Round Open Ulcer / Lung Cancer and Letting Go

Hi Guys!

My cat love, Ludo, has always been a reasonably healthy 12 year old kitty. About two weeks ago, however, he developed a sudden spot on the top of his front leg, right about the joint where his leg and paw meet. It seemed like overnight the spot went from a tiny spot to the size of a dime. Then it went from a dime to about the size of a quarter, again really quickly, and this morning I was just startled by it's increase and lack of healing. I feel bad now for the delaying his vet visit, but I was just so sure this was a little ulcerated hot spot from a flea bite or something -- I'd found a few fleas on him before his last dose of Frontline.

It's obvious that he needs a vet trip but I can't get him there until the weekend. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this with their kitty? I know, I know, I have to wait for the vet to know for sure... but now the two days until I get him there will just be an endless worry. 

I would feel better if I could find ANYTHING online that sounds the same, but every description I see isn't really similar. His would is very circular, and just totally open and pink. It was bleeding a tad last week, but now doesn't seem to be bleeding at all. The edge of the wound is raised, so the wound is sort of cratered. I slapped a cone on him and bandaged it for a few days to see if that would help, but it surprisingly only seemed to make it worse for a bit. So I'm torn, especially as he's constantly getting litter in the wound and I can't be home all day to keep flushing it out but I know it CAN'T be good for it's healing. I don't have a picture on me, but I finally found a pic online of a wound that looks just like his. 

So, cat moms? Any experience here? I'm scaring myself online with everything from amputation and cancer, and would be relieved to hear if anyone has had a cat with a similar wound so I have a possible idea.

Stay in One Day at a Time, not in the future worrry, and don't scare yourself about cancer or anything - it will be what it is, so deal with it then..  a few more days wont change anything.  you can clean it and put some triple antibiotic ointment in it in it and put a bandaid pad on it and then wrap it with vet wrap, available at most feed stores, to keep it clean until you get to the vet.

Did you find out what it is?  I'm guessing some sort of abscess ?  Is he on antibiotics at this point?

I am so sorry for my late response, but I was dealing with some really bad news. The ulcer is just a weird abscess or something that isn't healing well because Ludo's immune system is down. From the day I posted until the day I got him to the vet (I actually had them do an emergency visit), he'd suddenly developed other symptoms. He wasn't drinking as well or eating as well, wasn't asking me to turn the sink on for him or sleeping with me. When I saw him acting lethargic, I couldn't take it anymore and just took him in early.

The vet said his skin was no big deal at all, and wouldn't cause the other symptoms. X-rays told us my boy has very aggressive lung cancer and it's touch and go from now until the day I need to take him to have him put down before he is in too much discomfort. So my fears of the spot being cancer were unfounded but oddly prophetic.

Thank you guys for the input. Say a little thanks for me for someone bringing this guy into my life. 8 years wasn't enough with such a special and unique little man.

I'm so sorry the news was bad, but it is good that you know now so that you can keep him comfortable and both enjoy your last time together here.  I'd suggest getting some buprenex from your vet to help with pain.  It will make him feel a lot better for the time he has left and is really the only good long term serious pain killer for cats with cancer.  The dose is usually just a little bit on the gums or under the tongue (it's liquid) and it lasts about 12 hours usually. 

One of our members recently went through doing hospice care for her cat who had a terminal cancer.  He lasted a lot longer than expected and the thread turned into a beautiful journal of love over a three month period.  It's very long so you may not want to read it day by day but rather to skip through it, seeing how she handled the changes in him and yet how he still enjoyed life.  The pain medication was the key.  I'm sure she would be glad for you to private message her with any questions.  She's still on here frequently, helping others.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/316100/...ill-loved-one-i-share-with-you-simons-journey

  Mod Note: Merged from another thread.


Hi guys,

My "cat boyfriend" was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. The vet said it's fast, that it probably popped up within the last four months, and that it's extremely aggressive. Obviously, I'm pretty sure most of you can guess what that visit to the vet was like for us and how I'm feeling about coping with this news. I guess it's way sad, but Ludo is my best friend. Probably not the right forum to spew about how much I love him or how unique and special he is, but he is honestly the most needy, funny, clingy cat I've ever had. I'm sure y'all relate.

