Cat has breast cancer

Mechanix · Aug 20, 2004

Hi my cat was diagnosed with breast cancer, we were going to have it removed, but further tests showed it has spread into her lungs. So the vet decided not to remove the tumor and had us take her to a cancer vet. She has had 2 chemo treatments to help make her more comfortable since chemo is not a cure when will I know she is suffering.

Thanks

Mary_NH · Aug 20, 2004

she'll tell you....you'll know since she's your cat - the signs will be there. Every cat is different and they try to hide their pain since it's a sign of vulnerability - watch her eating, bathroom habits...but I think you'll know. You sound like you love her very much

vene · Aug 20, 2004

Q

I'm so sorry about your kitty. How old is she and when was she diagonosed with breast cancer?

This link might offer some insights on Defining the Quality of Life:

Defining "Quality of Life"
by Moira Anderson Allen, M.Ed.

Whenever one considers the painful choice of euthanasia, one is always advised to take the pet's "quality of life" into account. But what is "quality of life"? How can you determine whether a pet is still experiencing a good quality of life -- or whether its level of suffering is no longer acceptable?

That decision is individual to every pet, and every owner. Following, however, are some factors to consider when attempting to assess a pet's quality of life:

Mobility. An older pet often loses mobility. A dog may no longer be able to climb stairs or hop into a car; a cat may lose the ability to jump onto a bed or chair. At this stage, however, your pet may still be healthy and happy, and you can easily make accommodations for its reduced ability.

If, however, your pet can barely move, that's another matter. Can your pet get to its feet without assistance? Can it sit or lie down without collapsing? Can it walk? Can it handle basic functions, such as squatting on a litterbox? Does it whimper or growl if you attempt to move it? I've seen dogs so crippled with hip dysplasia that they literally had to drag their immobilized hindquarters across the floor; this hardly represents the "quality of life" I want for my pets.

Appetite/Eating Ability. Is your pet able to eat? Can it consume enough food (or digest that food) to remain properly nourished? Does it regurgitate immediately after eating? Is it unable to chew, or does it have difficulty swallowing? Does it enjoy eating, or do you have to coax every bite past its lips? A pet that is unable to eat or gain sufficient nourishment from its food is on a slow road to starvation.

Breathing. A number of illnesses, including cancer, can affect the lungs. When a condition causes the lungs to fill with fluid or foreign matter (such as cancer cells), a pet quickly loses its ability to breathe easily or comfortably. You'll notice that your pet may seem to be panting, or that it is laboring to breathe; often, you'll see its stomach or flanks "pumping" as it can no longer breathe with just the chest muscles. It may also experience wheezing attacks. If such symptoms occur, ask for a chest x-ray to determine the condition of the lungs. If the problem is due to an allergy, infection, or asthma, medication may help; if it is due to fluids that are the result of cancer or a heart condition, however, little can be done.

Discomfort. It can be difficult to determine whether a pet is in pain, as animals instinctively mask discomfort as much as possible. You can pick up clues, however, by watching its posture and expression. Does your pet's face appear furrowed or "worried", rather than relaxed and happy? Does it sit hunched or "hunkered" and tense, rather than relaxing and lying down? Lack of mobility can also be a sign of pain.

Another indication of pain is "denning." An animal in pain will seek a safe place where it won't be disturbed by other animals. If your pet has forsaken its usual territories or sleeping places for the back of the closet or a spot under the bed, this may be a sign that it is pain or distress and feels vulnerable.

A more obvious indication of pain is a pet's reaction to touch. If your pet responds to touch by flinching away, hissing, snarling, or even snapping, this is a clear indication of pain. Sometimes this can indicate a localized pain; if the pet doesn't want to be touched at all, however, it may indicate a broader discomfort.

