Seeking a refund from an animal rescue?

Hi there, Well done for choosing to adopt from a shelter where so many little ones are waiting for their forever homes. You've brought a bit of happiness to this little soul... As mentioned before, it’s impossible to know if a cat will develop FIP, even if you know from the start that they are a carrier of the Coronavirus. The trigger can be anything from stress to an operation or a weakened immune system... then the Coronavirus mutates into FIP, which only happens in about 5% of cases. However, this rescue — which isn’t a major national one like the RSPCA (don’t get them confused) — should have warned you that he was a carrier of the ‘common’ Coronavirus so you knew where you stood. Lots of cats in shelters carry it because it spreads through the litter trays. When you adopt from a major charity like the RSPCA, what you pay covers the cost of microchipping, neutering, vaccinations and so on; it’s not the "price" of the animal itself, which is essentially free. At the RSPCA, if the animal falls ill just after arriving home, it’s possible to take them back to the shelter because the legal adoption isn’t finalised immediately; they usually give you a 15-day cooling-off period. Plus, there’s always the option of having them treated at a PDSA or Blue Cross clinic for a small fee, or even for free depending on your financial situation. In your case (a local rescue), I’m afraid the adoption fees and vet bills probably won't be refunded. However, you should definitely contact them to warn them about the Coronavirus spread to stop it from getting any worse. Ethically speaking, it would only be right to warn adopters! But we all know these poor animals would find it hard to get adopted otherwise... people want perfectly healthy cats! That’s just not the case for some cats in shelters and rescues, and being aware of it when you adopt means you can provide better care and monitoring. Stay strong!

I am so sorry to hear about what you’ve been through, and I want to thank you for choosing to adopt from a rescue centre, especially for taking on an adult cat. As far as I’m aware, FIP is notoriously difficult to diagnose and even harder to screen for, mainly because it’s impossible to know beforehand whether a cat will actually develop it (and the vast majority don’t). It’s quite possible that the stress of moving into a new home triggered the illness. It shouldn't be confused with FIV, which can be tested for and which shelters will always inform adopters about (it’s usually mentioned right on the cat’s profile). It’s definitely worth getting in touch with the rescue centre, if only to let them know what has happened and to see if some kind of amicable agreement can be reached.

Hi, my brother lost his cat to FIP a few months ago. From what he told me, it’s really tricky to diagnose, there’s no effective treatment, and the disease can progress very quickly. There isn't a specific FIP test as such, only a coronavirus test which might come back positive; however, plenty of cats can be positive as healthy carriers and never actually develop FIP, which is a mutation of the coronavirus. The rescue centre where you adopted him almost certainly wouldn't have known about his condition. You could perhaps try getting in touch with the rescue to see if they’d be willing to help out in some way.

Hi, If the cat hasn't been outside since you brought him home, he must have already been carrying it at the rescue. However, I don't quite understand why the first blood test wasn't enough to confirm the diagnosis. With these kinds of adoptions, you’re usually given paperwork detailing which diseases were tested for before the adoption went through. If FIP isn’t on there, I doubt you’ll have any legal recourse. I can understand your frustration; the poor little fella is the one to feel sorry for, too.