The Survival of My Kitten Skye Blue

This Thanksgiving, we celebrate the survival of our kitten, Skye Blue, from FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis). Skye's journey of recovery has not only been a testament to her courage but has also brought closure to a painful chapter in our lives.

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Our memory goes to my beloved first pet, New SignUp, a 4.5-year-old white Scottish Straight whom we lost to undiagnosed FIP earlier in the year. The knowledge within the veterinary industry about FIP, the mutated form of Feline Coronavirus, was so low that it caused many young cats to pass away without a diagnosis. We took him to four different veterinary doctors, including an urgent care and an animal hospital, but no doctor even suspected it was FIP, though he displayed all the classic symptoms.

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New SignUp came into my life when I first settled in Manhattan with children who had just arrived in the US to start a new life. Allen Alishahi suggested I get a cat that would accompany us. When I looked up many cat photos on the internet, and New SignUp stared at me with his innocent and majestic look, it was love at first sight. I called the breeder. She said I would be able to pick the baby up when he turned 9 weeks old. I patiently counted the days and still remembered the first time owning a pet. I bought baby food, a litter box, a carrier, and a few toys, waiting for his arrival. The day of picking him up finally came. I had already formed such a strong bond with my new baby during the trip from the breeder’s shop in Brooklyn back to our Manhattan apartment.

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New SignUp grew into such a gorgeous-looking cat with incredible intelligence and personality. He defended us, knew how to press the button, and got us out of trouble when we forgot the house key with his exceptional intellect.

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When SignUp was 1.5, after the neighbor told us how lonely SignUp was when we went away, we brought Mooshak, a female Scottish Fold, home. By then, we understood Scottish Fold/Straight cats are most attached to their owners. They get truly depressed when their owners are not around. They are the best travelers out of all cat breeds. We started traveling with our cats.

After we moved to Florida, our farmhouse had so much space, and I started longing for another cat. Two years ago, our beautiful Mooshak gave birth to Shi Shi, Xiang Xiang, and Mooshak Junior in our living room. What a period we had to witness three newborn kittens grow to be independent. Shi Shi, the lion-looking boy, stayed with us, and two girls went to our relatives, both becoming totally spoiled princesses. My attachment to Shi Shi has grown day by day. He is always with me and talks to me. Fascinatingly, Shi Shi became the best friend of New SignUp.

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The last period of New SignUp’s life was unbearable for me to think about. He no longer wanted me to hold him. He hid behind the door in the darkest room of the house. He passed away during an overnight stay at an animal hospital with cardiac arrest, the day before my birthday. On my birthday, we buried New SignUp. I was totally torn. I wrote a long poem for SignUp’s funeral.

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Two weeks later, 10lbs lighter and recovering from my deep sorrow, the breeder who helped Mooshak have babies sent me a picture of Baby Skye Blue, a Scottish Straight baby girl. All her siblings had left, and she was the last one remaining. The craziness set in. The next thing I remember was that the kitty was already in my car, starting the new life with us.

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The unthinkable happened. After New SignUp’s passing, Shi Shi became very withdrawn, but he eventually embraced Skye Blue and became her best friend. Unfortunately, Skye Blue contracted the FIP from Shi Shi who was a carrier of the feline coronavirus which he fought off. Two months later, Skye Blue became violently ill. After three weeks, she was completely disabled, losing the ability to walk or even stand up to go to her litter box. Again, no vet was able to tell us what was wrong, and we were warned to be ready for her passing. We decided to seek the best help from the University of Florida’s small animal hospital. We needed an answer because we highly suspected New SignUp died from the same illness. We made the right decision. After the first night of hospitalization, Skye Blue was already diagnosed to have FIP. We immediately got in touch with the Facebook FIP Warrior group and had her medication ready. That’s another very sad part. According to the official stats, 10% of cats died from FIP. However, from people who care for a lot of cats, more than 50% of deaths in cats under 6 years old were caused by FIP, yet most healthcare professionals don’t even know what FIP is. The cure came out two years ago, but the drug companies are worried about losing profit, so until today, drugs are not available on the market for cat owners to purchase via a normal channel, let alone proper awareness. Thanks to FIP Warrior 5.0, a Facebook group formed by a group of volunteers and professionals, many owners of FIP cats who were lucky enough to be diagnosed now have hope.

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Skye Blue stayed in the hospital for five nights. The day she went through the MRI scan because she had dry FIP in her neuro, we were told that she didn’t wake up after the scan. We insisted for the hospital to wake her up. We knew she wanted to live as she never stopped fighting like a real warrior. Yes, not only did she wake up, but she also immediately grabbed all the food around her which provided everyone the amusement during a sad event.

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She was 2.2 lbs only when she got discharged. After the first FIP treatment, she stood up. After the second treatment, she was able to walk and managed to go to a small litter box. It was a miracle. She has recently completed her 100-day injection and now weighs 6.2 lbs. Her whole babyhood was stolen from her due to FIP. But she is now healthy and mischievous with slight neuro damage and a loss of ability to jump high. None of these will impact her lifespan. She is the biggest eater in our household, eating 7-8 meals a day. She grabs other cats’ food and pushes Shi Shi away. I solved the problem by feeding Mooshak on the counter, and now Shi Shi is also moving to a higher place to eat. Skye Blue has always been a big character. She looks at Mooshak and Shi Shi with despair – she must feel so unfair that she can’t jump!

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I am thankful for the survival and recovery of baby Skye Blue and for her to show us the courage, bravery, big appetite, and big bills all at once! I am also so grateful that she has brought closure to the unknowns of New SignUp’s passing. This will enable us to help other cats and cat owners when their young felines cannot be diagnosed. Most importantly, we can help raise awareness of FIP!