I am not sure what symptoms are in ferrets, or where the idea of an FIP type illness in ferrets comes from, but there are a couple of things that need to be mentioned about FIP. First, it is fatal. Period. Cats usually live 4-6 weeks after onset of illness. They can have either the wet form, the dry form or both forms. FIP is a corona virus. Corona virus also causes non-fatal respiritory disease in cats. It is not known whether this virus mutates into a fatal form from a previous exposure, whether the cats get the fatal form on single exposure or what. The virus itself will shed into the environment and is very sturdy. There is a vaccine, but since some folks think a second exposure to the virus is what causes the fatal form, many are reluctant to give it. Plus it has a pretty low efficacy rate. While ECE is also a corona virus, according to Dr. Williams it isn't related. I believe he also told me at the time it wouldn't cross over to ferrets. His response is in the fml archives. My household was invaded with FIP shortly after I got ferrets. I have done a lot of research on it. I am really not sure why someone would post about FIP unless the disease has been shown to mutate and cross species. It really is a very nasty disease and has similar symptoms to several other diseases. Since it is a fatal disease, I fear it will cause some to worry about something that really isn't happening. Or am I wrong in thinking that same person has also posted about how only one or two things cross? Margie [Posted in FML 5467]