My Cat has Cancer

Iggy's ear has had bloody discharge for a little while and we were treating it with antibiotics and drops. It seemed to help a little but had kept coming back. We finally brought Iggy to the same Specialty Vet Care center as our other cat Tigger (Hyperthyriodism) and after doing a CT scan and biopsy they determined he has cancer.

If we decide to have the surgery done they would have to remove his entire left ear canal and his Lymphnode. He would also need to have Chemo or radiation therapy or both. At 16 years old i'm not sure I want to put him or us through this.

He seems to be doing real well has is (for now). He eats, drinks and plays like he has always done.

Any opinions? We are not sure what to do

Ultimately, you have to base your decision on your cat, you know him best.
I can however, share with you the choice I made in a similar situation.

I had a cat that was diagnosed with a lympho sarcoma 3 months before his 13th birthday.
I was given the options of chemo, radiation, both, or nothing.
His prognosis was poor, regardless of the choice.
Without treatment, I was told he could live maybe a month, pain free and relatively normal.
With treatment, he was given 4-6 months, tops.
I opted not to put him through treatment, and chose to let him tell me when it was time. He was with me 6 months, without getting any treatment before he started deteriorating.

It wasn't an easy choice to be sure.

What is your cat's prognosis without any treatment, with surgery but no treatment, and with surgery and treatment?

We have to meet with the oncologist to get more information on how much longer he has with or without treatment. They did say that surgery without treatment would be a waste of time since they know they cannot remove all the cancer.

He seems like he is doing very well. Just acts like a person who might have gotten some water in their ear after swimming.

Thanks for your reply.

You of course know the situation better than anyone else, but having seen people go through surgery, chemo, and radiation, there is no way I would do that to an animal without a really impressive survival rate. And at 16 y/o, it seems to me that the best choice for your cat may be to just let him live out his life in peace.

How very sad. Poor Iggy, I hope he fools everyone and just keeps on going for a few more years!

That is so hard. But I tend to agree that I would not put a 16 year old cat through painful and debilitating treatment. It is a horrible decision to make, and all you can do is keep his best interests at heart, not yours.

Very hard decision, and sorry you are having to go through this. I recently had a cat with mammary cancer, and after doing some research and talking to my vet, we decided against putting her through the stress of the x rays and ops as she was 14, unsociable and had other health issues. mammary cancer has a high incidence of recurrence though. I personally would give him all the pampering you can to make the time he has left with you special

I have to agree that his age has to be considered, but no one but you really knows the best answer for your kitty. I am so sorry to hear that he has cancer, and send you the best of luck. this must be so painful for you. is your kitty in any pain? this also may affect the decision you have to make.