Homeopathy Treats FIP, Feline Infectious Peritonitis

Someone recently asked me about FIP, or feline infectious peritonitis. This is a serious disease, on the rise.

FIP can occur at any time, but it is seems to be more common in a young cat especially the very slim, more Oriental breeds.

By the way, FIP is not infectious or peritonitis. The feline bit is right! So you don’t need to fear other cats will be affected.

Since this is more common in young cats, let’s look at what we put cats through in their early life. First of all they are taken from their mother and litter mates at far too young an age. Often this is at six weeks. Yet kittens will stay with their mothers in the wild for 6 - 12 months. There is a very good reason for this as the mother teaches the kittens, as well as nurtures.

Because we can’t see emotional trauma, and because most of humanity has a misguided conception that animals don’t feel, we can’t even begin to understand what this does to a kitten, and particularly to a sensitive kitten. You only have to see what happens to a young child when taken from his mother for the first time, to begin to get an idea of what all kittens go through.

Then the kitten is either taken to a new home, a rescue centre or a pet shop. This experience will be daunting to even a well adjusted kitten. New food, new people, new animals, new routine, new energy.

With great care and love, the kitten may be able to pull through this double experience of separation and adaptation without too many mental scars. But a sensitive kitten may not be able to.

Add to this, a trip to the vet to get vaccinations and you may just be tipping the balance against the odds.

Whatever your thoughts of injections and vaccines are, they do cause a shock to the body system. Particularly the common use of multiple vaccines. If you are already close to the edge, this can be enough to tip you over.

FIP is difficult to treat medically and normally results in death, soon after the diagnosis. Homeopathically, it can be treated successfully, but this will depend on the other treatment to date, and on the time lapse of starting the treatment after the symptoms develop.

This is not an easy condition to treat, and needs the services of an experienced homeopath as well as your full cooperation. So it is better to avoid, what I consider to be the cause. If you do adopt a young kitten, I suggest you put off the trip to the vet for a few weeks, until the kitten is thoroughly settled in. By providing a quality, natural diet, you will be building up the kitten’s immune system. In itself, this is by far the best way to avoid disease.

As Richard Pitcairn, an American homeopathic vet says, ‘if you want to undermine a cat’s health, give him old food laden with chemicals’, which is what the majority of commercial pet food is.

Other areas to consider in making your cat super-healthy and resistant to disease is to ensure they are able to be themselves:

• Cats love freedom, so try to allow them at least some time outside. And ensure they have an escape, especially from small children.
• Cats love the sun. Direct sun is best, rather than through glass, plastic or shade cloth.
• Cats are sensitive animals, so keep your house or their environment clear of chemicals. Catteries and rescue centres normally disinfect cat pens, which is highly toxic. Disinfection with steam is a safer alternative.
• Cats generally are fearful animals. Provide a calm atmosphere, free of emotions running high, free from sudden or loud noises.

Above all, learn to listen to what your cat is saying to you.. You can only do this when you are calm and quiet yourself. The messages can come through as body language or thoughts. Be open.