Foo - My cat has cancer.

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.




View Full Version : My cat has cancer.


monogodo
11-08-07, 05:36 PM
Lorenzo was diagnosed today with feline ceruminous adenocarcinoma (he had a tumor in his ear canal).

He's 15½ years old now, and I don't want to put him through the pain/suffering/hassle of another surgery and radiation therapy. Since the type of cancer he has isn't very likely to metastasize if it comes back, we're just going to keep an eye on it. We already have to take him to the vet every 6 months for blood work to check his kidney levels. His levels have been just over the high end of normal, and we're feeding him expensive Hill's Prescription Diet K/D to keep them in check. If he lives comfortably to be 20, I'll be happy & surprised.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/53/177445205_3114150ef6_o.jpg


KingTermite
11-08-07, 05:45 PM
:( Sorry to hear this......it just sux donkey ballz.

Siu Blue Wind
11-08-07, 05:48 PM
Aww that's my favorite "paw" kitty. :(

He's been around a long loooong time. I think you are both lucky to be part of each other's lives, aren't you?

Just spoil him even more now. As long as he's happy, that's what counts. ;)


polara426sh
11-08-07, 05:49 PM
That's sad to hear. He's really cute.

monogodo
11-08-07, 06:47 PM
Aww that's my favorite "paw" kitty. :(

He's been around a long loooong time. I think you are both lucky to be part of each other's lives, aren't you?

Just spoil him even more now. As long as he's happy, that's what counts. ;)

I'm considering getting him a carton of Camel Unfiltered's and a fifth of Johnny Walker Black Label.

Dannihilator
11-08-07, 06:53 PM
Sorry to hear.

Siu Blue Wind
11-08-07, 07:05 PM
I'm considering getting him a carton of Camel Unfiltered's and a fifth of Johnny Walker Black Label.

:rolleyes: Umm. I think a warm pillow and lots of cuddling might get him to purring better. ;)

icithecat
11-08-07, 08:44 PM
Hugs and cuddles is the way to go, not invasive surgery. We have kept our cancer kitty happy for 18 months past his 1 month sentence by making a game of his drinking (water that is). He hydrates way more than he would on his own and this seems to flush the toxins through the failing kidneys.

monogodo
11-08-07, 08:54 PM
:rolleyes: Umm. I think a warm pillow and lots of cuddling might get him to purring better. ;)

Yeah, I was kidding about the cigs & liquor, but you knew that. :D

As for keeping him comfortable, he already has the run of the house and can sleep wherever he chooses. Usually that's in the plastic grocery bag recycling bin, or on a discarded paper bag on the floor, or inside the box my computer was shipped in, or on the couch with the other cat. Or even splayed out on his back in the middle of the hardwood floor. I swear he sleeps in the most uncomfortable positions possible.

I know he's looking forward to when the E-collar comes off.

bpohl
11-08-07, 08:58 PM
Lorenzo was diagnosed today with feline ceruminous adenocarcinoma (he had a tumor in his ear canal).

I am so sorry, man. That's horrible. You always know it's inevitable with pets, but it doesn't make it any easier when they get sick. I'll be thinking of Lorenzo.

Ritehsedad
11-08-07, 09:08 PM
:(

mezza
11-08-07, 10:10 PM
Yeah, I was kidding about the cigs & liquor, but you knew that.

We all know he'd rather Marlboro's and Vodka. ;)

Tude
11-08-07, 10:15 PM
:(

Sorry. I think if he could talk he'd agree with the treatment course as at 15-1/2 - that's gotta take a lot out of you ... you're doing the best thing. :)

randya
11-08-07, 10:30 PM
My Bunny cat made it to 17 before his kidneys finally failed completely and we had to put him down. Sasha and Dano are still going strong at 11-1/2. Most of my other cats never made it past 2 or 3. So 15-1/2 is a grand old age for a cat. The amount people are willing to pay for medical care for their pets today is pretty outrageous, IMO. I'd just love him and let him live out his days until he's obviously no longer comfortable, I can't imaging ear surgery being any fun for him.

monogodo
11-08-07, 10:31 PM
We all know he'd rather Marlboro's and Vodka. ;)

Well, he is from Texas, so I'm thinking tequila might be closer to his preference, or maybe Shiner.

x136
11-08-07, 10:44 PM
Sorry to hear it, mono. My oldest cat is a year older than yours, and the doctors think she has cancer as well. 15+ years is a pretty good run for a cat, but it still seems it should be longer.


http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/2069/img0608ww4.jpg

Siu Blue Wind
11-08-07, 10:48 PM
I wonder if Genki is related to Lorenzo. He's 18 years old, though. I can't fall asleep without him.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o286/Flycrow/genki.jpg

Michigander
11-08-07, 10:53 PM
Awwww. Genki looks like Freddie, the cat I grew up with. Fred died at almost 21 last year.

