP?

No. EIDD-1931 oral capsules are indicated for wet and dry FIP only, and they should not be used for ocular or neurological FIP. For those forms, GS-441524 injections at 10 mg/kg are the recommended starting route.

What is the success rate of FIP treatment?

GS-441524 reached a 92% success rate in a UC Davis clinical trial, and a dual-antiviral field study by Li and Cheah (2025) reported 78.3% remission, including some previously relapsed cases. Since 2019, more than 100,000 cats have been treated, and the track record speaks for itself.

If your cat has just been diagnosed, please remember you are not walking this road alone, and there is a clear treatment path many families have completed before you. To understand your options and build a plan that fits your cat and your budget, talk with the BasmiFIP team in the Philippines and your own veterinarian. Every decision about your cat's care should be made together with your vet, one step at a time.