Meet Fenyx
Name: Fenyx
Breed: Russian Blue
Age at diagnosis: 7 months
Diagnosis: Effusive (Wet) FIP
A 3-year-old Russian Blue who loves cuddles, harness walks in the garden and his food just a little too much. Fenyx joined our family as a 12-week-old kitten from a reputable breeder, shy at first he quickly made himself at home. His energy levels were crazy with zoomies around the house, up and down the stairs and a passion for shredding curtains and toilet paper rolls. He liked to declutter, so soap dispensers were soon stored in cupboards and the ceramic toilet brush holders were replaced with plastic after one-to-many encounters with his paws. Fenyx decided that decorative vases and ornaments were not required and if anyone left a cup or glass or anything else deemed clutter on the kitchen bench he would swipe it onto the floor. He seemed to enjoy the sound of smashing glass.
Now that his home was clean and tidy he took a liking to our indoor plants and digging became his new favourite activity. The plants were soon moved outside. Overall, he was engaged in typical playful kitten activity. But we also enjoyed some quiet times, he would often curl up on my son’s lap as he played video games and after meals would enjoy stretching out for belly rubs.
Nothing could have prepared us for this. We had never heard of this disease, and a Google search indicated it was a death sentence. Luckily, the head vet was knowledgeable about FIP and had treated cats previously. He warned me about the costs and long-term commitment involved and said it would take a few days for test results to confirm the diagnosis, but we did have the option to begin treatment immediately. Lots of tears were shed that night when I came home from the vet hospital without Fenyx and explained the situation to my husband and son. As a family, we made the decision that we had to do everything we could to save Fenyx. He was part of our family now, no matter how many things he had destroyed; he was forgiven. We called the vet the next day to give him the go-ahead to save our boy.
Fenyx spent four days at the vet hospital, having fluid drained from his lungs and beginning treatment. When we visited him on day three, we noticed a significant change in his demeanor. He was more alert and active, jumping and climbing around, and his appetite was back. The vet advised that as we had acted quickly in seeking treatment, in the absence of a positive diagnosis, the medication was working, and he was confident Fenyx would beat this disease.
I was soon connected to the FIP Warriors Facebook Group, which gave me a lot of support and hope regarding treatments and a positive outcome. It was recommended that I get in touch with Richard Malik, a leading specialist in FIP with the University of Sydney. One of his colleagues reached out and invited Fenyx to join a research trial, where he was regularly monitored throughout his treatment and additional blood tests were taken as part of the trial. The next 84 days of treatment consisted of daily tablets with regular weigh-ins to determine his dose. Ordering the medication from BOVA was the easy part; the team was very helpful, and delivery was quick, so we always had a good supply at hand. Administering the tablets was not that easy. While the vet showed us how to use a pill popper by wrapping Fenyx up in a towel like a little burrito, at home Fenyx would bolt and hide at the sight of it. The stronger and bigger he got, there was no chance to get him in the burrito hold. It was too stressful for both of us. We soon discovered that Dine Creamy Treats were the key. Smothering the tablets in this delicious paste, especially the prawn flavor, was a temptation that Fenyx couldn’t resist. Over his treatment, we watched him like a hawk, checking if his meals were finished, if he was sleeping too much, if his breath was labored, and if he was being active and playful. When we reached day 84, we could all breathe and relax a little. It was a milestone to celebrate, but we knew we were not out of the woods just yet. There was still the chance of relapse. He continued to have regular check-ups with the vet, and gradually, there was more time between appointments. When the research trial wrapped up six months after his treatment, he was back to annual vet visits, and the vet declared him disease-free.
We are so proud of Fenyx. He was determined to fight and win this battle, and by being part of the research trial, he has helped other cats along the way. Since Fenyx’s diagnosis, new treatments have come onto the market, making it more affordable and providing alternative options should relapse occur. Our mission now is to spread the word to vets, breeders, and cat owners that FIP is not a death sentence and, if acted upon quickly, it is curable.
