Palliative care for cat with cancer

[shaftell]

Hey everyone,

My 14 year old cat Kobi was recently diagnosed with intestinal lymphoma after an ultrasound showed inflammation in the gut, swollen lymph nodes, and a fine needle aspirate that showed cancerous cells.

We have entered palliative care now and I'm wondering if I should just let my girl have any type of wet food she pleases. We are on a combination of mirtazapine(which makes her crazy but works well for her appetite), cerenia, and prednisolone and that has worked well in regards to getting her to eat. However, my vet said it's best to get her on a different diet with novel proteins. We've tried about 6 prescription diets but she just wouldn't eat any of it.

She has taken quite a liking to things like Fancy feast, meow mix and friskies canned food . She's never had those things until recently when I got desperate for her to eat something. Is any food better than no food? I mean she doesn't have long to live ,I don't think ,and if she eats the fancy feast well I should just let her right?

Any advice would be appreciated, thank you for reading.

 

[RTR]

I'd buy cans of Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, etc. anything my cat wanted, untill I knew it was to to stop the suffering!

 

[dahlia]

I was in a very similar situation and just ended up giving him anything he would eat. I had always done the fancier stuff but ended up feeding him Fancy Feast and figured some eating was better than nothing.

 

[betsygee]

I'm so sorry about your baby and her diagnosis. When I have been in the same situation, I let my kitties eat whatever they wanted. A better quality food will not change the outcome at this point, and at least Kobi will be getting some nutrition.

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

I would feed my cat whatever it wanted to eat.

 

[AbbysMom]

I'm so sorry.

I'd let her have whatever she is willing to eat. I have a 20 year-old that is supposed to be on a low phosphorous diet but at this point eating is more important so she gets phosphorous at times.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi and sorry to hear about the cancer. I am more or less echoing everyone else to let her eat what she likes, as long as it isn't posing any digestive issues, such as vomiting or diarrhea.

But, I wanted to point out that experimenting with the dosage/frequency of mirtazapine might enable you to find a balance between craziness and increased appetite. Not all cats need a full dose daily, some cats do well with a half dose daily, or a full dose every other day, etc. So, if you try some different approaches, you might be able to stop some of the crazies she goes through.

 

[silent meowlook]

It’s better she eat the wrong things than nothing. Talk to your vet about Chlorambucil.

 

[shaftell]

Hi and sorry to hear about the cancer. I am more or less echoing everyone else to let her eat what she likes, as long as it isn't posing any digestive issues, such as vomiting or diarrhea.

But, I wanted to point out that experimenting with the dosage/frequency of mirtazapine might enable you to find a balance between craziness and increased appetite. Not all cats need a full dose daily, some cats do well with a half dose daily, or a full dose every other day, etc. So, if you try some different approaches, you might be able to stop some of the crazies she goes through.

Thank you for replying. Yes, we have been trying different doses for the mirtazapine. The vet had recommended a 2 mg tablet and that drove her bonkers. We went down to 1.5 and it was a little less but she was still very agitated and vocal. So we have settled to a 1 mg half tablet every few days as needed and that works. She is still a little agitated, but not as much and it has the desired effects of increasing her appetite.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Yes, we have been trying different doses for the mirtazapine. The vet had recommended a 2 mg tablet and that drove her bonkers. We went down to 1.5 and it was a little less but she was still very agitated and vocal. So we have settled to a 1 mg half tablet every few days as needed and that works. She is still a little agitated, but not as much and it has the desired effects of increasing her appetite.

The other option might be the transdermal form (Mirataz), which I give my cat 1/2 dose every other day and she has no hyperactivity from it, but it does boost her appetite. Supposedly, it is less potent/effective, as is the case with most transdermal meds, but less potent might just be the answer.

 

[Tobermory]

The last year of her life, my 19-year-old Iris got Fancy Feast pâtés. She would eat the higher quality food, but she clearly loved the FF so much more. And I thought to myself, “If she loves it, she gets it.” It’s an adequate food, and it gave her some enjoyment in her life.

 

[VinceL]

I am so sorry to hear about Kobi.

We have been through the exact same situation. A little over 2 years ago our cat Loki was diagnosed with lymphoma. He had lost significant weight but was still eating. Our vet prescribed Chlorambucil and Prednisolone. Our daughter who is also a vet agreed with our vet's prescription. I had read that since lymphoma in cats is not very aggressive, with treatment cats can live for 2 to 4 years. We got another 2 years with Loki before he just refused to eat anything. During those 2 years we tried all kinds of different wet and dry foods. He really liked the prescription Recovery food from Royal Canin for about 16 months.

My best wishes to you and Kobi.

 

[iPappy]

Hey everyone,

My 14 year old cat Kobi was recently diagnosed with intestinal lymphoma after an ultrasound showed inflammation in the gut, swollen lymph nodes, and a fine needle aspirate that showed cancerous cells.

We have entered palliative care now and I'm wondering if I should just let my girl have any type of wet food she pleases. We are on a combination of mirtazapine(which makes her crazy but works well for her appetite), cerenia, and prednisolone and that has worked well in regards to getting her to eat. However, my vet said it's best to get her on a different diet with novel proteins. We've tried about 6 prescription diets but she just wouldn't eat any of it.

She has taken quite a liking to things like Fancy feast, meow mix and friskies canned food . She's never had those things until recently when I got desperate for her to eat something. Is any food better than no food? I mean she doesn't have long to live ,I don't think ,and if she eats the fancy feast well I should just let her right?

Any advice would be appreciated, thank you for reading.

Fed is best. If she were mine, I would feed her whatever she wants to eat. Just listen to her and offer variety if she slows down on any of the brands or flavors. IME, their appetites can really fluctuate and do different things. She may take to the novel protein diet at some point, but for now, she needs to eat.
I am so sorry for the diagnosis. Cancer sucks.

 

[iPappy]

The last year of her life, my 19-year-old Iris got Fancy Feast pâtés. She would eat the higher quality food, but she clearly loved the FF so much more. And I thought to myself, “If she loves it, she gets it.” It’s an adequate food, and it gave her some enjoyment in her life.

All of my cats with cancer eventually turned their noses up at their regular diet but liked Fancy Feast pates. My dog developed a taste for one brand of food (weruva) after being fed homemade food for years. Then he wanted Castor and Pollux Organix. When they're sick and I know there's no way to cure them, I'll feed them almost anything they want.

 

[di and bob]

I have been through this many times, I always gave them what they wanted. They deserve to have whatever happiness and contentment they can get in their last days.....

 

[DreamerRose]

I agree with everyone. Make her last days happy ones and let her eat whatever she wants.

 

[shaftell]

Thank you everyone for replying. I've been giving her fancy feast broths mixed in with Sheba Bistro wet food and she has been enjoying it. I'll let her have whatever she wants until the time comes. Thanks again.