(CNN)In some areas of the United States, the rain in May must have felt like it was coming down in biblical proportions. Perhaps it wasn't quite that much, but it did fall in dramatic totals in 20 states and for the country as a whole, U.S. officials said this week.
What Is Feline Infectious Peritonitis. Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a viral disease that occurs worldwide in wild and domestic cats. It is caused by a type of virus called a coronavirus, which tends to attack the cells of the intestinal wall.In 1970, the coronavirus that causes FIP was isolated and characterized.ats with fluid in the chest exhibit labored breathing. Cats with fluid in the abdomen show progressive, nonpainful abdominal distension. In the dry form of FIP, small accumulations of inflammatory cells, or granulomas, form in various organs, and clinical signs depend on which organ is affected.
The wet, or effusive, type of FIP in cats can share the same symptoms as the dry form, such as fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, and lethargy, but is primarily identified by the collection of fluid in the abdomen and occasionally the chest.eline FIP is a heartbreaking illness that primarily afflicts kittens, and is almost always fatal. It occurs due to a mutation of one particular strand of the feline coronavirus (FCoV), of which there are many strands that many cats are exposed to throughout their lifetimes and especially as young kittens.