We just got a request for our help from commenter timill.
He is part of a FIP rescue organization in Tennessee.
Today’s kitty in need is a fluffy black cat in Washington State.
His name is Finnegan and he is 8 months old.
The kitty has been in treatment for a month at this point, and needs 2 more months of treatment.
Here’s what they need.
Someone who can foster and/or transport to a someone who can foster…
Person who fosters needs to be able to deal with administering injections once daily for 2 months.
timmil promises to be in the comments to answer all of our questions!
MazeDancer
Picture? More info? Where is this kitty now? Why can’t it stay there? What do you mean by transport? What are the injections for?
And where do we send money? Most people on here, like me, will be across country and full up on cats, but would be happy to help.
Maybe there will be someone in the NW willing to foster. And we can send them money. But they are likely to have cats and would need more info.
Urza
Depending on where in Washington I might be able to transport to someone who can foster.
WaterGirl
@MazeDancer: I believe he is looking for someone who can foster the kitty for 2 months, during the daily injections.
Assuming someone can foster, they will need transport from Washington State to the person who can foster.
For the rest, I need timmil – we agreed the post would go up at 5 pm and that he would be here to answer questions. I assume he will be here soon. :-)
Dan B
@MazeDancer: Seconded.
We’re in Seattle and my partner transports cats a couple times a month but we already have two cats who would probably go ballistic.
MazeDancer
@WaterGirl: Ah, two months only is an easier deal.
Two months only, people in the NW. The worst than can happen is you foster fail and still get to keep the Bj donations for future vet expenses.
Giving injections is easy if it’s a little needle. (Daily pilling a a cat, not so much.)
Plus, already got transport volunteers.
WaterGirl
@MazeDancer: I just bolded that line up top to make it more obvious, since people had missed it.
BeautifulPlumage
Where in WA? One of my previous kitties needed insulin, so injections are no problem. Not sure how Cleo Marie might react, but I plan to ‘staycation’ these next 2 months. I may be able to transport & foster. Would also like answers to Maze Dancer’s questions.
ETA at #1
ETA I’m just south of Seattle
MazeDancer
@WaterGirl: You might consider making it clearer. Like go obvious. “You would only have to foster for two months. Giving easy daily injections”.
(If only we knew what they were for…)
MazeDancer
@BeautifulPlumage: Transport and foster! Good on you for considering it. (And love a black fluffy kitty. Have had two. Both great. Both angels, now.)
Timill
Back from lunch. I’ve pointed Marcia at this post, and will answer what I can.
WaterGirl
@MazeDancer: He says up top that he is part of a FIP organization, so likely for for FIP?
He is back now and should be in the comments in just a minute.
WaterGirl
@Timill: If injections are for FIP, does that mean the foster has to be the only cat?
WaterGirl
@BeautifulPlumage: That sounds wonderfully hopeful! :-)
BeautifulPlumage
@WaterGirl: if I can’t foster I can transport.
Timill
@MazeDancer: The injections are for FIP. Injections generally take two people, though we have one where I could do it singlehanded. But she really liked her Churu reward…
Timill
@WaterGirl: No. It doesn’t seem to be particularly infectious in fact. We have some half-dozen survivors among the Menagerie, and we have 3 in treatment at the moment (one is a loaner while his people are on vacation, but the other 2 are our rescues).
And then there’s our <ahem> other cats who are perfectly healthy and who keep our vets in the style they like…
MazeDancer
@Timill: Hi, Timill, most people do not know much about FIP. What is it? Is it contagious? If so, bow?
Marciaill
The cat is being treated for FIP. This does not mean that he has to be an only cat. FIP is not contagious. It is a mutation of the Feline Enteric Coronavirus, which most cats are at least exposed to at some point in their lives. Of those cats who have had FCoV, only about 10% go on to develop the mutation known as Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). Until less than a decade ago, this disease was a death sentence. Fortunately, it no longer is. However, the treatment takes a minimum of 84 days of injections, or a combination of injections and pills. The medication is extremely acidic, so the injections hurt. It is also quite viscous, so the needle is larger than an insulin needle.
BeautifulPlumage
@Timill: is this kitty someone who needs 2 people for injections? And what area of WA state?
Timill
@BeautifulPlumage: Thanks. I only know “Washington State”, but my wife will be along in a moment (first time poster) with the details.
Eyeroller
@MazeDancer:
FIP is Feline Infectious Peritonitis. It is caused by a coronavirus. The treatment is actually remdesivir, or better yet a metabolite thereof also developed by Gilead Science.
The causative coronavirus is contagious but most cats acquire feline coronavirus as kittens. Only a small fraction develop FIP (shades of long Covid). It has something to do with the cat’s immune system response.
Remdesivir and its analogs have converted a nearly 100% fatal disease to about a 25% fatal disease, but Gilead refuses to license either drug for veterinary use so this is a “gray market” treatment.
WaterGirl
@Marciaill: I just freed your comment.
Now that I have done that, all your comments now will show up as soon as you post them.
Marciaill
@WaterGirl: thank you.
MazeDancer
@Eyeroller: Thanks!
@Marciaill: There are some questions in comment 1 people are likely to want answered.
And a picture would certainly increase interest.
Marciaill
@Eyeroller: actually, Remdesivir is available to vets in the UK and Australia, through a specialist outfit that Gilead doesn’t feel threatened by. For some reason, no one in this country has shown interest in doing the same. I should mention that when it first became available in the UK, there were teething pains, where they didn’t dose it at the same levels that we did here through FIP Warriors. It is also *much* more expensive than the GS-441524 that Warriors uses. For Gilead, it appears that it really is, “all about the Benjamins, baby!”
Eyeroller
@Marciaill:
I saw something about Australian vets using remdesivir “off label” legally. I agree it’s about money. Veterinary drugs in the US are not covered by insurance so the price pressure is toward the “real” cost.
