Feline SCC Short Stories

 

Go to Main SCC page

 

Stories on this page:

 

Casper Survives!

Email Dee about Casper

My cat was diagnosed with feline SCC about 2 months ago (June 2007).  Casper was not cleaning himself, and was loosing weight.  At the vets office, they sedated him, and took a biopsy.  They told me that it was most probably SCC, and that the tumor was too large to cut out.

Since my normal vet is a traveling vet, this visit was to the emergency room.  They went on to tell me that if we gave Casper chemotherapy, it would allow him to live a few more months.  Since I have had chemotherapy myself, I told them that I would never submit my cat to that treatment, and that I would try to deal with the SCC through natural herbal means.  Within about 1 week, they confirmed that it was SCC.

After the biopsy, he deteriorated rapidly, and I had to hand feed him.  I incorporated herbal remedies into the liquid food that I was feeding him. 
After 2 months of treatment, my cat is now recovering from the squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, and the tumor is almost completely gone.  I did three things that reversed his cancer:
1.  Switched his food to a high-quality high protein/no carb food,
2.  Switched his cat litter from clumping cat litter to SWheat Scoop,
3.  Incorporated into his diet:
   a. natural anti-inflammatory herbs including burdock root, turkey rhubarb, dandelion root, astralagus, sheep sorrel, licorice, yucca, and venus fly trap,
   b.cat vitamins,
   c.CoQ10,
   d.Soil-Based Probiotics, AND
   e.Luxolite (clay in solution)

All veterinarians that have heard about this are amazed because their training specifically has shown that cats (especially cats) and dogs with feline carcinoma of the tongue die quickly, and that there is no cure.

When I began to treat him, there were definitely days that I was worried that I was prolonging his agony, and his recovery is no less than a miracle to me.

I thought that I would share my story with others in order that you might be able to experience the same success that I did.

If anyone has any questions or wants more information, you can email me at nosohandy at gmail dot com.

Information on Casper's remedy, an empirical anti-cancer remedy
Update:  January 5, 2008 - posted by Dawn, and can be contacted at the email, notsohandy@gmail.com

Let me preface this information with the comment that I am not a university-trained veterinarian or (human) doctor, but I am a university graduate that was trained in engineering which is a scientific discipline. And, I have done considerable research for my own breast cancer and cat cancer because my cat was afflicted with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in late May, 2007..

I believe that this information has ramifications for me (had breast cancer twice) and any cat or human who has had or has cancer because the tenets that I used in creating my cat's empirical anti-cancer remedy, aka Casper's remedy, were logically put together from all the information that I researched on cancer - not my cat's specific disease, squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.

As many of you already know, my cat, Casper Kitty, had a huge tumor under his tongue, and the vet had told me that I had the option to either do chemo or he would be dead within a month. They had biopsied his tumor, and it had come back as squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue which is a rapidly growing tumor. The vet told me that the tumor was too large to cut out because they would have to remove his whole tongue. In addition, radiation was out of the question because of the location, (in the mouth is too close to the brain), of the tumor. In most cases, long-term control of feline tongue tumors is rarely reported, and the cat deteriorates rapidly.

Since then, Casper's tumor has completely receded, and he is healthier than he has ever been. In addition, since posting Casper's remedy online at several different websites, (yahoo group's feline-cancer (here), squamous cell carcinoma geocities website, etc), the tumor recession results have been duplicated on another kitty.

