My 17 Y/O cat was diagnosed w cancer

[MissWhiskers]

Hello everyone,
I haven't been around much lately but I need your help again, please. My 17 yr old female cat Little Girl was recently diagnosed with cancer - probably carcinoma. A couple of my friends have recommended just making her comfortable for however long she has left with Prednisone - and not putting her through chemo therapy. I would just like any opinions and advice anyone can give me on the best way to treat her or what would you do? One friend suggested seeing a holistic vet. I think there might be some of you all who can tell me the things a holistic vet would recommend?
Please give me any suggestions you might have - big or small.
Thank you so much,

Karen

[CarolC]

Hi Karen,

I'm sorry to hear that. Where is it located?

[critters]

We've never done chemo, just generous tumor removal, for mammary cancer, and both did very, very well. 1 is still with me, and the other died of old age quite a few years later.

[MissWhiskers]

Sorry it took so long to reply but I have written several times and keep losing the message due to internet connection problems, I think.
Anyway my cat, Little Girl had a large lump under her jaw on her neck which the Dr said was a swollen lymph node. She took a sample from it by needle and sent it to the lab. The cytology results came back "probable carcinoma". At first I thought I wanted to take her to an Oncologist to discuss chemo, but a cat friend of mine said if it was her she wouldn't do that as she is old for a cat and it would be hard on her poor old frail body. She said she would do one thing the Vet had said was an option which is to keep her comfortable on steroids for however much longer she has. So that is what we're doing right now. She has been on liquid Prednisolone since then which has been about 10 days. I also don't have the money for chemo really. But I would like everyone's opinions, advice or suggestions on how to care for her at this point. Another friend suggested a Holistic Vet - but I think there are people here who can probably recommend the kind of things someone like that would say.
Thank you all,

Karen

[MissWhiskers]

When I came from work I found that she had died today. I think maybe her heart gave out. My poor baby. I will miss her dearly.



Karen

[Christine]

I wanted to share for Karen the story of Little Girl that she sent to me. she truly was the mother of Little Girl Kitty and her sisters. Her love and care gave them long and loved filled lives. They are all together at the Bridge now.

She was the last of 3 kittens I found in a box left at a church one Saturday morning 17 and a half years ago. They were only a couple or a few weeks old and should have been nursing with their mother. They were so weak i had to squirt the milk in and work to get a response. It took awhile to get them to suckle themselves. I almost thought they weren't going to make it. Then I nursed them with a little baby bottle and KMR - every couple of hours - for awhile and even rubbed their bottoms so they would know to go to the bathroom - in lieu of their mom licking them. They were so little all 3 would curl up and sleep on my chest. I think I felt especially close to them. And now they are all gone...

[MissWhiskers]

Thank you Christine. She was truly my baby. I am so glad that I had her - and that I kept all 3 for their whole lives. They were so special. It feels very odd not to have them anymore...

Little Girl Kitty


Karen

[CarolC]

I'm glad at least she did not have a lot of suffering. You can mark a whole section of your life off according to when you had a pet or pets. I'm sorry you have lost the last one.

[Jean]

Dear Karen,
I am so sorry for your loss. I have been reading your posts.
I never replied because I didn't want my feelings about chemotherapy to influence your decision. I did chemotherapy on my Australian shepherd and she totally crashed. I have vowed to never do that again to an older pet. Like a friend of mine said there are a lot worse things than death.
Until this summer I had never bottled a litter of kittens. My bond with them is so great.
My heart goes out to you and I am so very sorry for your loss. / Jean

[critters]

There's nothing like a bottle baby, is it? I'm sorry for your loss.

[MissWhiskers]

Thank you ladies. Your comments mean so much to me - it helps with the hurting - a little bit.

love,

Karen