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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

my cat is rotting :(

24 replies

windmillpond · 03/09/2012 21:17

He has an ulcerated tumour on his back hip. It is growing and getting deeper. It is vile. It stinks. He is on antibiotics. He wants to sit on me, and I cannot bear the smell (am aso pg, so smells 100% more potent)

He is very well in himself, eating tonnes, drinking fine, wanting affection, going out regularly.

The vet thinks I should have him pts due to his obvious rotting hole though this seems overly harsh for a cat who is not in pain, and does not appear unwell.

I do not know what I want from you lot on here, except perhaps some hand-holding, as I am probably going to have to make the selfish decision soon before my house stinks of my cat :(

OP posts:

topknob · 03/09/2012 21:20

How old is he??? Sounds horrid but the vet is usually right xxxx

Hassled · 03/09/2012 21:21

That sounds hideous - for you and for him. How old is he? I take it the ABs aren't doing anything? Is there really nothing else the vet can suggest?

EngeldinkHumpabert · 03/09/2012 21:23

Oh my god, how terrible for you and your cat!
Is there nothing they can do about it? Keep him in and give him hefty IV antibiotics? Can they not surgically excise the tumour and stitch it back up? Is the tumour cancerous? If it is, it may not cure him but it might make him (and you) more comfortable in the mean time.

I don't know if you want suggestions, but if not, I'm hand holding.

All the best OP.

Sparklingbrook · 03/09/2012 21:25

Oh windmill I'm sorry you are having to deal with this.

You say yourself though that the tumour is growing and getting deeper, so it doesn't sound like something that can be treated successfully, and the cat will be back to normal.

SecretNutellaMedallist · 03/09/2012 21:26

Will gladly hold your hand, but can I just ask why the tumour hasn't been removed?

Original poster

windmillpond · 03/09/2012 21:45

cat is 17ish (rescue cat, owned about 4 years) and tumour is embedded into hip bone. Vets considered taking off his leg, but think it will be unfair in a cat of his age.

I have not found out if the tumour is cancerous or not, as the results would make little different to treatment. i would have him pts if he was in pain or ill. It breaks my ehart to think I will have to make the decision due to him being too "smelly" for my house :(

I might speak to the vets again to see if they can change anti-biotics or show me how to successfully dress his wound so I can change the dresing regualrly, but he can sit on me (unlikely due to location of tumour, but worth a shot?)

I havent taken him to the vets for a few weeks as I can't stand the vets judging me on my decision to keep him alive, when he doesnt deserve to die :(

OP posts:

Hassled · 03/09/2012 21:51

They can judge all they like - a) it's your cat and you know he's not in pain and b) you're paying for their expertise, not their judgement. I think you should go back and see what else can be done.

Sparklingbrook · 03/09/2012 21:54

Could you get a second opinion from another vet?

Cynner · 03/09/2012 21:57

I am so sorry for you and your old boy..i am sure you will make the right decision for you both. So sad this has come about during your pregnancy. I will be thinking of you..

Lucyellensmum100 · 03/09/2012 22:03

How do you know he isn't in pain?

I can't make out your post - you SEEM more worried about the smell and inconvenience yet you don't want to have the cat pts?? I think you are building barriers to the fact that you are scared of losing your cat if i'm honest.

17 is a great age for a cat, i really think you should consider pts, have you had any tests done on the tumour? biopsy? tests to see if the cancer has spread? if its an osteosarcoma it is likely to have spread. Cats do do amazingly well post amputation, but she IS old and would it really be fair? and if its spread, there is little point.

I certainly don't think you will be selfish if you have your cat put to sleep, i think you would be doing him a kindness, as difficult as it will be for you.

Original poster

windmillpond · 03/09/2012 22:04

I might take him to another vet in the same practice, I generally have one for my cat and a different one for my dog. I practically live there at the moment with my poorly animals! I shall take the cat to see my dog's vet, as he is very good and very honest. You are right, I don't pay them for their judgement.

I lost my last cat through my last pregnancy. I don't have much luck do I?

OP posts:

Catsdontcare · 03/09/2012 22:06

I agree with lucyellensmum

Sparklingbrook · 03/09/2012 22:08

I do tend to ask the vet 'what would you do if it were your cat?' when I go.

I think you just need some reassurance and straight answers. I am curious about the pain thing as I am sure if I had an open wound that was deep and rotting I would be in pain?

Lucyellensmum100 · 03/09/2012 22:10

cats hide pain really quite well, but the fact that he is eating and following his routine is good, however, if he were my cat, id want to let him die with dignity before he reached a stage where the pain wasn't managable.

