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

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

The litter tray

My lovely boy has cancer :(

48 replies

LaurieFairyCake · 15/11/2013 18:37

He has a fractured claw removed on Monday and there was a lump behind it which they biopsied - they didn't remove it.

It's not healed so they're now taking the whole digit on Monday.

He said the type of cancer it was usually metastacised in the outer parts last - and in the lungs first .

He's 16 :((((

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issey6cats · 15/11/2013 18:45

(((((((((((())))))))) so sorry :(

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cozietoesie · 15/11/2013 18:49

So sorry, Laurie. How is he at the moment - apart from the claw?

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LaurieFairyCake · 15/11/2013 19:00

He's been trying to shake the bandage off since Monday

He's ok, not happy though. I'm just really hoping he makes it through another anaesthetic on Monday.

The vet offered to put him down and that is just not an option for me.

He's my favourite - I've never loved anything this much, he's literally joined to me as much as possible - he sleeps on my pillow.

Even dh knows I prefer him

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cozietoesie · 15/11/2013 19:11

Is he your first solo pet?

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emmelinelucas · 15/11/2013 19:12

Oh, Laurie thats so sad. Now is the time for spoiling him, and giving him all the indulgences that he wants.
My cat drank pints of cream in the week before she had to be put to sleep.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 15/11/2013 19:49

Oh dear, what a horrible diagnosis. I feel for you I really do.

It's a diagnosis we all dread, especially with favourites.

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Lonecatwithkitten · 15/11/2013 19:56

Can I make a suggestion?
If your cat was my patient I would offer to x-ray the lungs once your cat had had the premed. Only if the lungs were clear would I go ahead with the amputation surgery.
If I didn't do the surgery I would look to keep your cat happy till quality of life deteriorated.

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cozietoesie · 15/11/2013 20:05

But if the original procedure site hadn't healed, Lone? Good idea to x-ray while out for the count but if you're going to do a GA anyway, would taking the digit not be the cleanest option?

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Gileswithachainsaw · 15/11/2013 20:09

:( so sorry. Spoil him rotten!!! X

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Lonecatwithkitten · 15/11/2013 20:46

Cozie if the original wound hasn't healed there is a serious chance the next one won't heal either.
I do my cat chest x-rays just under premed so you don't have to go ahead with GA if you don't want to.
I do always question myself before I do any procedure on an older animal as to whether this will actually improve their quality of life.

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cozietoesie · 15/11/2013 20:49

Ah - that makes sense, Lone. The premed bit particularly.

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Lonecatwithkitten · 15/11/2013 20:49

Oh yes without being the prophet of doom if it is the cancer I think if there are mets in the lungs there is reasonable chance that survival time will shorter than stitches will be in.
However, animals don't read textbooks and constantly surprise me.
I have a similar dilemma with an old dog we have a very clear plan of our steps, when we will go ahead and when we won't and if we don't what our plans is. The owner and I spent 30minutes make the plan and a few tears were shed, but we know it is the right one for this dog.

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LaurieFairyCake · 18/11/2013 12:19

Thank you for all your messages.

He's currently in the operating theatre and I have an anxious wait for a while :(

He had to have the tumour off his digit whatever happens as he's not healing and is in pain. Hopefully when the whole toe has gone and the tumour with it , it will heal.

They are doing a chest X-ray while he's under to see how his lungs are - he's currently showing no signs whatsoever of respiratory illness, no breathing difficulties at all.

My fingers are crossed.

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qazxc · 18/11/2013 12:27

Laurie, no advice , just wanted to wish the both of you luck.

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cozietoesie · 18/11/2013 13:24

Best of luck to him - let us know how he gets on.

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LaurieFairyCake · 18/11/2013 14:11

He's has the x ray and unfortunately he has a lesion in one of his lungs (vet thinks about 1.5 centimetres).

He's still having the surgery but the one in the lung isn't operable and is progressive. I've been googling and it says in studies he will only get an average 58 days.

If he makes it through today he's going to have the best few weeks of his life.

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cozietoesie · 18/11/2013 14:41

Not such good news then - much as Lone was suggesting.

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LaurieFairyCake · 18/11/2013 16:12

Yep but the choice was to pts or remove the digit and give him a party of cod, salmon and chicken for the rest of his life.

It wasn't an option to leave the foot as it was as it wouldn't heal with the cancer in it. And he couldn't walk without pain. At least with the digit gone he will hopefully heal and walk.

The vet just called and said it went well and he's up and lively

Which is good as I've been sat worrying all day that he wouldn't make it through the anaesthetic.

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greenhill · 18/11/2013 16:20

Sorry to read this, but hope you can enjoy your remaining time together, he is going to be so happy with all his favourite meals back to back now.

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cozietoesie · 18/11/2013 16:24

Glad he's up and lively. What have you planned to buy in for his return?

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LaurieFairyCake · 18/11/2013 16:28

I've defrosted a big bit of cod. He will be doped up to the hilt when I pick him up so he will yum it up.

I've been hand feeding him over the weekend so I could get weight on him - he's managed to put on 100 grams since Friday.

Vet says I have to keep getting weight on him so he has the energy to recover.

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CherryColl1ns · 18/11/2013 16:35

sorry to read this

however please don't say that it's.not an option to have him pts if he's not healing and in pain because that's not at all fair for him and he's an old mog and deserves to not have pain st the age of 16

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LaurieFairyCake · 18/11/2013 16:37

Oh no, if he's in pain after this OP and doesn't heal he will be pts.

It's just not an option today as hopefully he won't have pain now the digits gone.

I've been giving him opiates twice a day so he doesn't have pain.

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CherryColl1ns · 18/11/2013 16:44

I'm with you

poor old thing, but 16 is a great age isn't it? my tabby was 11 and in great shape and one morning she just didn't come home. that was back in June. I'd had visions of her seeing old bones

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LaurieFairyCake · 24/11/2013 16:08

The foot has healed ok but unfortunately he's been very sick - threw up constantly Friday and is now on anti emetics and antacids.

It's supposed to be every 6-8 hours for the anti emetics but he's just thrown up the very small amount he ate at the 4 hour mark.

I think I have to consider that this is the end. He has no chest/lung symptoms of cancer - no coughing or gasping so it must mean that if the cancer is causing the sickness then it's also somewhere we don't know.

The vet yesterday thought that it must be the cancer causing sickness as his foot is healing ok.

I have an appointment tomorrow morning but if he's not eating as the anti emetics aren't working I'm going to have to aren't I.

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