Anyway, now I'm in a dilemma. He has a large mass in one lung, a smaller mass in the other. He's now on a steroid and pain medication, which made him seem almost entirely normal again... until the last few days. He's still eating still, and drinking some after he started the steroid and pain meds... but now he's not asking me to turn the sink on, or sleeping with me, or acting like himself at all. I knew the meds were a short fix -- the vet said a few weeks until I needed to prepare myself to do the humane thing and have him out down. But I don't know when it is time. Is it time now, when I see him obviously declining? Do I wait until I'm startled by his condition? I cannot fathom taking him in now, while he still eats and purrs and walks and will probably struggle. Yet I also can't stomach the thought of living with knowing I waited too long because of how I feel for him, and made him suffer beceause I couldn't let go.

Anyone have any experince losing a cat to cancer or any similar disease that placed your cat in the same position? Or can anyone offer some advice on when I can feel okay ending this for him? Obviously that's relative but is he hurting now already even though he's eating and purring, and I'm being selfish because I don't want to lose him too soon? Argh. Thanks in advance for any advice or relation y'all can provide.

You are living through what none of us want to go through, and I am sorry the news was also that the cancer is aggressive.  It is amazing how sometimes our cats can seem withdrawn and miserable one day and rally round the next, and when that does happen it makes the decisions which have to be made even harder.  There are many, many people on this site who share similar experiences to yours and hopefully some of them will read your post in the coming hours.  I have been lucky in as much as the two cats I have had to say goodbye to were elderly and their declines rapid and with little doubt about when would be the best time for them.  There are some really helpful articles on this site however, and some very personal and useful threads too.   Here are links to a couple that many other members have shared and found supportive.  The third link I have put here is to an external site and questionnaire which is similar to the one in the first link but a little more extensive if you feel you need that.

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/when-is-it-time-making-the-difficult-decision

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/237066/when-the-moment-comes/0_100

http://www.veterinarypracticenews.c...olumns/bond-beyond/quality-of-life-scale.aspx

Thinking of you.

I am so very sorry to hear about your Ludo!

In your case, I think the thing to remember is that he isn't going to get better. Ultimately, it is your decision when to let go. The best guidelines to give is when he has more bad days than good, when the pleasurable moments are outweighed by the depressed ones, when he doesn't want to engage in the things that have always made him happy...then is the "best" time to let him go.

You obviously have Ludo's best interest at heart, or you wouldn't be here. I really don't think you are going to allow him to suffer for your sake. I also think you will know when the time comes.

Red Top Rescue said:

I'm so sorry the news was bad, but it is good that you know now so that you can keep him comfortable and both enjoy your last time together here.  I'd suggest getting some buprenex from your vet to help with pain.  It will make him feel a lot better for the time he has left and is really the only good long term serious pain killer for cats with cancer.  The dose is usually just a little bit on the gums or under the tongue (it's liquid) and it lasts about 12 hours usually. 

One of our members recently went through doing hospice care for her cat who had a terminal cancer.  He lasted a lot longer than expected and the thread turned into a beautiful journal of love over a three month period.  It's very long so you may not want to read it day by day but rather to skip through it, seeing how she handled the changes in him and yet how he still enjoyed life.  The pain medication was the key.  I'm sure she would be glad for you to private message her with any questions.  She's still on here frequently, helping others.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/316100/...ill-loved-one-i-share-with-you-simons-journey

Click to expand...

I'm already diving into this. Thank you so much for sharing. I have a feeling this will be an amazing resource.

I'm so sorry to hear the news was bad.  Yes, do read Simon's journey.  It's phenomenal. 