Dannihilator
11-08-07, 11:30 PM
Ok,

Cruelty to animals is not acceptable, especially in a thread where someone finds out their beloved pet of over 15 years has cancer.

It's an auto ban and a deduction of good mojo in my opinion. (Still remembers when I had to bury the youngest of my three cats this year.)

Siu Blue Wind
11-08-07, 11:32 PM
*Bows in honour to Kona*

Tude
11-08-07, 11:39 PM
*Bows in honour to Kona*

And Tude bows to the wise suggestions of Mz Blue Wind, which I see have been put into action :)

monogodo
11-09-07, 06:41 AM
He slept with us last night until 4am. He's doing fine, as are we. Thanks, everyone.

seppomadness
11-09-07, 06:51 AM
Lorenzo was diagnosed today with feline ceruminous adenocarcinoma (he had a tumor in his ear canal).

He's 15½ years old now, and I don't want to put him through the pain/suffering/hassle of another surgery and radiation therapy. Since the type of cancer he has isn't very likely to metastasize if it comes back, we're just going to keep an eye on it. We already have to take him to the vet every 6 months for blood work to check his kidney levels. His levels have been just over the high end of normal, and we're feeding him expensive Hill's Prescription Diet K/D to keep them in check. If he lives comfortably to be 20, I'll be happy & surprised.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/53/177445205_3114150ef6_o.jpg

Sorry to hear this. I had to put down my dog last year who had cancer. I didnt really know what to do with him. Just kept him and looked after him until he was obviously in pain and not loving life and put him down. It was actually really hard watching an animal waste away and not be able to do much. I hated that time.

15 years is a good go for a cat. Hope you get a few more good ones.

EJ123
11-09-07, 08:24 AM
I'm considering getting him a carton of Camel Unfiltered's and a fifth of Johnny Walker Black Label.

Why not blue label?

Pheard
11-09-07, 11:21 AM
My cat Casper had ear cancer. It was completely fixeable though pretty expensive. His ear was amputated, and he lived on. He ended up at 24 years of age, blind, earless, and ended up getting mauled by a local dog. :( he died from a punctured lung.

I'm at a loss for details surrounding the situation, it happened 5+ years ago.

USAZorro
11-09-07, 11:36 AM
Dang! Your cats sure live a long time. Monogodo - sorry to hear about your pet.

Our cat, Catnip, has always lived outside (we give her a warm place and make sure her water is warm through the cold months), and we've had her for about 14 years since she was given to us as a (unknown to anyone) pregnant young-ish cat. This past year she's been behaving quite oddly. She naps on the driveway under cars, and seems to always beg for food. Over her lifetime she's done a marvellous job keeping the rodent population down in our yard. However, I'm fearing her days are now numbered. No obvious pain, but the quirkiness just keeps adding onto itself.

Siu Blue Wind
11-09-07, 11:42 AM
Genki did that for about a month and I got scared. He would ask for food all the time when he had a full dish and he started to go bathroom in unauthorized places. He also started to sleep on the couch rather than on me. Then I switched his food to SENIOR ( I know, I should have done that long ago) and he is back to his usual self. The food is better formulated for older cats and is absorbed more easily.

You might want to check her teeth Zorro. That could be preventing her from eating.

USAZorro
11-09-07, 11:50 AM
Genki did that for about a month and I got scared. He would ask for food all the time when he had a full dish and he started to go bathroom in unauthorized places. He also started to sleep on the couch rather than on me. Then I switched his food to SENIOR ( I know, I should have done that long ago) and he is back to his usual self. The food is better formulated for older cats and is absorbed more easily.

You might want to check her teeth Zorro. That could be preventing her from eating.

She had little trouble disemboweling voles last week. I'll check though. She always seems to want more canned food though, so you might be right.

The other thing that's odd (for her) is that she now, for the first time for as long as we've had her, often tries to come into the house. Not a good idea with two rather territorial Shih-tzus in the house (I'd hate for either of them to get blinded or worse by the cat). The dogs will be right there barking up a storm, and she non chalantly struts in the door - like they're not even there (we have a barrier fence to keep the dogs from getting out).

Siu Blue Wind
11-09-07, 11:56 AM
Maybe senile? Hard of hearing? My dog would just mosey all around nonchalantly when she was getting old. :o

USAZorro
11-09-07, 12:10 PM
Maybe senile? Hard of hearing? My dog would just mosey all around nonchalantly when she was getting old. :o

I've wondered. She seems to not pay much heed to our cars in the driveway either. We sometimes have to have someone get out of the car when we're coming or going to make sure she's out of harm's way.

eric von zipper
11-09-07, 12:23 PM
:(Sorry about your cat. :( My cat, Meat, went through the same thing earlier this year.

RIP Meat
http://usera.imagecave.com/evithalani/8.jpg

monogodo
11-09-07, 12:39 PM
Why not blue label?
Because it's for the cat.