So...Here goes -
Due to the information that I had received from being on this group and doing my own research, i.e. downloading pubmeds & medical research studies, reading articles on NIH, cancer.gov, Hulda Clark's info, etc, etc, etc., I identified a protocol to use on my cat to fight the cancer without surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. It was based upon the following tenets:
1. Remove all toxins from my cat's environment - did this by changing the clumping clay litter to a non-toxic wheat based litter, using only non-toxic cleaning products, and switching from tap water to Poland Springs spring water.
2. Improve the function of his liver and kidneys which are the primary organs for removing toxins from the body - did this by giving him an herbal formula from petwellbeing.com called Immunity & Liver Support that contains milk thistle, dandelion root, echinacea, and Ashawaganda (Chinese Wisteria).
3. Detoxify his system - did this by giving him clay in a distilled water solution. Currently, I use Sonne's #7.
4. Increase his intestinal health and ability to absorb nutrients easily - did this by giving him an herbal formula, Vitality Science's Herbal Anti-Inflammatory which is a tincture containing Yucca, Venus Fly Trap, and Licorice, Feline Comfort from Vitality Science which is a powder containing L-Glutamine, slippery elm, soil-based probiotics, arabinogalactan, serrapeptase analogue, pet enzymes, among other ingredients, and added Super Pet Enzymes from Vitality Science
5. Minimize and remove as much as possible any inflammation in his system - did this by giving him CoQ10 an herbal formula from petwellbeing.com, NHV ES-Clear which is a tincture containing burdock, sheep sorrel, slippery elm, and Turkey Rhubarb, and another herbal forumula from petwellbeing.com, C-Caps which is a capsule containing Astragalus, European mistletoe, echinacea, cat's claw, milk thistle, and Ashawaganda (Chinese Wisteria)
6. Changed his diet to a high-quality no carbohydrate food because cancer is fueled by sugar (and therefore, carbohydrates) - for the first few months, I used Innova Evo Cat & Kitten food (with no grains whatsoever).
7. Supplemented his diet with vitamins - added vitamins to his diet - in his case, Feline Food Supplement from vitalityscience.com
8. Minimize viruses and parasites that might have taken residence in his body - added food-grade diatomaceous earth (for parasites) and olive leaf extract (for viruses),
9. Added in aloe vera juice because I saw that there was some research that had indicated it had anti-cancer properties,and lastly
10. Added nutritional yeast to his diet because there was some research that indicated that some cats are unable to absorb protein due to a lack of the vitamine B-6, and there is a high B-6 cotent in nutritional yeast. I used non-gmo healthy yeast grown on molasses, had NO added wheat, corn, milk, egg, soy, glutens, sucrose, animal derivatives, artificial colors, starches, or preservatives, and is candida albicans FREE.

My cat, Casper Kitty was diagnosed back in early June. Since then, his tumor has completely receded, and I posted the protocol, dubbed Casper's remedy online for other cat owners. Also, my cat is still on the maintenance remedy (added twice per day to his food) that I use which is as follows:
1. Remove all toxins from my cat's environment - This continues
2. Improve the function of his liver and kidneys which are the primary organs for removing toxins from the body - This continues
3. Detoxify his system - This continues
4. Increase his intestinal health and ability to absorb nutrients easily - This continues in the form of elixa.com's soil-based probiotics only.
5. Minimize and remove as much as possible any inflammation in his system - This continues in the form of the CoQ10, and the herbal formula from petwellbeing.com, NHV ES-Clear.
6. Changed his diet to a high-quality no carbohydrate food because cancer is fueled by sugar (and therefore, carbohydrates) - This continues in the form of Wysong Archetype diet (a freeze-dried raw food which I add to it the Poland Springs water & all the supplements itemized in this maintenance remedy)
7. Supplemented his diet with vitamins - This continues only once per day.
8. Added nutritional yeast to his diet - This continues.

The wonderful thing is - it's been reproduced in another cat! The other owner, Penny had a cat, Fluffy, that was diagnosed with SCC on her teeth & into the roof of the cat's mouth as well as another SCC site on the cat's lip. Penny's vet had done an initial surgery to remove the growth in Fluffy's mouth, but had not cleared the margins for fear of intruding into Fluffy's sinus cavity. The vet did not hold out much hope for Fluffy in the long term because squamous cell carcinoma is well-known as growing back after surgery very aggressively. That was when Penny, Fluffy's owner went online looking for a solution. She found Casper's remedy, and contacted me.

The remedy is not easy to follow because it involves mixing up all the items in the cat's food twice per day, and syringing the mixture to the cat which is no easy feat. Penny changed the method of syringing it by mixing the ingredients into a water solution, and syringing it to her cat (instead of adding it to Fluffy's food as I had done with Casper). In addition, she added one ingredient per 3 day period in order to identify if her cat was allergic to any specific ingredient which was genius on her and her vet's part! :) In addition, she fed her cat only cooked chicken, chicken broth, tuna, and some type of cat's milk instead of feeding her cat the Innova Evo Cat & Kitten food that I used..

Recently - 2 days ago, Penny went back to her vet to have her cat checked. Penny did not sleep very well for the 2 nights preceding the vet appointment because although her cat seemed to be doing fine, i.e. playing, grooming, eating, and looking the picture of health, she was afraid that the vet would find that the cancer had spread. Instead, the vet was completely floored, and told Penny that the cancer had receded completely on the facial tumor and that the mouth tumor had receded to an extremely small dot in Fluffy's mouth. She told Penny that she needed to continue giving Fluffy whatever was producing this effect on the cancer.

NOTE: There have been other cats that were treated with Casper's remedy unsuccessfully, but the people giving it to the cats either started after the cat was too far gone & unable to get the formula into the cat, changed the formula or products (did not use all the items, used some of the items, or different products, i.e. potency issues), did not have the fortitude to implement the remedy, i.e. mixing the remedy up at each feeding & syringing it is very, very challenging, and in one other case, the cat died from getting hit by a car.

