Rudy Rex Destroys FIP

12/15/2023

Well it has been a while since I updated last, but that is mostly because we have a big family and life keeps us busy.

That said, nothing but good news as far as Rudy goes. He is still alive and very well! And VERY loved! He is my sweet kitty boy.

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He just hit 4 years free of FIP!

He has a check-up every year, which includes bloodwork, to help ensure he is still healthy and no red flags show up--FIP or anything else. He will go to his next vet visit in February to make sure he continues to be stable and healthy.

We are so grateful that we had the opportunity to save his life when he "should" have died in July 2019. He has added so much joy to our lives.

I hope that someday soon, FIP can be destroyed for every kitty, and they will be able to live long, happy lives. FIP is no longer a death sentence! The (still controversial) treatment just needs to be more affordable and accessible. Every kitty deserves a chance to fight.



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Here's an updated picture of Rudy, doing an Elvis impression with his lip😉

04/07/2021

It's been a long time since I last updated, but Rudy is still going great!
We've had a couple changes to our family...
First, we had a fourth human baby in October. Then in December, we moved from Hurlburt Field, Florida to Fort Lee, Virginia.
The cats are enjoying the change from a one story house to a two story house--meaning lots of running up and down the stairs after the dog goes to her crate for the night😉
Rudy is usually the instigator whenever there is chaos amongst the cats (we have him and 3 females). He is so rotten and also so sweet.

I'm so thankful for the Facebook support groups that existed in 2019 when we almost lost Rudy to FIP. He brings so much joy to our lives and we're so happy he's still with us.

Please contact me if you need guidance on how to fight FIP.

Here's a couple pictures of Rudy recently... first pic is him laying in the baby's (unused) bassinet, and second pic is him watching over his new baby sister after she came home from the hospital🖤

--Rudy's mom

07/07/2020

On this date one year ago I was urged to let Rudy go because he was suffering from a 100% fatal disease. I had never heard of FIP before that day but I was not willing to accept that he was going to die before he really got to live (he was only 7 months old).

Anyone that knows me knows that I'm stubborn and don't just go along with whatever I'm told. My oldest kid would probably be dead if I hadn't fought for her, too. Since my fur kids are almost as important as my real kids, I decided to fight. I started researching FIP. I searched Facebook. I came across a warrior group that changed our lives. There was a possible treatment available that was not approved by the FDA or proven to be safe. But I figured it was worth a shot (no pun intended) because he was going to die anyway.

Well, it was not easy to inject a cat with a (apparently very painful) medication each night, but it worked! He was in liver failure and it was reversed. His colon was completely closed due to FIP granulomatous tissue growth, but that disappeared, too!

He is 9 months post treatment and still doing great.

First three pics are from July 2019, and the fourth pic is from yesterday.

03/08/2020

Rudy's most recent bloodwork, from 11 February 2020. His A/G ratio has not decreased at all since October when we finished treatment.
He was officially deemed recovered/healed from FIP!

02/08/2020

Rudy is still doing great! He hit 4 months post treatment on 1 February. Love my FIP Warrior!

01/22/2020

Just a reminder of where he's been...

Top left pic was day 1 of treatment.

Bottom left was a week into treatment and his liver was healing so he was less yellow/orange.

Right pic is him today, trying to leave because I annoy him by taking pics of him constantly🤣 Whatever, Rudy!🙃

I'm so thankful that our Rudy Rex is still alive and healthy 💓

01/02/2020

Rudy is THREE months post treatment today!!! He is now considered to be cured since he has not relapsed during the three month period.

I could get blood work to verify that he is still doing great, but I don't want to stress him out unnecessarily by dragging him to the vet... so, we'll just keep doing what we've been doing: playing with him, snuggling him, and loving him.

If I think there is any reason to take him to the vet, then I'll request blood work while we're there.

For now, we celebrate our sweet Rudy Rex!

12/24/2019

Wow! What a year.

20 December marked one year since we adopted Rudy.

It has been a bit crazy, but we wouldn't trade it/him for anything.

(Here's a pic of him doing one of his favorite things: snuggling under the blanket with mom!)

We love seeing his eyes so clear and green... an undeniable sign of health after FIP ravaged every part of him--eyes included.

✨✨Only 9 more days until he moves from remission status to CURED!✨✨

11/13/2019

Day 42 post treatment and Rudy has reached a new high weight: 9 pounds!🙌
(For the newbies:
Rudy weighed 4 pounds 6 ounces when we started Mutian II injections.)

When I look at him... I can't believe that he was given such a grim diagnosis in early July.

I am so glad that he's not just still alive, but he's living his best life 🖤 He's amazing!

✨Rudy Rex destroyed FIP!✨

11/01/2019

I took my boy Rudy to the vet on Wednesday because he coughed a few times (I'm now a helicopter cat mom🤷).

He has a slight upper respiratory infection (no fever or anything truly concerning), but we're treating with doxycycline because his body is still recovering from FIP.

He is also up another two ounces, to 8 pounds 11 ounces. Quite the change from 4 pounds 6 ounces in July!

He is officially 1 month post-treatment.
At the three month mark, we'll redo his labs to check for any indications of a relapse.
(Praying for complete healing🙏🏼)

He is my sweet boy💗

10/22/2019

10/22/2019

Rudy's beginning:

This is the ABC News report that I saw after Hurricane Michael hit the panhandle last October. We live about 90 miles west of Panama City. I had no idea why I was so drawn to these kittens, but when I found out they were headed to Panhandle Animal Welfare Society, I felt compelled to sponsor all four of the kittens. I was given the opportunity to adopt one of them. We chose Rudy (previously named Harvey). We had not met him and would not meet him for over two months until he was well enough to come live with us. We picked him up on 21 December 2019 and the kids named him Rudolph Rex.
Rudolph because it was almost Christmas, and Rex because he would stand up on his back legs like a T-Rex. So he became known as Rudy Rex🙂

A month later, I found out that his sister had not been adopted yet, so we decided to add her to our family, too. We renamed her Kit Kat (previously Katrina). She actually helped me realize that Rudy was sick. He was always smaller than her, but the size difference became more evident as time passed.

A woman in Panama City, Florida, said the four kittens suddenly appeared in her home after a ceiling collapsed. How to help those affected by Hurricane Micha...