Marciaill
@MazeDancer: I’m new at this. Not sure how to get the picture here
WaterGirl
@Marciaill: Have tim send it to me as an email attachment.
BeautifulPlumage
@Marciaill: oh dear, sounds like a 2 person job for injections.
Timill
@WaterGirl: Done.
MazeDancer
@BeautifulPlumage: Have to have that confirmed by current treater.
CaseyL
Erg. I am in Washington state, but will be out of the country for most of June, so can’t do the 2-month fostering.
I’m in for monetary contributions and, depending on how soon transport happens, will happily be one of the transporters. I can drive the kitty as far as Portland, OR to the south; the Canada border to the north, and to Eastern Washington.
The only day I can’t do any of that – aside from June – is next Saturday, when I’m helping with a fundraiser walk.
WaterGirl
@Timill: Photo is now up top.
It’s pretty low resolution so that’s as big as I can make it. If you have a better photo to send, I can put that up.
WaterGirl
Finnegan’s name and age (8 months) have been added up top.
WaterGirl
@BeautifulPlumage: The injections do sound more complicated than expected. Are you still in as a possibility, or out? Or not sure?
Eyeroller
Explainer here: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/05/remdesivir-cats/611341/
MazeDancer
@Marciaill:
@Timill:
You two are heroes. And I know nothing about cat rescue. But alot about ad biz.
And this post didn’t work for ad biz reasons. Not enough info, No picture to start. You weren’t here to answer questions.
Is is up for adoption or is it just about treatment? Who has been treating it now? Is it docile enough for one person to give it shots?
Trying to find a two person household is tough.
Where is this kitty now? Why can’t it stay there? What will happen to it if you can’t find a foster? Is this your responsibility or are you just trying to help out?
Will money help? BJ has money.Would require another bleg, but at least we would know stuff.
You need to start over and do this right.
BeautifulPlumage
@WaterGirl: not sure, I’ll wait to hear what the current foster is doing. I can’t organize a 2-person shot on a daily basis : (
WaterGirl
@BeautifulPlumage: I couldn’t recall whether you are partnered with someone or not. :-)
Marciaill
Well, as we all know, the more people involved in a conversation, the more confused it can become. First misconception is that they were looking for a foster. They actually want a complete surrender.
Next misconception, Finnegan is actually not in Washington State. He’s in Portland, Oregon.
So, what we have is a cat being treated for FIP, who is in Portland, who needs a new home, where he can continue his treatment. The actual cure rate at this point is closer to 90%. He is far enough along in his treatment that he could conceivably be transitioned to pills. They are a bit more expensive, but actually easy to give, because they’re really tiny. Whoever takes him will have support throughout treatment through an admin with FIP Warriors, quite possibly myself. If he were closer to Tennessee, we would take him in a minute, but that’s a really long trip for a sick cat. I’m available for any questions.
MazeDancer
Going to answer one of my own questions. Money can help hire a vet technor cat sitter to come help, say, Beautiful Plumage, or another fine to help if needed.
Maybe you know people who would help if a tech was hired.
Money would help me attract the possible interest of a rescue org who needs money who would keep kitty in a home.
Would take 1 to 2K, which could be hard. But could be easier than finding a 2 peson household.
Hoppie
Can offer to transport, maybe foster. Maybe even adopt. We’re in San Diego, easy trip to Portland.
MazeDancer
@Marciaill: This info would have been good to have to start.
We could raise money for you to go pick him up. It’ll be a long day, but it will be done.
Or if you arrange transport, BJ can raise money to pay for it.
Or if it is tiny pills, that’s a 1 person household
Decide what you want. Then Ask WaterGirl for a new bleg. Which will feature a nice pic of the adorable cat.
WaterGirl
@Marciaill: Okay, I’m gonna jump in here.
Regardless of whether anyone here can take him in, or transport Finnegan, I cannot imagine that we cannot raise the funds for the pills. There’s no reason for this little guy to have 60 painful shots when he could take a tiny pill once a day.
What would the total cost be for 2 months of the pills?
How much more would the tiny pills cost than the injections?
Marciaill, maybe you can send me an email message so we can talk further off-line?
Thank you!
MazeDancer
@BeautifulPlumage: Apparently, it can be tiny pills.
Also, kitty looking for new home, but maybe could be foster to start. Buy it no death and time.
It could be the cutest fluffy black kitty I have seen in a while.
MazeDancer
@WaterGirl: We can def raise the money for pills.
The headline writes itself, you just wrote it. Save this cats life. And save it from 60 painful shots.
But this is a different bleg with all the new info. Cat is in Portland. Needs s home.
Also, Marcia and Tim would take the cat. If we raise 5he money for transport.
Odie Hugh Manatee
@WaterGirl:
I used a ‘pill popper’ on Chuckie and it worked like a charm. Wrapped him up in a purrito, loaded the pill into the popper (got from the vet), pressed in on sides of cats mouth, inserted the popper and fired. I pulled the popper out, closed the cats mouth and then rubbed a small amount of mineral oil on his lips to get him to lick and swallow.
One week later we were done with it. No blood and a Churu after each dose to bribe him into not hating us. He doesn’t…lol
Marciaill
@Odie Hugh Manatee: we have treated six. They all still love us.
Chris T.
@MazeDancer: I have four cats (so, kind of full up here); one gets daily pill, one gets monthly injections at this point. I could transport a kitty but I’m way up at the north end of the state, just south of Vancouver in Canadia.
Wolvesvalley
Sometimes pills are too tiny to fit in a pill popper. In such situations, I have bought a loaf of cheap soft bread and encased the pill in a little wad of smashed bread.
This also helps if the pill tastes nasty.