FIP is often referred to as feline coronavirus and its outcome can be fatal, but that’s not stopping many brave cats from fighting it. Longhair tomcat Simba managed to survive this disease and became a true Instagram sensation after winning his fight against FIP.
Simba is a three-year-old British longhair tomcat with lush ginger fur and piercing blue eyes. He’s followed by 100,000 people on Instagram, and his owner Jacqueline Gross is using his page to raise awareness about FIP, the near-deadly disease he was diagnosed with when he was just five months old.
FIP stands for “feline infectious peritonitis”, and it’s caused by certain strains of feline coronavirus. It can affect cats of all ages, but it’s more common in young cats below two years of age, such as Simba.
His FIP diagnosis was devastating for his owner since he couldn’t even walk or stand after developing neurological disorders. It took six months of therapy for Simba to recover, and his owner credited GS441524 treatment and the support of his followers for his recovery.
“It was a very difficult time for all of us, but we received so much encouragement and support via Instagram. And that’s what makes our Instagram journey so beautiful to me: the community and the support we get,” she told Club Life Design.