In any case, that's my story, and I do believe that it is relevant to people and animals with any cancer. In the case of people with cancer, the tenets that would follow would be to remove all toxins from the environment, minimize parasites and viruses (loading down the immune system), remove all simple sugars & dairy from the diet & increase high-quality food, add supplements & herbs to diet as outlined in the remedy, increase the health of the liver & kidneys through herbs, detoxify the system with clay i solution, and increase the bodies ability to absorb nutrients by making the intestines healthy - i.e. soil-based probiotics, regular probiotics

Garfield

Email Dr. Martin G. Miller about Garfield

On March 20th , 2006 I lost my cat Garfield to SCC .  It had an amazingly rapid onset and did not respond to treatment.  Both my son Brian and daughter in law Angela are vets and they really researched this problem and consulted with many others in their field.  The following is my son Brian's blog entry on What happened.  I have also included a picture of Garfield.  He was the BEST CAT EVER, (anyway, that's what I used to tell him all the time).  I miss him dearly.


Geezus, it seems that most of my posts in the last month or so are titled "R.I.P. someone," which obviously means that this hasn't been a great month. The latest casualty happens to be one of the nicest cats EVER - Garfield.

Garfield was like a dog in a cat's body. Ever since we adopted him 12-13yrs ago, there was something special about this little guy. He started out skinny as a rail, seeing as he was mistreated by his previous owners. Upon being brought into the house, he proceeded to eat anything (and I do mean ANYTHING) edible. Pebbles (mom and Marty's other cat) never really liked Garfield, but they co-existed peacefully. Occasionally they would chase each other around, and these episodes usually ended in Pebbles smacking Garfield in the face and hissing at him. Garfield, very non-chalantly, would ignore her display of aggression and turn away from her, tail held high, and strut off down the hall.

He had his share of problems - at around 6 yrs old, tipping the scales at over 21lbs, he became diabetic (when I said he would eat, believe me I meant it). We were, however, able to control his diabetes solely with diet, and over the last few years since I qualified and took over as his vet, I actually got him to lose weight - he was a healthy 11 lbs before his latest illness. He would chase his treats around with vigor once we thinned him down, he was loving life.

Unfortunately, right around the time of my grandma's passing, mom and Marty noticed him drooling excessively. I had a look at him, and I knew as soon as I touched him that it was trouble - his jaw was swollen, and he was drooling. We lifted his lip and saw it - a growth in his mouth. This is ALWAYS trouble in cats. Even in dogs it is bad, but cats it is usually very big trouble. Basically, around 3 days later the mass had tripled in size and he was having trouble eating. I knew it wouldn't be long, but we decided to try to debulk the mass to give him some comfort for a while. We removed it with a laser, and sent it off for biopsy. By the next day, it was back at full size. The biopsy came back as expected, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and I knew then that his time was short. We attempted some last resort homeopathic remedies which did nothing but stress the poor boy out as it was poured down his throat. I went to see him yesterday, and all he did was lie there, dehydrated and sad, and I knew it was his time. We put him to sleep today at 1:26 pm, right on his favorite couch where he spent so many hours in comfort and joy.

All of this happened within 2 weeks - from diagnosis to euthanasia. Did I tell you tumors in cat's mouths were bad or what??

G-man was a supremely sweet boy, and to say he will be missed is an understatement. I feel the final gift I could give him was relief from his suffering. We will remember him always for the joy he brought to us - he is, of course, irreplaceable...but I will see what I can do to liven up mom and Marty's lives with a kitten or two soon. Of course, Pebbles might have something to say about that...

Rest in peace, G-Funk. We will always love you.

 

Calvin
 

Email Heather Muller about Calvin

Well, the inevitable happened at 11:00 a.m. this last Saturday, March 18th, 2006 I had to put Calvin down.  I kept waiting for him to get sick (like the vet said he would), but it never seemed to happen.  Instead his poor little lower jaw continued to deform to the point where he could no longer eat or lap water.  I had to stand above him and pour water onto his mouth for him to lick.  Due to the size of the tumor, his tongue had gotten pushed all the way to one side and to the back such that when he was eating or drinking he would often have to sort of smack himself across the face to not choke on his tongue. It was growing over his bottom teeth and where his top teeth sunk in was becoming gangrenous.  It smelled terrible and he wasn't able to wash himself. He drooled quite a bit and sometimes it would bleed. It was horrible.  Yet at the same time his spirits (and his appetite) were high and he was still so involved with everything going on around the home. He wanted so badly to eat and would attack his food bowl with fervor even though it was such a difficult task for him to accomplish.  He continued to get into everything ~ climbing into the dishwasher whenever it was opened and on the final morning had still gotten himself stuck in a cupboard to appease his curiosity to see what was inside. The only signs he was uncomfortable (besides his obvious difficulty eating) were that he had become more howly and would cling to me the minute I sat down.  And something had changed in his eyes - his previously permanent state of calm reserve had seemed to slip away and was replaced by something darker and more anxious.  I just knew I couldn't watch his state decline to the point where I might come home and find him having choked on his tongue or have the tumor grow so far back it would block his windpipe.  I knew the time had come, and that for each day I put off making that horrible decision it was no longer about him, but more so about me.
 
