Two-month-old kitten with feline infectious peritonitis symptoms

The symptoms of feline infectious peritonitis are particularly obvious. When the disease strikes, it can cause cats to lose their appetite, vomit, and even develop jaundice. Cats will also become extremely thin. Even the eyes will show some blood vessels, accompanied by yellowish discoloration. As the disease progresses, the cat's abdomen begins to swell, and symptoms such as persistent fever and anorexia appear. The cure rate for feline infectious peritonitis is relatively low, so the earlier the owner discovers the disease, the greater the chance of recovery.

Symptoms of infectious peritonitis

There are no precursors to feline infectious peritonitis before infection. The disease usually occurs suddenly, with the pathogenesis being that cats carry pathogenic coronaviruses with low pathogenicity, which mutate into highly pathogenic strains causing infection. The initial symptoms may be peritonitis accompanied by a large amount of abdominal fluid, and the condition can eventually lead to death.

Diagnostic methods for infectious peritonitis

You can detect whether a cat has feline infectious peritonitis by the following methods:

• Complete blood count: Neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes increase in cats with the disease.
• Serum PCR or rapid test paper detection: If the result is positive, the cat is likely to have infectious peritonitis.
• Blood biochemistry test: The globulin level in cats with the disease increases.

Points to note when feeding young cats

When a kitten starts weaning and eating cat food, in addition to cat food, it is recommended to feed the kitten a small amount of meaty foods every week, such as boiled chicken breast, etc. Feeding should be done on a regular schedule,定量, and at a fixed location.

• Avoid feeding kittens milk, as their stomachs lack the enzymes needed to digest and absorb milk. Drinking milk can lead to indigestion and diarrhea. Moreover, the components of milk and cat milk are different.
• Kittens aged two months can begin to receive vaccinations and deworming. Deworming should be done before vaccination.