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Advice anyone - cancer in cats
Advice anyone please - full story below - my cat has just been diagnosed with intestinal cancer - yes I am in consultation with my vet, but any further advice is welcome please.
In Feb I took Saffy and his brother in for their annual jabs - and the lady vet ( a new one) said that cos of their age I should change their diet - to a senior diet. I did this.. and about 8 weeks 10 weeks later noticed Saff had lost a fair amount of weight. he is part persian - so its hard to see weight loss beyond all the fur! I spoke to the vet over the phone for advice. I then took him to the vet in June and they weighted him and did extensive blood tests which revealed nothing. An diff lady vet said I could change his diet back and see if that made a difference. We then went on holiday for a week and someone else was feeding him. When we got back I notcied he still hadn't put on weight - so bought all his favourite expensive cat foods and tit-bits. and he seemed to be eating more frequently. but still not gaining weight. In himself he seemd fine - he had the odd 'off' day when he didn't seem quite himself - but I was always checking his eyes - ears, temperature, teeth... grooming him and feeling for lumps and bumps (I always have). Then Sat morning I just felt something wasn't right and wizzed him into the vets - he'd lost even more weight and is so thin now and the vet felt a growth in his tummy which the previous vet hadn't picked up. I am so devastated I cant begin to explain. and of course I blame myself totally for not doing more sooner!
In Feb I took Saffy and his brother in for their annual jabs - and the lady vet ( a new one) said that cos of their age I should change their diet - to a senior diet. I did this.. and about 8 weeks 10 weeks later noticed Saff had lost a fair amount of weight. he is part persian - so its hard to see weight loss beyond all the fur! I spoke to the vet over the phone for advice. I then took him to the vet in June and they weighted him and did extensive blood tests which revealed nothing. An diff lady vet said I could change his diet back and see if that made a difference. We then went on holiday for a week and someone else was feeding him. When we got back I notcied he still hadn't put on weight - so bought all his favourite expensive cat foods and tit-bits. and he seemed to be eating more frequently. but still not gaining weight. In himself he seemd fine - he had the odd 'off' day when he didn't seem quite himself - but I was always checking his eyes - ears, temperature, teeth... grooming him and feeling for lumps and bumps (I always have). Then Sat morning I just felt something wasn't right and wizzed him into the vets - he'd lost even more weight and is so thin now and the vet felt a growth in his tummy which the previous vet hadn't picked up. I am so devastated I cant begin to explain. and of course I blame myself totally for not doing more sooner!
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Prognosis is a few weeks or a couple of months but to be honest I dont think we have long. He seemed uncomfortable all weekend (cant sit the way he wants to) and so am getting some painkillers today. He has had some antibiotics and cortizone to help reduce any inflamation. Apparently he will eat less and less and start to be sick and eventually not be abel to eat at all. I cant check his stools as he insists on using the garden and not a tray! I wont be leaving it to the late stages but its hard to know when to draw the line.
Would be interested to hear if anyone has had a cat survive this type of cancer.
Would be interested to hear if anyone has had a cat survive this type of cancer.
Please don't blame yourself as you did notice he was ill and took him to the vets straight away. That's the best thing anyone could have done for their pet.
Unfortunately it sounds like your cat has alimentary lymphosarcoma, one of the commonest types of tumour in the cat. Sadly it's usually fatal, no matter how early it is picked up, because by the time the symptoms show it is often already too late to do anything about it except support the cat through it.
Please don't feel guilty about it, you sound like an excellent owner in all you have done.
Unfortunately it sounds like your cat has alimentary lymphosarcoma, one of the commonest types of tumour in the cat. Sadly it's usually fatal, no matter how early it is picked up, because by the time the symptoms show it is often already too late to do anything about it except support the cat through it.
Please don't feel guilty about it, you sound like an excellent owner in all you have done.
Two of our cats were sadly lost to cancer years ago.
They both developed skin cancer.
All you can do is make them as happy and as comfortable as possible :)
Sometimes you just don't know until it's too late so don't blame yourself just make the most of the time you have left and make some more wonderful memories while you can.
They both developed skin cancer.
