The coronavirus is an unwanted virus present in over 98% of cats, regardless of breed. Because kittens have very sensitive digestive systems, you may notice when your cat excretes the virus. One immediate symptom of the coronavirus is diarrhea, and yes, the majority of domestic cats will secrete the coronavirus without even a single loose stool!

Generally, and despite a few rare exceptions, the coronavirus will retain its enteric form, the benign one, causing diarrhea and sometimes vomiting. The digestive form can be entirely asymptomatic, but this is rather rare in our beloved kittens. The coronavirus normally “wakes” during times of stress, changes to the animal’s routine, or when its immune system is weakened (vaccines, surgery, stress, etc.).

Typically, in its mildest form, enteritis, it’s important to understand that the coronavirus can mutate into feline infectious peritonitis, also known as FIP. While these cases are rare, here are some symptoms to be aware of:

Loss of appetite, fever, fatigue, weight loss, difficulty breathing, nephritis, eye hemorrhages, tremors, convulsions, and paralysis.

We recommend that you consult your veterinarian at all times.

When the kitten owner performs a complete digestive PCR (a stool analysis), it is very common for the coronavirus to test positive. Rest assured, your cat is simply in a phase where he is excreting it. You could repeat the test a few weeks later, and the results will likely be negative. You now understand better why the coronavirus is not fully understood by the general public, but you know that your cat is not sick. Adding probiotics to the diet will help the gut's good bacteria get back on track.