Cat has lymphoma and three months max

lowis

so sorry to hear your sad news *hug*

it is never easy when presented with options like that. i was in the same position some years ago and after lengthy discussion with my vet and an oncologist i went for Option 2 - chemo. i was told she had a matter of weeks left (she was 10.5yrs old), and with chemo she could get into remission - which she did and she eventually went on for another 18 months - living a very normal and comfortable life - no one ever believed it when i said she had cancer.

how a cat deals with chemo can vary though. some cats seem to tolerate it well and others don't - and you don't know til you try. i think also a lot has to do with where the cancer is located and how early it has been caught. the costs can be very prohibitive but i was insured so i decided to try, plus i also wanted to try for her brother's sake as they were incredibly close. I swore to myself that any sign of pain and discomfort then i would have her PTS.

the cancer did eventually come back and we tried another chemo protocol to see if we could get her back in to remission again, but it was clear that the first dose of the second protocol made her feel very weak - so we popped her on a super-steroid and i arranged for her to be PTS a few days later.

there are so many factors to consider, it is a very, very hard decision. with my existing cat i think chemo would not be an option as he hates travelling - my other cats weren't at all bothered by car journeys. so a little factor like that (amongst the many) would sway me to Option 1 of your choices.

You did everything you could...and you gave your cat a loving and safe home...that is what counts x

ailuro2

I took a version of option 3, again back in the early nineties, my lovely kitty was only 3 years old, so when I found a lump I took him straight down the vet - I agreed there and then if it was malignant that they shouldn't bring him round - it still hurts me to this day that I had to make that decision, but in his short life he had a wonderful time, was greatly loved, and so much so I could not let him deteriorate to a point where he was in daily pain.

Sadly the lump was malignant and I brought him home and buried him, his birth mother left home a few months after he passed away, I think she felt the loss acutely. I put up posters and contacted vets, CPL etc but I never heard of her again.

ladylouise62

Poor old you - it's never pleasant having to make decisions like that. We all feel for you.

robpw2

im sorry to hear about your cat ,im wondering why you were advised against option three , i know its areally depressng thought but i would hate to think i was prelonging the cats agony by trying to keep him alive