09/02/2026
A first for Española Humane, and a very big deal for one very special kitty. This is our little FIP fighter: Jolene has officially made Española Humane history as the first kitty we’ve ever treated for FIP. ❤️
And naturally, she didn’t arrive with just one plot twist. First came ringworm, which meant months of treatment and testing before we could finally declare that battle won. We breathed a collective sigh of relief…
…and then FIP reared its very ugly (and very fatal) head. Feline infectious peritonitis is caused by a mutation of a common feline coronavirus. Most cats exposed to feline coronavirus never develop FIP, but in some cats, the virus changes inside the body and triggers a devastating inflammatory disease. FIP can affect multiple organs—and in our girl’s case, she has developed neurological symptoms and changes to her eyes, signs that tell us this disease is affecting her in some pretty serious ways.
For decades, an FIP diagnosis was essentially a death sentence. There simply wasn’t a reliably accessible treatment. That has changed dramatically with antiviral medications that can stop the virus from replicating and allow many cats to recover. And now, for the first time, we can legally offer that treatment to one of our shelter kitties.
Jolene gave us something to celebrate almost immediately. She had been running a 104-degree fever for many weeks. Within hours of receiving her very first dose of treatment, her temperature finally dropped back to normal. 🥹
That doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods. Her treatment is underway, she is responding, and we are watching her very closely. The success rates are wonderfully encouraging—but FIP treatment is not 100% successful, particularly when neurological disease is involved.
So now we’re putting in a little order with the universe. Please send this girl every ounce of good juju, crossed fingers, lucky wishes, prayers, healing energy and tiny-cat magic you can spare.
Dig deep, little warrior. We’ve got the medicine. We’ve got the science. We’ve got the prayers. Jolene, this is your comeback story. Now go write the ending.
A heartfelt thank-you to Sky Cinemas for believing in our animals and supporting the programs that make stories like Jolene’s possible. Because of partners like you, we can keep pushing boundaries, making history, and giving shelter pets the second chances they deserve.
