Thoughts on Cat's Medical History

I want to talk about my cat Caesar. He's 11 years old. He's had issues since I adopted him in 2010. The shelter told me he was deteriorating fast and had stopped eating - more reason to take him home and give him a chance. He's a very tiny cat with a tiny build, and it's possible that he was a premature or a runt. My boyfriend calls him a "perma-kitten."

He was vomiting non-stop the first 4-6 months. I've always suspected he may have some kind of IBS/IBD because his stools are very inconsistent. The texture and color changes often. He'll have some days of not feeling well and will skip a meal or two. He usually perks back up and starts eating again. He's also neurotic, but that's another story. 

Dumb question I suppose, but were hormones checked? Specifically ones dealing with calcium levels?

As far as the other stuff, I don't know the progression of those diseases.

I think you can definitely rule out FIP.  Everything I have read about that even the dry form wouldn't have stayed in check for a full year.  I doubt that bone marrow cancer would've stayed in check this long without treatment.  I think it is possible that he has small cell lymphoma.  That type of cancer like IBD seems to be so unpredictable in how it progresses and spontaneous remissions do happen.

peaches08 said:

Dumb question I suppose, but were hormones checked? Specifically ones dealing with calcium levels?

As far as the other stuff, I don't know the progression of those diseases.

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I'm not sure I know what you mean. Do mean a T4 for thyroid? If so, yes, he had the T4 done and it came back normal.

Denice said:

 
I think you can definitely rule out FIP.  Everything I have read about that even the dry form wouldn't have stayed in check for a full year.  I doubt that bone marrow cancer would've stayed in check this long without treatment.  I think it is possible that he has small cell lymphoma.  That type of cancer like IBD seems to be so unpredictable in how it progresses and spontaneous remissions do happen.

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Okay, that's good to know about FIP (gosh do I hate those three letters) and multiple myeloma. Hmm....the dreaded SCL again.    I'll guess we'll see how his labs come out the next time he's at the vet. I will say that the things that were out of whack on Caesar's labs were way different than what was out of whack on Sebastian's labs.

Quite honestly, if Caesar has SCL, it wouldn't surprise me. I've been dealing with the ups and downs of Caesar since the day I brought him home, but on a milder scale. Even though his stools represent every color of the rainbow and his vomiting was awful in the beginning, it's only been 2-3 times in 3 years that he went longer than a day without eating. Sebastian's ups and downs have been more severe. I wonder if symptoms of IBD can actually be more severe than SCL. 

No, not T3 and T4. Calcitonin (thyroid) and PTH (parathyroid) levels deal with calcium levels.

I'm thinking if it were cancer, other cell lines would be affected but maybe not?

Googled a bit and came across this: www.felineihc.org

peaches08 said:

No, not T3 and T4. Calcitonin (thyroid) and PTH (parathyroid) levels deal with calcium levels.

I'm thinking if it were cancer, other cell lines would be affected but maybe not?

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Oh...hmm....I guess not. If they are not part of a normal CBC, then I suppose we did not check those. The only other add-on tests he had done were ionized calcium, T4, x-rays, FeLV, FIV, and a fecal.

peaches08 said:

Googled a bit and came across this: www.felineihc.org

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Thanks! I do remember coming across this awhile ago. It's making me think I should get him checked out sooner rather than later, especially if IHC affects the kidneys.

I don't know how they test for calcitonin and PTH in cats, but I imagine it would be similar to the baseline then stimulation/suppression tests.