Original poster

windmillpond · 03/09/2012 22:12

I am worried about the smell. it is honestly disgusting, and it weeps I don't know many people who could have coped with it as long as I have - it does have "dry" spells, but normally after anti-b's and this time it has not dried up at all. He is absolutely no inconvenience, he is my pet. Sorry if I sounded like he was?

The vet had a good squeeze and pull on the area, it is a raised area with an open sore in the middle - originally about the size of a 5p, now more like a 10/50p (over space of 4/5 months or so)

I've not paid for any tests on him, as to me, it made no difference what was causing the tumour, only how the cat seemed.

I initially took him to the vet as I thought he'd suffeed a puncture wound and was surprised he hadn't made a fuss of the small hole in his leg.

OP posts:

Original poster

windmillpond · 03/09/2012 22:14

The vet did reassure me that the cat was in no pain, and said that often people or animals can get these tumours and that the worst thing about them is the smell (though cat wasnt smelling a tthat point)

OP posts:

topknob · 03/09/2012 22:16

My cat died when she was 15 two years ago :( she went down hill fast but still managed to sit on us and attempt to purr although no noise come out you could feel her throat vibrating. She died about 6 weeks after getting ill. I didn't take her to the vet as I knew what they would say :( She showed no pain whatsoever, but you know what, she probably did feel pain :(
Your boy is 17, 17 is a great age for a cat, he is ill and he cannot be treated anymore than he is. I agree with the vet :( give him a couple of good days of lovely food, fuss & attention, but I think you know what you have to do xxx

MeerkatMerkin · 04/09/2012 00:08

We had my cat PTS aged 13 because of a tumour, similar to this but in his neck. It was so big it affected his mouth/eating. The day we took him to be PTS he was sunbathing happily in the grass looking like he hadn't a care in the world, but I had just found him like this in out neighbourhood - he had been missing for a week. Possibly he went away to die but was still too... healthy? He reeked, awfully, and the stuff that oozed from the tumour/his mouth made everything in the house smell. If I hadn't had found him that day I have no doubt that he would have just ended up dying from being too malnourished and weak because he couldn't eat well. I feel that his death was more dignified and he purred throughout as I scratched his head - it made me feel that perhaps he was glad not to be dying alone as "he'd planned". I know it's not the same situation as the tumour isn't somewhere that affects his eating, but something's got to give, and I think it can be ultimately kinder to give him a death that is fear-fee and dignified. Perhaps see if he gives any signs that he is ready? I know it is hard. :(

Lonecatwithkitten · 04/09/2012 07:21

I have named change for non-litter tray reasons, but still the same cat mad vet here.
Firstly you seem to have lost all pleasure in owning your cat.
Secondly the signs of pain in cats are quite simPly that they do less and interact less, the recognition that we under diagnose pain in cats is very, very new and many vets I am afraid still don't realise and hyperasthesia and chronic pain in cats. A large ulcerated tumour will cause pain there is no nice way of putting that I am afraid, if it is in the bone it will also be painful.
Your vet has suggested that PTS is the best way forward suggests they think the cat's quality of life is impaired.
I know it is not what you want to hear, but we sometimes have to make difficult decisions. Unfortunately the most likely scenario and this time of year with that type of ulcerated tumour is flystrike.

kittyatmyfoot · 04/09/2012 11:36

awww op i really feel for you and your poor cat, usually the vets are right, if it was me im sorry to say i couldnt let any animal live like that as much as it breaks my heart cats will not show they are in pain as in nature it makes them vulnerable, and as you say you can not stand the smell and as others say this will cause flies to strike and the next minuet he will have maggots on him :( xx sending you lots of hugs xx

dikkertjedap · 04/09/2012 12:11

Cats do not show pain normally. If a wild cat was to show pain he would be attacked and killed, so they hide their pain. Same with our house cats. Purring does not mean that they are not in pain BTW.

From your description your cat is almost certainly in pain.

Your vet is probably right and the kindest (and very difficult!) thing to do is to put him to sleep.

cozietoesie · 04/09/2012 12:41

Quite so. Purring can be a reaction to stress as well as pleasure and contentment.

Original poster

windmillpond · 04/09/2012 20:10

:( I think you are right, and his time may have come :(

I have just lost my dad to cancer, and am overly hormonal with pregnancy, especially as I lost my cat just after dd was born and had to deal with all of my hormonal and grief related reactions then :(

It just seems too hard to deal with :(

On the flip side, he has had a lovely life with us, and would have been unlikely to have been rehomed due to his age (and his howling )

I might take him down to the vets and ask their opinions on anything else we could do for him before he is pts - I will accept the vet's decision, I just don't think I can be the person to be there when the deed is done, and I might have to be the one to do it if I take him there :(

thank you for your responses.

OP posts:

topknob · 05/09/2012 22:19

let us know how you get on.

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