Terminal cancer

Well I finally got a definitive diagnosis on my cat.  I was right it wasn't CSS but a tumor the other vet missed and there is no treatment.  Even radiation would only be a couple of months.  I am going to lose my cat, he's only 11, so not ready for this.  Worse thing ever. 

I am so sorry to hear that, such sad news.

Thank you.  This is seriously the worse thing I have ever felt.  I lost my father when I was a teenager and it sucked but I am actually closer with this cat.  What makes it even harder is that I am a straight male so I think some people just don't understand why I am so upset.  No he isn't just a cat, he's been my best friend for 11 years. 

Of course you are upset, this is devastating news!

Our cats are just like our children, we feed them care for them and love them and they love us back. Anyone who does not understand has obviously never had such a wonderful and cherished relationship with a pet, I am sad for them.

It is never easy to lose a dearly beloved pet, I have lost family members and pets in the past and know it is just as painful to lose a pet, especially one you have had for so long.

Hi Kkrauss1,

I'm so sorry to hear of this devastating news.  I understand how you are feeling - I had a dear little kitty named Garfy who died of sarcoma.  You could google pet loss and find some sites (pick the ones that are heavily moderated) to talk with others who've lost or are losing their pets.  There are people out there like us who do understand.  I just lost my Gracie in July, exactly a year after losing my mom.  I had Gracie for 11 years also.  My heart goes out to you.

Dear Kkraus, I just wanted to say how extremely, deeply sorry I am to hear this. I know exactly how you feel. And there is no category (straight male, gay woman, etc) that would make it any easier. People like us, who love our pets so much, do feel exactly like you do - this is a true family member. Your cat is so lucky to have you as his dad. And you're lucky to have him. Take care of him the best you can, put his care and his needs first right now, and know that others are thinking of you and him, wishing both of you peace. I'm so sorry for what you are going through.

Hi i am sorry about your young kitty.Have all options been told to you? The reason i ask is I belong to two cancer groups at yahoo.The lymphoma group has an IMVET who volunteers very precious time to answer questions.He has been an Internist for 27 years & knows of every cancer protocol there is.He is a wealth.Please if you are interested pm me  & I will give you the link to join as well as other info about it.Ok? Hugs to you & your babe during this trying time.C.

Hi Guys, through pain management, prednisolone, and tube feeding trunks is still kicking. His symptoms have progressed, he has not had any seizures though as it seems like the tumor is impacting mostly he eyes and nose. He can't breath through his nose and keeps his mouth open which is pretty slobbery and his third eyelids have slowly progressed upwards. In fact, today, he has gone blind, I noticed him walking in to things and was clearly not able to see where he was going. I decided to stay home as I am afraid he is going to hurt himself. For over an hour he just kept walking around bumping in to things and meowing. I finally picked him up and put him in my bed and we are laying down. He is purring and seems happy which is what has me struggling with whether or not it is time to let him go. I really hoped it would be obvious when to do it but he seems to continue having moments of happiness but at the same time I don't know how long we can keep this up. Some opinions would be nice.

I'm so sorry that you have to go through this. I don't think there's anything worse than seeing your beloved companion start to fade knowing that there's nothing you can do.
Really, only you can know when it's time for your baby. We can offer advice, but only you really know him.
Our hearts are with you

Keeping you and your dear cat in my thoughts and prayers.

This is such a terribly difficult decision to have to make. When I've gone through this, I've asked a couple of questions:

Is my cat still eating and drinking?

Is my cat in pain?

Has my cat's function been affected to the point that normal functioning is affected, eg using the litter box or being able to walk.

Does my cat just seem very tired and lethargic and not enjoying life any longer?

One thing you have to ask yourself is how realistic is it for you to stay home with your boy?

For now, just give your kitty as much love as possible and treasure every moment. Hopefully you will know when the time is right, but it is worth mentioning that most people feel better about possibly saying good bye earlier than necessary instead of waiting too long.

My heart goes out to you. [emoji]128149[/emoji]

kkrauss1 said:

 
Thank you.  This is seriously the worse thing I have ever felt.  I lost my father when I was a teenager and it sucked but I am actually closer with this cat.  What makes it even harder is that I am a straight male so I think some people just don't understand why I am so upset.  No he isn't just a cat, he's been my best friend for 11 years. 

Click to expand...

We definitely understand here.  My husband and I almost lost our cat Mia and he was devastated because they are very close.  

Hugs to you and your kitty   

Definitely so such thing as "just a cat" as far as we're concerned. Does his quality of life still seem good, and does he still seem happy with his life? Or does he seem miserable more often than not?

Sometimes physical changes in a cat don't have quite the profound effect they do in humans. Sometimes they do, but not always. My Lucky lost most of his sight when he was in end-stage renal failure, within days of being diagnosed actually. He wasn't really bothered by that though.

I am so sorry to hear about your cat's diagnosis...I know the pain all too well. I recently lost my kitty to terminal cancer and it is so heartbreaking. Nothing will make it better, but just remember everyone here understands. No matter who you are, you love your cat and you are allowed to be upset. Don't let anyone tel you otherwise! My 6'5" tall boyfriend who society might see as being "tough" cried when our cat died. Its okay to cry! A cat's love is different in that it is completely unconditional where as human relationships can often be complicated by other things. I found this was why it was so hard to lose my cat and it helped me feel like it was normal to be as upset as I was. Just remember you love him so much and treasure each moment left. I am thinking of you and your cat and sending you good wishes.

I agree with the line of thinking that MargD laid out a few posts above. If he is eating and drinking and not in too much obvious pain, I would do my best to keep him comfortable and happy at home for now. That could mean confining him to a smaller, safer area while you are at work. Think about whether he would be ok in a bedroom, or maybe a smaller area (closet or make-shift area that you set up). For me personally, based on what you said in your post, I would not take him in right now. But the people are right who say that only you know him best - so you also have to listen to your gut. But I've seen 2 cases of my parents' cats who had terminal cancers and had "hospice" care at home, and had peaceful deaths without needing to be put to sleep. The last one died on Christmas Day, and we were all there with her - she ate some deli ham, used her litter box the entire time, and was in a little enclosed area that my dad set up for her with food, water, litter box, bed, etc.

I know what an incredibly hard time this is for you, so you and your cat are in my thoughts!