lung cancer

Phoebe has had asthma for the last 9 1/2 or her 12 1/2 years. Last year on her chest x-ray, the vet saw a very small spot on her lung. While it was presumed to be cancer, we did not do any further testing to confirm the diagnosis. I was told that if this was lung cancer that it would be very slow growing.

Several weeks ago I noticed a small bump on Phoebe's back, like a zit. The kids were all home from school with friends in and out of the house. Phoebe does not come out from under the bed when we have guest, so we didn't see her a lot; she would come out when we all went to bed.

Two weeks ago I notice the bump was larger and took her in to see the vet who was not our regular vet. After a needle aspiration, I was told Phoebe had a mast cell tumor and it needed to be removed. I scheduled with my regular vet the next week. Well the biopsy came back and it is an adenocarcinoma of the lung. We now have a positive diagnosis of lung cancer and it has shown up in an area it shouldn't. The vet said I do not have to do anything different, but to check Phoebe as these tumors can sometimes show up on the toes of cats. For some reason lung cancer in cats seems to metastasize in their toes for some reason.

Phoebe was fine before her surgery last Wednesday and seemed fine after. Her surgery area looks great and she had her stitches removed yesterday. My problem is she isn't eating and I am not sure how much water if any she is drinking. She usually pees in the litter box 3 times a day and lately it has only been once or maybe twice. She is not dehydrated, but she has lost a pound in the last 9 days. She hasn't pooped since surgery, but the vet said that she doesn't have poop in her according to her exam. Phoebe will only eat dry food; the couple of times she has even licked canned food, she has thrown up. The vet gave me some stronger smelling dry food and I gave her some of the canned I had for her brother, but she will not touch either. I do not know what I can feed her that she might eat. She is still hanging out under the bed most of the time and has always eaten when we were asleep. So me not seeing her eat is not unusual. I know when her brother was dying, I gave him anything he would eat and he loved turkey. Phoebe has never like people food or wet food. What can I feed her to get her to eat?

I am having a hard time understanding why she was fine before surgery and can go downhill so fast. To think she might die of starvation instead of cancer just is blowing my mind. My husband seems to think the cancer is more advanced than we think and the surgery just seemed to jump start the end.

Any food advice or information on the progression of lung cancer is welcome.

I'm sorry but your husband may be right about the cancer being more advanced.

Try tuna, boiled chicken breast, plain yogurt or baby food (w/o onion or garlic). Anything to get her to eat. If it gets really bad you may have to syringe feed her. However, if she is really that bad then it may not be worth the added stress of force feeding her.

for Phoebe, yourself and your husband.

Well, it has been over two weeks and Phoebe is still not eating. I took her back to the vet yesterday to make sure there wasn't something else going on. She had lost a bit more weight as she still was not eating. The vet check her urine to make sure her kidney were ok, and all values were good. Next was a chest x-ray where we found the problem; her chest was full of fluid. I left Phoebe so that the fluid could be drain and then sent to the lab. After the tap, she was x-rayed again and another tumor was found. The vet was then gave her some IV fluids in hopes that Phoebe would feel better.

When we go home that night, Phoebe actually tried to drink some water but could not swallow. She gave up after 3 tries. Today the call came that indeed the fluid in her chest had cancer cells in it. I was told that the fluid would be back in a day or two and it would be more humane for Phoebe to go ahead and put her to sleep in the next few days. She has not eaten or pooped in 17 days and isn't going to start now. She sleeps all day and night, usually hiding under the bed.

Since the kids are away at school, they are not going to come home to see her, so I have decided to go ahead and take her tomorrow. Actually, I am sending my husband the non cat lover as I just took Phoebe's brother in September. I don't want to do this again so soon; walking into the office, knowing you are leaving them for good, is too hard. This way I will say goodbye at home.

We still have a young dog at home, so I am sure she will get lots of attention tomorrow.

Poor kitty... I am so very sorry...

Oh I'm so sorry, that's awful, I feel so sad for you all. If Phoebe stands little or no chance of getting better though it is the only option really, it is an act of kindness though, the last bit of care we can give them. So sad though