My cat has cancer

millyanddaisy

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
569
Purraise
16
Location
England
I got this news about ten days ago and since then she has been on steroids to stimulate her appetite.

They have worked so well that now I feel I have a bottomless pit to feed! Not that I mind, they are clearly making her FEEL much better and I am grateful to have my cat back, for however long this lasts for. She really looked half-dead before she began on the steroids.

The vet has explained that this is palliative care, and she can't say how long they will work for, but at least Daisy Cat is happy at the moment, which she wasn't before.

I am so glad to be living now, when we have all these meds at our disposal. Daisy would have gone by now if we hadn't had them.
 

kittylover23

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jan 29, 2012
Messages
948
Purraise
41
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Awwwwww, so happy Daisy is feeling a bit better now. :vibes: What type of cancer is it? Where is it localized? My :rbheart: Candy had renal lymphoma. She was such a fighter. :vibes:
 

blueyedgirl5946

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
Messages
14,593
Purraise
1,695
I am also dealing with a cat who had cancer.  My Muffin's was on his liver.  Two thirds of one lobe was removed and he is doing well now.  It was a primary cancer that started in the liver.  He is also on a steroid dosage, although they have been able to decrease the dosage two times.  How often does your kitty take the steroid.  Where is the cancer.  We are all pulling for your kitty.  I am sorry you are going through this.  Hugs.
 
 

mrblanche

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
12,578
Purraise
119
Location
Texas
Yes, modern medications are often an unappreciated facet of our lives.

The good news is that the average pet cat lives much longer than they did even 100 years ago.  The bad news, of course, is that nature designed almost all animals to live long enough to reproduce enough to replace themselves, and not much longer, so in nature, probably 2-3 years was "old" in cat terms.  The result is that our cats (and us!) live long enough to get the degenerative diseases that are unknown in the wild.

Did the vet suggest any surgery or anything for your cat, or is the cancer advanced enough to rule that out?
 
 

white shadow

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 28, 2010
Messages
3,102
Purraise
2,985
Location
CA
millyanddaisy, I just posted this resource for someone else and I'll share it with you as well.

You might consider joining up with these people to see if it could be helpful experience. Joining would allow you to at least read of others' experience, a chance to "test-drive" so-to-speak. Then, if you choose, you could participate. You'll find them here http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/feline-cancer/

Thinking of you three.
 

ldg

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jun 25, 2002
Messages
41,310
Purraise
842
Location
Fighting for ferals in NW NJ!
Awwww............. :heart3: :heart3: :heart3: I'm so sorry for the sad news. :hugs: :hugs: :hugs:

I'm another one with a kitty with cancer. His was discovered by x-ray when he was very sick. He had a "massive mass" in his stomach. It was inoperable because it was fused with the lining of his stomach wall. But we had it biopsied so we could know the type of cancer, and the diagnosis was large cell lymphoma. He was referred to an oncologist. We were told that he had a 50% chance of going into remission with chemotherapy; he was given about 4 weeks to live without it. We opted for treatment - he did very well with it overall, and we were VERY fortunate, as his cancer did go into remission. :)

So yes, I have to agree! It's wonderful that we have these options available now!

He was also put on prednisone, and it clearly helped him feel much better. He needed further support, and we used an anti-nausea medication and an appetite stimulant, along with nutritional support and some herbal remedies that didn't interfere with his treatment.

I hope you and your girl enjoy many happy days together. :heart2: Right now, taking things one day at a time and enjoying each is so very important. :rub: :) :hugs: :heart2: :vibes: :vibes: :vibes: :vibes: :vibes: :vibes:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

millyanddaisy

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
569
Purraise
16
Location
England
It's in her stomach, they are fairly sure it is quite advanced. With the benefit of hindsight I can see she had not been feeling 100% for some time.

She is an elderly cat who gets stressed at the slightest change in routine so am trying to keep the vet visits down to a minimum so that she can enjoy her last days feeling secure. She too is on prednisone, at the moment she's having half a pill twice a day, but after today we are to reduce this down to half a pill once daily and see how she gets on with that. Surgery is not an option - she would never come through an anaesthetic - and chemo was mentioned but not recommended due to her stressy nature and her frail state. I agree with the vet's recommendations. I don't want to keep her alive at the expense of her sanity.

So we are just making the most of her company while she is still with us, and enjoying the fact that she's feeling well enough to cuddle up to us. Even if it does mean she spent most of last night walking over my head because she wanted a cuddle!
 

ldg

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jun 25, 2002
Messages
41,310
Purraise
842
Location
Fighting for ferals in NW NJ!
It's in her stomach, they are fairly sure it is quite advanced. With the benefit of hindsight I can see she had not been feeling 100% for some time.
She is an elderly cat who gets stressed at the slightest change in routine so am trying to keep the vet visits down to a minimum so that she can enjoy her last days feeling secure. She too is on prednisone, at the moment she's having half a pill twice a day, but after today we are to reduce this down to half a pill once daily and see how she gets on with that. Surgery is not an option - she would never come through an anaesthetic - and chemo was mentioned but not recommended due to her stressy nature and her frail state. I agree with the vet's recommendations. I don't want to keep her alive at the expense of her sanity.
So we are just making the most of her company while she is still with us, and enjoying the fact that she's feeling well enough to cuddle up to us. Even if it does mean she spent most of last night walking over my head because she wanted a cuddle!
:nod: Absolutely, the quality of her life is what is most important right now. :heart2: :hugs: :rub: My only concern in sharing the info is that many people know friends or family that have suffered chemo, and it was a difficult experience for everyone. :( This makes people hesitant to even consider chemo for their pets, but the way pets are treated with chemo is very different than the way people are. ...but in the end, it still requires those vet visits. And how they handle THAT is what should be the deciding factor, not OUR fear of the treatment, IMO. :heart2: If Lazlo stressed at the visits for the chemo, we would not have put him through it. :nono:

:hugs: :hugs: :hugs:

Here's hoping you have many nights of your kitty walking on your head because she wants cuddles! :lol3: :clap: :vibes: :vibes: :vibes: :vibes:
 
Top