Help Iris Beat FIP

ETA: We said goodbye to Iris 11/9/2024. Thank you all for your support.

If you're here, you probably know me from somewhere, but if you don't, I'm Dina James. I'm a paranormal/sci-fi writer from Oregon and I have 6 rescue cats. One of those is the reason you're here.

Meet Iris.

She's had a difficult road from the beginning. She was born with only one "working" eye, and the other just an open socket (GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW).

Before she was adopted by us, she was cared for by a foster with our local animal welfare organization for almost a year.

Iris had two surgeries on her "good" eye before she was a year old, and had to wait until she was finished growing to have the empty socket repaired and sealed. During that surgery, they were able to restore a little more of her vision, and life went on.

Last week Iris began having difficulty breathing. We're no stranger to this, as she's been being treated for asthma for the last two years, and every spring and summer goes through a rough patch when the weather changes. Here we are on the Oregon Coast, in November, and the first of the autumn storms have arrived. We began her usual treatments which generally work within a few days, but nothing seemed to help. We got her into the vet yesterday (Monday, November 4) and they took x-rays and bloodwork.

The results showed the wet form of FIP (feline infectious peritonitis).

Just two years ago, this was a 100% fatal diagnosis. Palliative care/comfort measures were all you could do for your cat, and preemptive euthanasia was the usual recommendation to spare them the worst of the symptoms that led to the inevitable.

In 2021 researchers at UC Davis found a treatment, and that treatment has become a near 90% effective cure for FIP. It's hard to get, long (up to 12 weeks) and very expensive, but it works. Cats years after treatment are doing well, showing no signs of recurrence.

Our veterinarian has ordered this treatment for us, and it should be here tomorrow (Wednesday, November 6). With a little luck and a lot of hope, Iris will respond to this treatment and she will make it to her 9th birthday later this month.

If you are able, we would very much appreciate your help getting this treatment. I've calculated this fundraiser to include:

Initial visit and diagnostic tests: $700 (invoice below in 2 parts)

Follow up visits and more tests: $1000

12 weeks of FIP medication: $1800

These are just estimates, and anything unused/left over will be donated to my local animal welfare organization (the same one who fostered Iris when she was a tiny special needs kitten no one wanted; we adopted her when she was 11 months old).

Thank you in advance for your help. Signal boosts welcome. Updates as they occur.

-Dina