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Desperately seeking help...

post #1 of 31
11/7/08 at 1:03am
Thread Starter 
My cat Snowball, who is 15 years old, was recently diagnosed with oral cancer. Apparently there is a tumor under/on her tongue... she also has failing kidneys.

Among a ton of other problems, I've noticed (it's hard not to) that her fur/skin is turning brown. She's licking herself a lot and I'm wondering if it's because of the tumor in her mouth collecting bacteria.. and then she licks her fur, spreading the stuff. It's all over her face and her front legs. I've attached some photos to show you how bad it's getting.

I've tried giving her a bath (something we've never ever given her) but she won't have any of it. I've tried hydrogen peroxide with cotton balls, but it doesn't really come off... plus I can only clean her for about 15 seconds before she gets a bit violent. I'm going to pick up some dry shampoo and try that... but I have a feeling it wont work too well for that problem. It'll probably help clean up the smell (she smells awful) but not anything else.

Have any of you seen this problem before? I don't know what to do! My vet seems to ignore it every time I bring it up because she has so many other problems to deal with, so I'm not getting any help there. What about those neck things that prevent them from licking themselves? I've always thought they were kind of cruel, but I don't know... I thought maybe it was allergies so I am feeding her grain-free food but it doesn't seem to be doing much.

Agh! I just feel awful for her. When I was a little girl I remember my mom saying to me that cats are clean animals and deserve to have clean litterboxes (she was teaching me to empty the LB every day)... that's always stuck with me and even now I feel like I should be doing everything I can to help her get clean -- she deserves it.

Any ideas? Thanks so much in advance for your help!





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post #2 of 31
11/7/08 at 5:43am
I'm so sorry for Snowball is sick. She's a little cutie. I don't have much experience with this so I can't offer any advice. I'm sure someone will come along and can give you some adivice.

Many many Prayers and for Snowball and you.
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post #3 of 31
11/7/08 at 6:10am
Like you, most of us would just be guessing about the whys and wherefores of this issue.

If your current vet is not willing to even discuss it with you or doesn't take it seriously, I would recommend another vet for a second opinion. What I see in those pictures certainly doesn't look good.
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post #4 of 31
11/7/08 at 8:16am
Poor Snowball! I'm sorry she is suffering from cancer. There is a product at pet stores that is for pet stains. I don't know what it's called but my friend used it for his Bichon Frise dog. White dogs tend to stain around their mouth and eyes and this product helped removed the brown tint. If you ask a pet store employee, they may know about this product.
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post #5 of 31
11/7/08 at 8:26am
Sorry, I can't help you either, but I wonder if the brown stuff isn't dry blood. The only thing I can think of is to try grooming Snowball's face and legs with a flea comb to see if that will remove it. Your poor cat looks so miserable and I'm sending her and you lots of .
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post #6 of 31
11/7/08 at 8:32am
Snowball is a beauty. So sorry about her illness.

I am with others on considering another vet opinion. Even though she may have more critical health issues this may be related to the cancer in some way. The change in color and especially the odor could be several things that may have a simple solution if evaluated. Fungal, yeast, bacteria, etc. we can only guess. Vet would be the only way to find out what and if there is something to do.

Wishing you the best for your Snowball.
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post #7 of 31
11/7/08 at 8:53am
Poor Snowball, she looks like such a darling.
I'm with everyone else for taking her to see another vet. Other then that, I don't have much advice, but lots of prayers and for you and Snowball.
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post #8 of 31
11/7/08 at 9:29am
OK, I'm going to offer advice in a different direction. Trust me, I had to to make this decision with our 18 year old cat we'd had since a kitten a few months back, so I offer the advice lovingly and sadly.

Your kitty is 15 years old with failing kidneys and cancer. Your kitty is not well and in a state of decline with an inevitable conclusion in the not too distant future.

As loving pet owners, I believe our responsibility is to do what we can to keep the quality of life high for the remaining time and to step back and make the decision to end it when the cat's deterioriating condition makes that impossible.

I can't tell for sure from photos, but it appears to me that your cat has reached the point where she can no longer care for herself properly. I'm sad for you and for your kitty. But, rather than making the cat even more uncomfortable with baths and hydrogen peroxide and all that, I think you probably need to start thinking when the time is right to do the kind thing and put your kitty to sleep.

I've had to do it twice. It was rough both times. The first was a sudden spinal paralysis that left the cat unable to walk, so the decision was pretty much made for us. The second was at the end of a long kidney function decline over a period of a several years, so we picked the day. I probably waited a little too long.

What does your vet say? If the illness is terminal, then I recommend thinking about making the move sooner rather than later based on your kitty's condition. I would also recommend thinking about a new kitty pretty soon thereafter.
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post #9 of 31
11/7/08 at 1:14pm
I'd like to second what hwc mentioned. I had to make that decision last spring for my beautiful girl, and I know how awful it can be. But when you wrote about all you're doing about those "stains," I was very troubled because it seems to me that the primary thing for your beloved pet at this point is to make her as comfortable as possible. Those "stains" may be a natural result of her conditions and nothing whatever to do with dirt.