As far as the changes you are already seeing in Ludo, these could simply be from the new meds and he may not be ready to leave you yet.  As so many of us who have gone thru this feel, he will tell you, really tell you, when he is ready .  I have not had a cancer cat, but have had three kidney cats.  With each and every one, I always told them I would let them go when they told me they were ready, and with my soul cat (as I suspect Ludo is to you), he definitely did, and when I asked him that last time if he was ready, he looked me straight in the eyes and started purring louder than I'd heard him in a long, long time.  Talk to Ludo from the heart...he will answer. 

mrsgreenjeens said:

I'm so sorry to hear the news was bad.  Yes, do read Simon's journey.  It's phenomenal. 

As far as the changes you are already seeing in Ludo, these could simply be from the new meds and he may not be ready to leave you yet.  As so many of us who have gone thru this feel, he will tell you, really tell you, when he is ready .  I have not had a cancer cat, but have had three kidney cats.  With each and every one, I always told them I would let them go when they told me they were ready, and with my soul cat (as I suspect Ludo is to you), he definitely did, and when I asked him that last time if he was ready, he looked me straight in the eyes and started purring louder than I'd heard him in a long, long time.  Talk to Ludo from the heart...he will answer. 

Click to expand...

That's so beautiful. I haven't thought about asking him. You're right; the things I try to put into words to make sure I communicate our bond is that this is my soul cat. It's why I call him "overly attached cat boyfriend." I adopted him when he was 4. He was so skittish that first day; then that first night he crawled out of my closet and slept right on top of me. He has almost every night since until I roll him onto "his" side of the bed. Totally owning the crazy cat lady label my friends have given me. He's just so amazing.

Anyway. I'm in the middle of Simons journey and it's been so helpful and honestly, beautiful. Hard, but there's so many parallels and thoughts that ring with me that it is a comfort. My doctor honestly didn't say a few weeks -- she said a few days to a few weeks. I was afraid to say the words. And yet here Ludo is, feasting on treats and wet food and pain meds. He did sleep with me all last night, beside my face from when I fell asleep to when I woke up, and that was such a nice and bad feeling. Did he move to pee, eat, drink and I didn't notice? Or is he lethargic still in the night and never moved at all? Ugh.

Thank you for your response and supportive words. I lost my dad to lung and liver cancer May 19th -/ hearing the vet say Lung Cancer to me was like a sick and cruel joke, a punch in the gut. My dad and then my best friend. I drink in these comments; people are out there who get it.

Hello and welcome to you and Ludo.  I wish you joined under different circumstances.  

I'm glad you're finding Simon's Diary helpful.  Remember Simon's vet said Simon would not live past the weekend at the time was 3 days and 4 months was what Simon decided would be a proper goodbye.

One big thing that you'll think about is not taking him to the vet sooner, don't kick yourself for not taking him sooner.  That was and remains my issue, I thought Simon slipped off the counter and banged his chin, which he's done in the past so I thought he had a normal bump.

Second big thing I learned.  Don't give up, no matter how bad the news from vet or if you had an off day.  Always remember there will be another day, and it could always be better then the day before.

At one point in April, I thought Simon was done, but much to my surprise, he wanted to eat, he just didn't want me syringe feeding him anymore and just started eating blended wet food on his own.  He was never a wet food cat, so I really believe he knew if I didn't feed him or if he didn't eat on his own, he would not survive.

Ludo will let you know what he wants.  A big thing I had trouble with was not being sad and crying in front of Simon constantly, I tried to do that away from him.  He was always sensitive to my mood so while it was hard, I tried to keep things as normal as possible.   If he is getting weak and you need to move the little box closer that's fine, make things easier for him but try not to change his atmosphere too much.

I don't know how well he is with eating, but if you can get him to start eating the Recovery prescription foods that are high in calories, start bulking him up now, keep that weight on.  

My biggest friend was my Proctor Silex one speed hand mixer.  For one can of food, I would had a half can of water, blend it and syringe feed him or he ended up eating on his own towards the end.  But I found blending the food made it less grainy and easier to get bast his tumor in his mouth/throat.  I also used a 1.0 or a 3.0 ml syringe not a big one.  I actually used the syringes from his Buprenex.

Feel free to PM me anytime.