Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Eye inflammation in kittens like feline infectious peritonitis
By Shiraishi, Hikaru et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2026·1William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Clinical and clinicopathologic features of an undifferentiated resolving uveitis in kittens similar to that seen with feline infectious peritonitis.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of kittens with eye problems were examined to see if their condition was caused by feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) or a similar but less severe issue called undifferentiated resolving uveitis (FURU). Kittens with FURU typically showed symptoms for only 1 to 2 weeks and had milder eye issues, while those with FIP had symptoms for over 2 months and more severe eye problems. The good news is that the kittens with FURU recovered well with treatment, and their condition resolved without lasting effects. This highlights the importance of thorough examinations to ensure the right diagnosis and treatment.
People also search for: kitten eye problems · FIP symptoms in cats · uveitis treatment for kittens
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To highlight clinical and clinicopathologic differences between kittens with feline infectious peritonitis-associated uveitis (FIP-AU) versus those with an otherwise similar feline undifferentiated resolving uveitis (FURU). METHODS: Clinical and clinicopathologic data were compared between 22 kittens with FURU and 8 with necropsy-confirmed FIP-AU examined between January 1, 1985, and December 31, 2022. RESULTS: Sex, lifestyle, seasonality, household cat numbers and systemic signs were similar in both groups. Feline undifferentiated resolving uveitis occurred predominantly in domestic-breed kittens from shelters, whereas FIP-AU was more frequent in purebred or stray cats. Duration of ocular signs before presentation was 1 to 2 weeks for FURU versus > 2 months for FIP-AU. Feline undifferentiated resolving uveitis was more commonly associated with episcleral hyperemia while FIP-AU was more commonly associated with corneal edema, dyscoria, rubeosis iridis, iridal congestion/thickening, posterior synechia, or keratic precipitates. Corneal edema and chemosis were more severe in FIP-AU. No eyes with FURU had fundic abnormalities whereas 6 of 11 eyes with FIP-AU had chorioretinitis. All kittens with FIP-AU presented bilaterally whereas 5 of 15 kittens in which FURU was ultimately bilateral, initially presented unilaterally. Hyperproteinemia, hyperglobulinemia, and hyperbilirubinemia occurred only with FIP-AU. Neither likelihood of a positive coronavirus titer nor titer magnitude differed between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Kittens can develop bilateral fibrinous uveitis with keratic precipitates, systemic signs of illness, and serum coronavirus antibodies which resolves without sequelae following empirical treatment. Syndromic assessment-including careful fundic examination-can help differentiate FURU from FIP-AU and should precede antiviral therapy. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Resolution of uveitis during antiviral treatment does not confirm FIP. Comprehensive diagnostic evaluation is essential to avoid misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41499951/