But please consider this. When my girl was deteriorating, my vet told me that psychic distress is as damaging for a cat as physical pain. That is, as the cat is slowly dying, the accompanying depression may be even more painfor for the animal. When I struggled with this decision, I also read on the internet a comment that "A good death is the final gift we can give to our beloved pets." At the same time, no one who wrote about the decision had any regrets--except for those who felt that they waited too long. Please think about this.
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post #10 of 31
11/7/08 at 4:17pm
I cannot add anything, but just want to say that she's a beautiful girl and I'm very sorry that she is so sick Sending plenty of good wishes for her health and that she wil not feel much pain
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post #11 of 31
11/7/08 at 4:30pm
This is very sad, she is a very beautiful girl. I have to agree with 2 of the previous posts. My Sammy had been struggling with liver disease for a year; he would appear to get better, then revert back. He was on Predisolne twice a day. The vet wanted to wean him off the medication. The first day I gave him less, I could see how bad he felt. He couldn't get himself to the litter boxes. I made the decision to have him PTS the next Saturday, and put him back on the medication, which kept him comfortable until it was time. As heartbreaking as this was, it was the right thing to do.
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post #12 of 31
11/7/08 at 5:38pm
I'm so sorry this is happening to Snowball.

Everyone has offered good advice, though some of it is tough to read.

You have to consider Snowball's prognosis. You need to know realistically how much time Snowball has with two very serious conditions. Please get a second opinion. Ask about doing sub-q fluids at home since it will go a long way toward making Snowball feel better.

The fact that your current vet will not address the issue of the brown staining and smell is unconscionable and tells me you need another vet who will. As you'd mentioned in your OP, cats are such tidy animals and it must be very distressing to Snowball that she cannot clean herself properly. HappilyRetired made a good point about depression and psychic distress. Being unclean is very distressing for a kitty.

I, too, don't believe you should stress Snowball with baths, e-collars, etc. Hopefully, a new vet can get to the bottom of what's causing the staining and will be able to gently remove the stains from Snowball's hair.

The most important thing to always consider is Snowball's quality of life. Is she comfortable, can she eat and drink, use the litter box normally, and very importantly, is she pain-free? Can she still enjoy the activities she likes? Is she still happy, is she still able to enjoy her life? Be brutally honest when you answer those questions. Whatever you do, make sure it's in Snowball's best interest. It can be very difficult to get your head and your heart to agree on hard decisions.

All good wishes to you & your beautiful girl.

Please keep us updated.
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post #13 of 31
11/7/08 at 6:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hwc View Post
OK, I'm going to offer advice in a different direction. Trust me, I had to to make this decision with our 18 year old cat we'd had since a kitten a few months back, so I offer the advice lovingly and sadly.

Your kitty is 15 years old with failing kidneys and cancer. Your kitty is not well and in a state of decline with an inevitable conclusion in the not too distant future.

As loving pet owners, I believe our responsibility is to do what we can to keep the quality of life high for the remaining time and to step back and make the decision to end it when the cat's deterioriating condition makes that impossible.

I can't tell for sure from photos, but it appears to me that your cat has reached the point where she can no longer care for herself properly. I'm sad for you and for your kitty. But, rather than making the cat even more uncomfortable with baths and hydrogen peroxide and all that, I think you probably need to start thinking when the time is right to do the kind thing and put your kitty to sleep.

I've had to do it twice. It was rough both times. The first was a sudden spinal paralysis that left the cat unable to walk, so the decision was pretty much made for us. The second was at the end of a long kidney function decline over a period of a several years, so we picked the day. I probably waited a little too long.

What does your vet say? If the illness is terminal, then I recommend thinking about making the move sooner rather than later based on your kitty's condition. I would also recommend thinking about a new kitty pretty soon thereafter.

I am so so so sorry about your kitty. My cat also had oral cancer, and the stains you were showing, i believe, is likely dried blood. The cancer causes some shifting of the bones, and it causes bleeding and infection........ Talk to a different vet and ask if they think this could be the problem. If it is, you can fight the infection with antibiotics (if the breath is smelly, this is the case) however this is only a temporary fix, and it will continue to happen and is likely painful.... My baby was 16 and I made the very tough decision to put her to sleep, but I knew she was no longer in pain

As mentioned you need to find another vet, and you need to think aboout your options.

My thoughts are with you and your baby, thank you for coming here and for doing everything you can
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post #14 of 31
11/7/08 at 6:14pm
What caught my eye as much as the mysterious brown is the look of her overall coat. It looks like a kitty that is in some distress, perhaps sweating, but unable to properly lick and clean itself.

Of course, we can't tell from just a photo. Maybe these were taken two minutes after a bath.