Over about a 2-week period at nearly 7 months of age we noticed his energy levels decline, our toilet rolls were intact, and he didn’t seem too bothered if a coffee mug was left on the kitchen bench. We thought great he is growing out of the naughty kitten stage. One Sunday he was lying in a box soaking up the winter sun on the kitchen floor when we noticed his breathing was becoming laboured and that morning his breakfast was left half eaten, which he had never done before. Food was a big motivator for Fenyx with venison and rabbit his favourite meals. Over the next few days whilst he seemed hungry and meowing around his usual mealtimes he would take a little nibble and then leave the rest. We tried new varieties, different brands but nothing would entice him to eat a full meal. He was sleeping more and just wanted to be held in my arms. It is then I made the first appointment at our local vet. He was checked over and blood tests were taken, and we were called back for a follow up appointment a few days later. The vet whilst he didn’t find anything too unusual said he felt Fenyx felt “bloated” and wasn’t convinced it was because he had a full bladder. His blood tests were not perfect but not that concerning but he felt something was not right. He sent us immediately to the Vet Hospital for further testing and it is there after an ultra-sound and a sample of fluid taken from his lungs, we were given the possible diagnosis of wet-FIP.
Nothing could have prepared us for this, we had never heard of this disease and a Google search indicated it was a death sentence. Luckily the head vet was knowledgeable about FIP and had treated cats previously. But he warned me about the costs and long term commitment involved, he also said it would take a few days for test results to confirm the diagnosis but we did have the option to begin treatment immediately. Lots of tears were shed that night when I came home from the vet hospital without Fenyx and explained the situation to my husband and son. As family we made the decision, we had to do everything we could to save Fenyx as he was part of our family now no matter how many things he had destroyed, he was forgiven. We called the vet the next day to give him the go ahead to save our boy. Fenyx spent 4 days at the vet hospital having fluid drained from his lungs and treatment in the form of Remdesivir via IV. When we visited him on day 3 and noticed a significant change in his demeanour, he was more alert and active, jumping and climbing around and his appetite was back. The vet advised as we had acted quickly in seeking treatment, in the absence of a positive diagnosis, the medication was working and he was confident Fenyx would beat this disease.
I was soon connected to the FIP Warriors Facebook Group which gave me a lot of support and hope regarding treatments and a positive outcome. It was recommended that I get in touch with Richard Malik a leading specialist in FIP with the University of Sydney. One of his colleagues reached out and invited Fenyx to join a research trial where he was regularly monitored throughout his treatment and additional blood tests were taken as part of the trial. The next 84 days of treatment consisted of daily GS-441524 tablets with regular weigh ins to determine his dose. Ordering the medication from BOVA was the easy part, the team were very helpful and delivery was quick so we always had a good supply at hand. Administering the tablets was not that easy, whilst the vet showed us how to use a Pill Popper by wrapping Fenyx up in a towel like a little burrito, at home Fenyx would bolt and hide at the sight of it and the stronger and bigger he got there was no chance to get him in the burrito hold, it was too stressful for both of us. We soon discovered that Dine Creamy Treats were the key. Smothering the tablets in this delicious paste, especially the prawn flavour, were a temptation that Fenyx couldn’t resist. Over his treatment we watched him like a hawk, checking if his meals were finished, was he sleeping too much, was his breath laboured was he being active and playful. When we reached day 84 we could all breathe and relax a little, it was a milestone to celebrate but we knew we were not out of the woods just yet, there was still the chance of relapse. He continued to have regular check-ups with the vet and gradually there was more time between appointments. When the research trial wrapped up 6 months after his treatment, he was back to annual vet visits and the vet declared him disease free.
We are so proud of Fenyx, he was determined to fight and win this battle and by being part of the research trial he has helped other cats along the way. Since Fenyx’s diagnosis new treatments have come onto the market making it more affordable and giving alterative options should relapse occur. Our mission now is to spread the word to vets, breeders and cat owners that FIP is not a death sentence and if acted upon quickly it is curable.