The acronym indicates infectious feline peritonitis, it is caused by a common enough virus called Coronavirus, only in some circumstances it can become particularly aggressive and strong by provoking death in the affected subjects. It is more frequent in colonies or breeding where the concentrations and the frequentation of the animals is larger.

It is generally a pathology which appears in young subjects with variable symptoms according to the form which can be exuding, with production of exudes (presence of liquids) in many organs, from the peritoneum to lungs, or fibrous, with accumulation of granulomas in many organs. For such reasons the affected subjects can show breathing difficulties, symptoms linked to the gastrointestinal apparatus with episodes of vomit and dysentery, ma also neurologic symptoms or real uremic crisis and suspected skin lesions.

If there is a suspected PIF, it is essential to submit the cat to emetic tests to do a sure diagnosis. Unfortunately with a positive diagnosis and serious symptoms therapies can only be palliative, only in some cases if diagnosed in time we can try to fight it with antivirals.