Fundraiser to find cure for killer cat disease

A Kempton Park resident needs help raising funds for research to find a cure for a killer cat disease known as feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).

This rare illness, when it strikes, gives a cat only weeks to live.

Aurora Lambrecht, an artist who lost three cats to FIP, says Susan E Gingrich from the USA established the Bria Fund, named after her cat Bria who died from the disease, 10 years ago. The fund is an international organisation devoted to funding and finding a cure or treatment for this disease,” Lambrecht explained.

“As part of the awareness campaign I have donated a piece of my artwork to the fund to be raffled. The painting is of a cat named Chester, who died of FIP when he was only eight months old.”

The picture will be raffled at R10 a ticket. The picture was drawn with soft pastels and framed by The Artist. It is now with Dr Stewart Christie at Eastern Veterinary Hospital and all animal lovers are urged to contribute to this worthy cause.

FIP is an immune mediated disease that affects only five per cent of all cats and is not contagious. Cats carry the corona virus, which is contagious and which changes into FIP.

Unfortunately, there is no one diagnostic tool that can positively identify the illness. Usually a clinical evaluation together with blood tests can dictate the presence of FIP. In some cases, a biopsy can be taken that will positively confirm the presence of FIP. Mostly, only a necropsy (animal autopsy) can confirm its presence.

There are two forms, namely wet (effusive) FIP and dry (non-effusive) FIP. In wet FIP the abdomen accumulates fluid while in dry FIP the mutated virus attacks the organs and often the cat experiences severe neurological symptoms. FIP has been found to be virulent in cats younger than two years and in senior cats, although any age cat can contract it. Generally, it also is more predominant in multi-cat households.

Research is at a breakthrough stage as doctors have discovered how the virus mutates. The next step is to find a cure or effective treatment.

The Bria Fund is part of the Winn Feline Foundation of America. The fund has been responsible for helping major research studies by world doctors such as Dr Dianne Addie of the University of Glascow in Scotland, Dr Pedersen of Cornell University in the USA and Dr Jacqui Norris of Sydney, Australia.

These are the people who are making major strides in understanding how the disease mutates. All the research is done with private funding.

The picture of Chester can be viewed at Christie’s veterinary hospital at 26 Monument Road. To buy a raffle ticket, people can either go to the practice or call them on 011-970-1684/5.

For further information, Lambrecht can also be contacted on 073-419-6761.