Agility Winner AND FIP Survivor

September 2, 2025

Meet Dena

Ann Strople

GP, RW, AGN CocoRain Godiva-of-the-Rain, a beautiful Havana Brown cat known as “Dena” to her friends and family, tied for Best Cat in Agility in the 2024/2025 show season. Like most cats who excel in the agility ring, Dena is a performer who loves toys and runs like the wind through the agility course.

Dena is just a little different from her Agility competitors in one important and quite amazing way. You see, Dena is an FIP survivor: undeniable proof that FIP cats can be treated, survive, and lead healthy, normal, and active lives.

Dena’s FIP Story

As Dena’s breeder and owner, Dawn Pettyjohn, shares the story that Dena was born on March 19, 2023. She appeared to be a normal, healthy kitten with no symptoms that might suggest the need for bloodwork or other tests. However, early in July 2023, two of Dena’s littermates developed persistent fevers with no other symptoms, and in late July, Dena was experiencing the same symptoms. Initial blood tests were negative for everything her vet could test for.

By the beginning of August, at 5 months old, Dena weighed just 2 pounds. She had began failing to thrive and exhibited tremors, gait issues, and other neurological signs. Armed with her veterinarian’s knowledge and her own research, they decided to test Dena for a liver shunt and to run chemistries again (although they had only been done two weeks before), as well as a bile acid test. The bile test was normal, but this time the chemistries showed clear FIP markers. FIP or not, Dawn began treating Dena for FIP and the results of the treatment were immediate and positive. Dena was on the road to a complete recovery from FIP and success as a show cat and her most recent achievement: tying for the title of Best Cat in Agility.

What Today’s Cat Owners and Breeders Need to Know About FIP 

  • First and foremost, FIP is no longer untreatable. It can be cured and cats can live happy, healthy lives following treatment.
  • Veterinarians can now legally prescribe FIP treatments. If your veterinarian needs more information, it’s available through reputable online sources such as the Cornell Feline Health Center (search “vet.cornell.edu” then “FIP” )
  • Begin treatment as rapidly as possible following diagnosis. If for some reason your veterinarian can’t write a prescription for the treatment, locate one who can help you immediately.
  • If tests are ambiguous but possibly FIP, treat the cat! The treatment will not hurt your cat if it doesn’t have FIP and can save its life if it does.

Not all pharmacies can fill prescriptions for FIP treatment. Your veterinarian should be able to help you get in touch with a pharmacy that can. There are also online sources for this information. The cost of treatment is coming down rapidly. While still expensive compared to many medications, treating a cat for FIP is far less costly than when treatment was first available – and your veterinarian can now prescribe the treatment legally – a huge benefit.

The Bottom Line

Dena’s story of recovery and going on to succeed as a show cat and tied for Best Agility Cat in the 2024-25 show season is unique while happily, recovery from FIP is becoming a story often told. The advancements in FIP treatments and their availability are changing the way people are approaching  the treatments for FIP. While those three letters not so long ago signaled hopelessness and, inevitably, the death of a beloved cat, today acquiring FIP treatment is legal and easier than ever before. The result? More FIP survivors daily, and happy futures for cats and their human families.