Help !

[Maria1998]

Yesterday my nine year old cat was diagnosed with Cancer. they took him for X-rays & an ultrasound & found that there was a mass in his gut that they think has already spread to his kidneys. The only symptoms he had shown was soft bowls for 6 weeks.
I still can't believe it. I cannot have children & even though I have other cat's this cat is my baby. I don't think I can go through this.
They have sent some biopsies off to see what kind of treatment he will need but I really need some advice.
Due to not having a car, the only chemo we could give him would be injections or tablets. Are these affective ?. Will the chemo make him very ill ?. Will the chemo affect my other cat's (sharing a litter box) ?.
He is such a nervous cat I just want him to be comfortable & happy.
Please, ant advice would be welcome.

Thank you.

 

[Antonio65]

Hi Maria1998,
Welcome to TCS though you had to find us for a very sad reason. Which is the same reason why I joined, when my cat was terminal for a carcinoma.

She had to be put on chemo for 10 weeks. The treatment was 10 injections of chemo med, administered by a vet at their practice. In case of an injection, I don't think you will be allowed to do it at home, on your own.
Pills might be different.
Lots of precautions must be taken in handling these meds.
The chemo drug for my cat had to be stored in a freezer at the vet's. The syringe was taken out of the freezer when I walked into the vet's practice, the injection was done 20 minutes later when the syringe had warmed up, then we had to wait at the practice for about 45 minutes to be sure no strange reactions to the drug occurred.
The cat is safe after the chemo (shots or pill) and can share litter and dishes with other cats.

Stay strong, I know hard it is. I lost my cat, she was my soul...

 

[Maria1998]

Hi Maria1998,
Welcome to TCS though you had to find us for a very sad reason. Which is the same reason why I joined, when my cat was terminal for a carcinoma.

She had to be put on chemo for 10 weeks. The treatment was 10 injections of chemo med, administered by a vet at their practice. In case of an injection, I don't think you will be allowed to do it at home, on your own.
Pills might be different.
Lots of precautions must be taken in handling these meds.
The chemo drug for my cat had to be stored in a freezer at the vet's. The syringe was taken out of the freezer when I walked into the vet's practice, the injection was done 20 minutes later when the syringe had warmed up, then we had to wait at the practice for about 45 minutes to be sure no strange reactions to the drug occurred.
The cat is safe after the chemo (shots or pill) and can share litter and dishes with other cats.

Stay strong, I know hard it is. I lost my cat, she was my soul...

Thank you for the reply. So sorry you had to go through this too. Did chemo do your cat any good ?. Did it prolong her life ?. How long did she survive ?. I guess I'm clinging on to any hope that my baby could last a long time.

 

[Antonio65]

My cat was also treated with radiation therapy.
I don't know if the chemo was helpful to her, it was in the plan of therapy.

My cat survived about 6 months post diagnosis, 5 months post radiation treatment.
The chemo was done for two months further, so she lived 3 months more after the end of the chemo.

 

[Maria1998]

My cat was also treated with radiation therapy.
I don't know if the chemo was helpful to her, it was in the plan of therapy.

My cat survived about 6 months post diagnosis, 5 months post radiation treatment.
The chemo was done for two months further, so she lived 3 months more after the end of the chemo.

Thank you for the reply. It's so sad that more cannot be done to help these beautiful babies when they go through this. I lost one cat in 2014 & another in April this year to cancer but they were too far advanced to be helped.

 

[ara11]

My cat was also treated with radiation therapy.
I don't know if the chemo was helpful to her, it was in the plan of therapy.

My cat survived about 6 months post diagnosis, 5 months post radiation treatment.
The chemo was done for two months further, so she lived 3 months more after the end of the chemo.

Hello, I am workin

 

[ara11]

Hello,
Each cancer has different treatments. My Luna has vaccine associated sarcoma, an aggressive tumor that was surgically removed. Tho not all was gotten I gather Daily radiation was recommended but now she has another tumor. It is sad we don't know how much or how little to do- how much it will help or just postpone the inevitable while making her/him more miserable.