FIPCA are a not for profit association

Our goals are:

  • preventing and relieving the suffering of cats by:
    • Educating cat owners, breeders, animal rescue organisations and those in the veterinary industry of treatments available to for Feline Infection Peritonitis (FIP) to prevent and/or reduce the suffering of cats with FIP.
    • Provide financial assistance to cat owners who would be otherwise unable to afford veterinary treatment and medication for their cat, so that it won’t be euthanised.
    • Provide resources such as scientific research data to breeders and those in the veterinary industry to assist in maintaining current knowledge of FIP.
    • Provide moral support and hands-on assistance by experienced Mentors to cat owners to ensure FIP infected cats don’t suffer needlessly.
    • FIPCA aims to coordinate and disseminate information from the many FIP care groups around Australia.
    • Establish and maintain relationships with Doctors and Researchers who are researching the prevention and treatment of FIP.  Encourage owners of cats with diagnosed FIP to share their cats’ medical information with Doctors and Researchers so more affordable prevention and treatment options can be available to the public.
    • FIPCA is politically neutral and unbiased.
  • To educate the general public about FIP, its treatment options and general resources available.
  • We only provide financial assistance to treating vets treating diagnosed cats with FIP
  • To encourage a high standard of ethics with breeders to reduce the likelihood of FIP becoming an issue in their cattery.

FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS AUSTRALIA INC (IARN: A1044006M) t/a FIP Cats Australia.

The Executive Comittee Members:

President. Angela Irvine

Secretary; Tahnee Rae

Treasurer; Brenda Anne Kendall

Senior Vice President; Adele Austin

Junior Vice President; Michael Bartlett

West Coast Rescue & Publicity Coordinator; Naja Cunningham

East Coast Publicity Coordinator;

To reach us please email secretary@fipcatsaustralia.org.au

About the President of FIP Cats Australia :: Angela

Angela Irvine As a long standing breeder of Ragdolls and then Sphynx. FIP is a disease that every breeder dreads as it has always been fatal. My interest in FIP came about in September 2019 when one of my kitten owners Sphynx became very sick. Whilst no confirmed diagnose was available it set me on a mission to find out more. This led me to Professor Neils Pederson at the UC Davis University whom I found out has dedicated his life to finding a cure for FIP. After many discussions it was more apparent to me that Zeke had dry FIP. Sadly we had no treatment for him and in October 2019 he passed away very peacefully. There was no way I was going to allow Zeke to have died in vain and if nothing more I wanted to pursue this challenge in Zeke,s memory. I was very interested in the treatment and trials Professor Pederson was undertaking and I desperately wanted to get my hands on some of this medication. Finally I found it and whilst it was too late for Zeke we have managed to save the lives of many adults and kittens even though it was not approved by the veterinary board. During the time that followed my research in to FIP continued and I have written many papers and done podcasts on the subject. Last year we had a breakthrough when the legal drug of Remdesivir became available to treat FIP with great success. This opened up the door for many people to treat their cats and kittens. No longer was FIP a killer. My passion through all this has only grown and the next step for me was to have some type of organisation that people could turn to for help and understanding and with a few people that had my passion FIP Cats Australia was born.

About the Secretary of FIP Cats Australia :: Tahnee

Tahnee became involved in in FIPCA due to her experience first hand with FIP. Her Sphynx Eli is a FIP surviour. Eli’s story can be found on our Surviour’s page.
Tahnee understands firsthand the shock and helplessness felt at the time of diagnosis, the complete lifestyle change that treatment entails (albeit temporary), costs, complications and obstacles faced by those going through treatment and the absolute joy from watching their kitten/cat go from deaths door to a vibrant kitten/cat, who you wouldnt even know was horribly sick.
Having gone through the journey first hand and as a way to pay it forward for all the help she received throughout her process she vowed to be able to return the favour in any way she could. When Angela Irvine approached her to become involved with FIPCA she jumped at the chance to be able to help as many other families out there that she could with a cause so close to her heart. 

About the Treasurer of FIP Cats Australia :: Brenda

My name is Brenda Kendall and Angela asked me if I would help out with being the first treasurer for FIP Cats Australia. Who am I? Well I’m a cat person. Not a breeder, though our domestic moggie did have kittens every year when I was a kid. There have always been cats in my life except for very short periods of time. When we moved from New Zealand to to Perth, Australia in 1995 we rehomed all 6 domestic cats we had at the time. No idea when we would have a suitable home for them and thought it kinder to find them new homes if we could. Now we know better and board our cats until we can have them back. Anyway about July 1996 there was an Animal Expo in Perth and I went along to see if there were any pedigree cat breeders there. We now had our own home and I was longing for a cat again. I met Angela at that Expo, fell in love with her Ragdolls, I’d never even heard of the breed before that day. Over time we have become friends and at the moment I have 3 cats from her. Other than the cats I’ve also own my own business for 16 years, small motels in NSW, and it is from this background that Angela thought I’d be suitable to help with FIP CATS Australia.