Incontinence. Many pet owners feel terribly guilty over the natural annoyance they feel when a pet becomes incontinent. They feel they should be more loving, more patient. Incontinence, however, can also be stressful for the pet. As a basic survival mechanism, animals learn not to "mess where they sleep" (for the smell would draw attention to the location of one's den). When an animal can no longer control when or where it urinates or defecates, you can be sure it is not happy with the situation.

Mental Capacity. Older pets occasionally develop signs of diminished mental capacity. They may seem to "forget" things, such as where a toy is located or what a command means. Such a pet may become confused by its surroundings, and this confusion can develop into fear. (In some cases, this "confusion" may be the result of hearing or vision loss, to which both you AND your pet can often adapt.)

Happiness. Determining whether your pet is "enjoying" life is certainly a subjective decision. However, if you have been a keen observer of your pet's behavior and attitude during its lifetime, you are likely to be able to determine when it no longer seems "happy." You'll know when it no longer seems to take any pleasure from its food, its toys, its surroundings -- and most of all, from contact with you and the rest of its family. Most pets are tremendously easy to please; when it no longer becomes possibly to raise a purr or a tail-wag, you can be fairly certain that your pet is receiving little joy from life.

Response to Treatment. When a pet becomes ill, our natural response is to provide whatever treatment we can. This may mean tests, medications, even surgery. But drugs have side effects, repeated trips to the vet cause emotional distress, and more invasive treatments take a physical toll. Eventually, we may conclude that our efforts to treat a pet's illness are more stressful to the pet than the condition itself -- and that our efforts to save a pet's life are actually diminishing, rather than enhancing, the quality of that life.

Making a Decision

Assessing a pet's quality of life is an ongoing process, not a one-time decision. Initially, we're likely to attempt to compensate for the problems we see. Pain medication may relieve a pet's discomfort and improve its mobility. A change in diet may improve a pet's appetite or provide better nutrition. We may resolve that we're willing to clean up after a pet and carry it wherever it needs to go, for as long as necessary. But eventually such measures will cease to be effective. The process of assessing "quality of life" is really a question of determining (and deciding) when that point has been reached -- and what you intend to do next.

It is often tempting, at this point, to postpone a decision still longer by deciding to "let nature take its course." Before choosing that course of action (or inaction), however, it's important to understand that, as a pet owner, you have been thwarting the "course of nature" from the beginning. By ensuring that your pet has food and shelter and is protected from predators, you have already guaranteed that nature will not take its course. By providing medical treatment, you have prolonged the life of your pet far beyond what it could have expected if left to "nature." In nature, an animal that becomes too ill to obtain food or protect itself will perish quickly, though not necessarily comfortably.

Nor does nature necessarily offer an "easy" death even if you choose to let it "take its course" in the comfort of your home. An animal that cannot breathe easily, cannot eat or digest food properly, cannot control its bodily functions, and can scarcely move or enjoy human contact because of pain, is hardly dying "comfortably."

This is really what the "quality of life" issue is all about. By usurping nature's role throughout the life of our pets, we must sometimes also accept its role in determining (and bringing about) the death of a pet. To accept this, we may also have to accept that, in some cases, the quality of life we're really trying to protect is our own: That we're allowing our pet to suffer out of a desire to avoid the anguish we know that we will experience when it dies. And that, ultimately, is the most unselfish act of love we can offer: To end a pet's suffering, we must choose to accept our own.

Copyright © 2001 by Moira Allen. This column originally appeared on Allpets.com.
Click to expand...

http://www.pet-loss.net/quality.html

Feline and canine cancer links:
http://www.eattheapple.com/petcancer.htm

General feline cancer info:
http://www.zzcat.com/resources/overview.htm#mammary

Feline mammory cancer is usually in older cats and the incidence is much higher among female cats that are not spayed. This is for people who are thinking twice about not spaying them before their first heat:
http://www.cathelp-online.com/spayneuter.html

nern · Aug 20, 2004

I'm sorry to hear about your cat.

horse_child · Aug 20, 2004

I'm sooo sorry :cry:
I know you will do the righ thing and that you'll know when to do what.