But, those were signs that made me think it was time for my kitty. She went through a bout of being too ill for a couple of days to clean and groom. She bounced back, but that's when I knew a decision was inevitable.
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post #15 of 31
11/7/08 at 7:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hwc View Post
What caught my eye as much as the mysterious brown is the look of her overall coat. It looks like a kitty that is in some distress, perhaps sweating, but unable to properly lick and clean itself.

Of course, we can't tell from just a photo. Maybe these were taken two minutes after a bath.

But, those were signs that made me think it was time for my kitty. She went through a bout of being too ill for a couple of days to clean and groom. She bounced back, but that's when I knew a decision was inevitable.
That's one of the first things I noticed as well - the condition of the overall coat. I hope she is not suffering.
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post #16 of 31
11/7/08 at 8:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hwc View Post
What caught my eye as much as the mysterious brown is the look of her overall coat. It looks like a kitty that is in some distress, perhaps sweating, but unable to properly lick and clean itself.

Cats don't sweat through their skin as people do. They sweat through their pawpads. Look at the exam table the next time you take your kitty to the vet.

Snowball's coat is probably showing signs of dehydration due to her failing kidneys. Her skin is most likely dry and the hair is separating. Dehydration makes any kitty, especially a sick one, feel even more miserable. That's why I had mentioned asking the vet about giving sub-q fluids at home. Fluids are extremely beneficial.
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post #17 of 31
11/15/08 at 11:31pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you all for your responses. I'm sorry for taking so long to respond, it's been a hard few weeks. I made the decision to put Snowball down this morning so she's in a better place now. The filth on her face got better and she was acting perfectly normal (purring, jumping up on my lap to cuddle, alert, etc) but the cancer got bad enough that she couldn't eat and she was getting too skinny... I had to do it. I loved her enough to not let her to starve to death even though I still wanted her by my side.

To say that I am devastated is a bit of an understatement... she was my everything. Tears are definitely pouring down my face as I write this.

That being said, I appreciate all your responses, even the ones encouraging me to put her to sleep... that was hard to hear, but needed. I've never done anything like this before. So, thank you. Your words meant a lot.

You can see my post on Snowball here: http://www.iamrobyn.com/?p=511
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post #18 of 31
11/16/08 at 12:08am
So sorry about your cat.
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post #19 of 31
11/16/08 at 12:18am
I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of Snowball. She was gorgeous with her bi-colored eyes. I know you made the right decision even though you are hurting so much.
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post #20 of 31
11/16/08 at 4:56am
I'm so so sorry to hear about Snowball, she's in a better place and very healthy and happy. Many Prayers to give you strenght to get through this difficult time.
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post #21 of 31
11/16/08 at 6:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by iamrobyn View Post
Thank you all for your responses. I'm sorry for taking so long to respond, it's been a hard few weeks. I made the decision to put Snowball down this morning so she's in a better place now.
Have you visited our "Crossing the Bridge" section? Also, let me recommend petloss.com.

http://www.petloss.com/
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post #22 of 31
11/16/08 at 6:43am
I am so sorry to hear your kitty was so sick she had to put down!may she R.I.P you made the best decision ( although very painful).She is now resatored to her healthy vibrant self before the illness.
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post #23 of 31
11/16/08 at 6:45am
So sorry for your loss. It is such a difficult decision to make, you don't want your beloved pet in pain or suffering and you don't want them to leave you either. As much as it hurts you did the best thing for her. And you have memories of wonderful years with her.
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post #24 of 31
11/16/08 at 8:19am
I am so sorry for your loss. You made such a hard decision but it was one made out of love for your precious baby. She is now in kitty heaven; running and playing and catching butterflies and having lots of fun. I wish you peace and strength to get through this. She will always be in your heart.
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post #25 of 31
11/16/08 at 8:53am
Most of us have had to make the decision you made today. It is never easy and the tears flow, but know in your heart that you have released her from her pain and suffering. She will be waiting for you at the rainbow bridge.
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post #26 of 31
11/19/08 at 6:25am
I just read your story this morning, and I am bawling as I sit here at the computer. I had to make that decision last year for my 19-year-old female cat, and it was so extremely hard. I had had her longer than my husband and kids - we'd been together a long time. When I saw pictures of Snowball, his fur reminded me of how Annie's had gotten when she got older. My heart goes out to you.
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post #27 of 31
11/24/08 at 4:38pm
I am so very sorry...
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post #28 of 31
11/25/08 at 4:07pm
What a difficult decision you had to make. Let your memories of your precious kitty comfort you during this difficult time, and may Snowball rest in peace.
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post #29 of 31
11/25/08 at 6:01pm
I am also very sorry for your loss, your decision was a very brave and loving one.
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post #30 of 31
11/25/08 at 6:21pm
RIP Snowball, you are free and have no pain now that youu crossed the rainbow bridge, youe mommy did all she cold for you as you know, i hope your mommy knows it.
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