As long as the environment is throughout cleaned with a trifectant, litter boxes and food dishes are either sterilized or replaced, there's no real need to wait. It does also help to have a dedicated room where the fosters are kept, though quarantining isn't necessary as it is the MUTATED form of the virus that causes FIP
FIP isn't contagious in the way that coccidia or URIs are contagious.
FIP is caused by the Corona virus. 90% of cats in the world are exposed to that virus- generally prenatally or right after birth via the mother. In all but about 5-6% it passes through the intestinal tract and the cat remains healthy. In 5-6% it mutates into FIP.
Whether or not the virus mutates is determined almost solely by genetics. If the cat is not genetically predisposed to mutate the virus it won't do so even if sharing a litter box with a cat who is shedding the virus. The majority of cats who mutate the virus become ill in kitten hood, but some will be fine until they have some sort of health catastrophe in later life- surgery etc- that sparks the mutation.
There is some evidence that stress plays a roll in whether or not a genetically predisposed cat actually mutates the virus. The thinking is that the stress experienced by shelter cats may account for the higher numbers of shelter cats who develop FIP- as opposed to cats in the general population. Not exposure or litter boxes or carriers or other cats.
FIP isn't contagious in the way that coccidia or URIs are contagious.
FIP is caused by the Corona virus. 90% of cats in the world are exposed to that virus- generally prenatally or right after birth via the mother. In all but about 5-6% it passes through the intestinal tract and the cat remains healthy. In 5-6% it mutates into FIP.
Whether or not the virus mutates is determined almost solely by genetics. If the cat is not genetically predisposed to mutate the virus it won't do so even if sharing a litter box with a cat who is shedding the virus. The majority of cats who mutate the virus become ill in kitten hood, but some will be fine until they have some sort of health catastrophe in later life- surgery etc- that sparks the mutation.
There is some evidence that stress plays a roll in whether or not a genetically predisposed cat actually mutates the virus. The thinking is that the stress experienced by shelter cats may account for the higher numbers of shelter cats who develop FIP- as opposed to cats in the general population. Not exposure or litter boxes or carriers or other cats.
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