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Medication management

Side effects and what to tell your vet

Written by
FIP Together editorial team
Based on
3 published sources
Published
17 Oct 2026
Updated
17 Oct 2026
  • Stomach upset (vomiting, diarrhoea, reduced appetite) can happen. Giving tablets with a small amount of food often helps. Ask your vet first.
  • Liver enzyme (ALT) rises are common on blood tests and usually temporary.
  • Injections can sting, and repeated injections can cause skin sores. Tell your vet if you see any.
  • Folded ears and brittle whiskers have been reported with molnupiravir, and hair loss with both main antivirals.
  • Bladder stones have rarely been linked to unregulated injectable products.

Call your vet if

  • A dose is vomited or missed: ask before giving another
  • Your cat stops eating, becomes weaker, or has trouble breathing
  • New wobbliness, seizures or eye changes appear
  • You notice anything that worries you

Record side effects in the daily check-in so you can show your vet exactly when they happened.

Sources

  1. European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD). Guideline for Feline Infectious Peritonitis, updated March 2026.
  2. Sase O, et al. GS-441524 and molnupiravir are similarly effective for the treatment of cats with feline infectious peritonitis. Front Vet Sci. 2024;11:1422408.
  3. European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases. Update on Treatment of Feline Infectious Peritonitis: ABCD Guidelines. Viruses. 2026;18(4):452.

This guide summarises published veterinary guidelines and research for owners. It is general information, not veterinary advice, and can't account for your cat's situation. Always follow the guidance of the veterinarian treating your cat.