Mechanix · Aug 21, 2004

Thanks everyone. Her name is Suzy she is 10 years old we have had her since she was about 3 months old. She was diagonosed 4 weeks ago. We do love her very much, her and her older brother Nitro (he is 14 and and a very BIG baby 26lbs and not fat) are more than just pets they are our kids.

halaroo · Aug 21, 2004

I'm really sorry to hear about Suzy. Just keep her comfortable and show her how much you love her. She will let you know when it's time.

We would love to see pictures when you have a chance.

Mechanix · Aug 21, 2004

I will post a couple of pictures as soon as I can figure it out

vene · Aug 21, 2004

Taken from Chessmind's old post:

Quote:
Go to www.photoisland.com

Choose the sign-up free and fill out the membership form. Go to Upload Pictures and use the BROWSE button to browse to where you have the pictures saved on your computer. Choose UPLOAD. On the left side of the screen choose MY ALBUM LIST: Personal (or whatever you named your album) This will display your pictures.. click on one.. Now on the left choose LINK FOR AUCTION. Copy the URL (the address of the picture) FOR YOUR PHOTO.

In your post click "" (at the top between 'List' and 'URL' boxes) and then paste the URL FOR YOUR PHOTO then click "[img]" again. Then click Submit.

Good luck

sunset05 · Aug 22, 2004

I'm so sorry to hear that your kitty is ill.

Mechanix · Aug 26, 2004

Hi, we appriciate everyones well wishes for Suzy, but unfortunetly her condition is starting to get worse and we know the time is near. I know it is going to be the hardest thing Iwill ever have to do.

Scott

vene · Aug 26, 2004

I'm so sorry Mechanix. Lots of us have walked this difficult path on Auspet. You are not alone. :m35: :m41:

fridaylove · Aug 26, 2004

I am sorry about Suzy, it sounds like you love her very much. It is very difficult when one of our little furkids gets sick. And it is hard to tell what the right thing is especially when your own grief and sadness gets so strong.

horse_child · Aug 27, 2004

I'm really sorry about Suzy. We had to put my cat down about a year ago. Time really does heal. We're here for you if you need us.

EternalFlame · Aug 27, 2004

Makes my eyes water to hear about Suzy... :cry:

She's in our prayers and thoughts... and yes, we are here for u... u just be there for her. *hugz*

Mechanix · Aug 28, 2004

Well I had to take Suzy in yesterday, it was a hard day. I rescued her from a jobsite I was working on in October 1993 she was about 3 months old then and she has never not been with us since then. It was very strange not seeing her this morning. I am very sad , but also relieved for her. With everything yesterday I forgot to call my dad and wish him a happy birthday, but he understood. Pictures of Nitro and Suzy as well as Honey who we lost 2 years ago are coming soon.

halaroo · Aug 28, 2004

I'm so sorry. Soon you will be able to look back on your 11 years with Suzy and smile. We are all here for you whenever you need a shoulder. Take care of yourself.

vene · Aug 28, 2004

I am so sorry about Suzy. :cry: You did all you could for her and I'm sure she understood that. She is not suffering any more. How is Nitro taking the loss?

Mechanix · Aug 28, 2004

Nitro is doing ok, sometimes he will go and look in the back of the closet where she used to sleep. He will also meow at the front door which is something he only did when Honey died 2 1/2 years ago. When I come home he will give me a look like "where is she?"

vene · Aug 28, 2004

I totally sympathize with Nitro. When Vene died last July (hit by a car), her brother Milo was severely depressed for 3 whole days. He ate and drank very little and slept away his depression. Monty, her buddy, a purely indoor only scaredy cat managed to sneak outdoors and looked for her for 3 whole days. Such love and devotion he had for her! Pumpkin, I'm embarrassed to say was thrilled of her "disappearance." However she did take a tolerance to our new kitty Rene who acts like Vene and Monty boy is happy again. It'll take some time to heal, but it'll happen. How did you lose Honey?

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