All you can do is make them as happy and as comfortable as possible :)
Sometimes you just don't know until it's too late so don't blame yourself just make the most of the time you have left and make some more wonderful memories while you can.
I feel that you have been quite lucky because you have had some warning. I had a 15 year old moggy who went off his food & became constipated so I took him straight to the vet. He had a good poke about & suggested a suppository. Which had no effect, so surgery was scheduled for the following day. Once the vet got in there he phoned to say 'It's bowel cancer, nothing I can do, should we let him go under the anesthetic?' So I said 'yes' & suddenly I was without my best friend. I went through all the same guilty feelings that you're having now - I should have spotted it sooner, etc.... You have done your best because cats are very good at disguising when they are unwell. Enjoy the time you have left & say a proper goodbye when the time comes. Good luck - x.
Been there,done that nosha........don't feel guilty-just do the best you can for him.
My cat Cleo was diagnosed with oral cancer almost a year ago.....she had been dribbling a bit-which I was not too concerned about. I had had dribbly cats before-it always seemed to be a sign of affection in them. She also became fussy about her food-as she was a realatively young(5yrs)cat,and I had had her just over a year-I thought she was just doing what all cats do-driving me crazy! But by mid-September the dribbling had become copious-she was a long-haired cat,and her fur was full of it.I needed to wait til I was paid-another 10 days or so-before I took her to the vet. They initially diagnosed a dental problem-which she DID have,and she was scheduled for surgery2 days later. I had a call from the vet saying that they had found what could be either a massive infection -or a tumour. I felt as if the floor had been pulled out from under me. When the final diagnosis came 2 weeks later,she was given 6weeks. I spent a good deal of that time beating myself over the head---all the 'what-ifs'..if I had taken her sooner would the prgnosis have been better? doubtful as the cancer was in her upper jaw-near her eye.
Sorry if i am rambling here.....just be there for him-give him all the love and comfort you can. He will tell you when he has had enough. x
My cat Cleo was diagnosed with oral cancer almost a year ago.....she had been dribbling a bit-which I was not too concerned about. I had had dribbly cats before-it always seemed to be a sign of affection in them. She also became fussy about her food-as she was a realatively young(5yrs)cat,and I had had her just over a year-I thought she was just doing what all cats do-driving me crazy! But by mid-September the dribbling had become copious-she was a long-haired cat,and her fur was full of it.I needed to wait til I was paid-another 10 days or so-before I took her to the vet. They initially diagnosed a dental problem-which she DID have,and she was scheduled for surgery2 days later. I had a call from the vet saying that they had found what could be either a massive infection -or a tumour. I felt as if the floor had been pulled out from under me. When the final diagnosis came 2 weeks later,she was given 6weeks. I spent a good deal of that time beating myself over the head---all the 'what-ifs'..if I had taken her sooner would the prgnosis have been better? doubtful as the cancer was in her upper jaw-near her eye.
Sorry if i am rambling here.....just be there for him-give him all the love and comfort you can. He will tell you when he has had enough. x
Thanks so much to you all for all your lovely messages of support. I appreciate it - and I can totally sympathise with those of you who have equally sad stories to tell.
Saff had a bad night (with me on the lounge floor beside him!) the morphine-based injection he was given had an awful effect on him and he was wide eyed and freaked out all night long and didn't sleep at all.
Think the time is nearing - and every bone in my body is willing him to make a sudden recovery but I know in my heart I have to put an end to this before it gets too bad. I would give anything to have a different out come I really would. It feels like my heart is breaking.
Thank you all so much for you support though. I know I am not alone - and that I am not the only mad cat lover out there too!
They are worth it though aren't they! Amazing animals! (bit naughty sometimes yes! but amazing!)
Saff had a bad night (with me on the lounge floor beside him!) the morphine-based injection he was given had an awful effect on him and he was wide eyed and freaked out all night long and didn't sleep at all.
Think the time is nearing - and every bone in my body is willing him to make a sudden recovery but I know in my heart I have to put an end to this before it gets too bad. I would give anything to have a different out come I really would. It feels like my heart is breaking.
Thank you all so much for you support though. I know I am not alone - and that I am not the only mad cat lover out there too!
They are worth it though aren't they! Amazing animals! (bit naughty sometimes yes! but amazing!)
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