Calvin was with me for 15 years.  I will never forget the day he chose to share his life with me.  It was at the Missoula Humane Society and he was only 7-weeks old.  He and his litter had been abandoned in an apartment building and were up for adoption. I had just lost my 20-year old Maine Coon the week before and wasn't even in the market for a new kitten but rather was looking for an older cat.  I knelt down to look at the kittens at the and Calvin ran up my back to perch on my shoulder as if to say - okay, let's go home.  So we did. And from that day on we were attached at the hip ~ we did everything together.  He would follow me from room to room, sometimes hiding behind furniture to sneak-attack my ankles when I passed through.  We'd share pudding cups on my bed (I was 13 when I got him) and in my rebellious teenage years he'd sit next to me on the porch while I smoked cigarettes.  Every time I practiced piano, he could be found on my lap or on the floor under my mother's baby grand.  I can't remember a time when he wasn't right there next to me.  He's lived in three states from one coast to the other and only seemed to become more and more confident with each drastic change and challenge he was confronted with.  He and I had been through so much together.  He had had multiple brushes with death during his outdoor-days in his younger years - to the extent that I found myself wondering if he'd pull through.  From abscesses I had to drain myself so that he wouldn't die, to him getting himself trapped in the engine of a car that then started and tore-up his back, to him disappearing for two weeks and returning skinny and half mute to even a year ago when we moved to New York and he suddenly lost a bunch of weight and seemed to be on death's door.  Every time he always came out happy and healthy and full of life.  He was just so cool.  His presence filled the room and I always felt safer and calmer when he was around.  We had so many routines that now make my daily life feel so incomplete ~ from racing up stairs to him sitting on my lap every morning for breakfast to him on the counter watching the birds out the window when I'd get ready for work to the way he'd drag his water dish around the kitchen floor until it would tip and spill ~ he was always so fascinated with water, he'd even sit in the tub when I'd shower!  He was such a part of my heart and soul that I just know life will not be the same without him.  And above all else I miss talking to him.  I never realized the amount of constant banter we had together and just how lonely my time at home is without it.  My other cat Myrna - who is now five and has only known a handful of weeks without his company was always more timid and skittish - she would always looked to him to be her temperature gauge, to see how she should react to situations. She is so much more aloof and less involved than Calvin was.  But even up until that final morning, they'd cuddle and wrestle.  I think now she's a little lost in that she doesn't have his strength to lead her or his
 
I took the day off on Friday to spend with him.  We hung-out and watched movies and I baked scones (he always loved it when I baked ~ he'd sit on the floor next to my feet and sort of chatter at me and get into everything I was doing).  Then on Saturday we awoke to him perched on my pillow making chirping noises at the birds outside the window.  I got up and fried him a couple of eggs so that he could eat the yolk (which he was actually able to do!) and then after much sobbing, I took out his carrier expecting him to put up his usual struggle, but instead - he walked right inside.  We then took him out for the two-block walk to the vet.  It was a gorgeous day - sunny, clear blue skies, and most importantly lots and lots of birds flying about.  The wait was the worst part - I just kept petting him and petting him insides his carrier.  He had become so used to going to the vets that he was no longer fussed about it - knowing that afterwards he'd be able to go home and eat.  He was so good and patient.  I on the other hand was a wreck.  Every sign in the waiting room seemed only there to mock me ~ the one with the pug waving goodbye to fleas and ticks was one I especially had to avoid as above his cute little paw were the words "say goodbye".  We were then led into an examination room where our vet came to talk to us.  They then came in to administer the sedative which he fought and struggled through.  He laid on my lap and at one point I thought it wasn't going to take effect, when suddenly I noticed he'd gone completely limp.  His eyes were still open and I knew he was aware of everything going on and that I should try to muster all the strength I could so that I could comfort him and make him know that everything would be okay.  They left us alone with him that way for about 10 minutes.  They then returned, and had me put him on the table so that they could administer the IV to the vein in his hind leg.  I stood there next to him, holding his head with my head down so that I had my lips to his forehead telling him over and over how much I loved him and thanking him for spending his life with me.  I felt it against my lips when his spirit left his body and it's as though the world stopped spinning and time stood still.  All I could think about was that now he was finally free to fly with the birds. 
 
I cried for nearly four days straight and still don't quite know what to do with myself...I miss him beyond belief.  I am so thankful for the time I had with him ~ he helped me through more than a few times in my life when things were just so hard, and truly made my life so much more complete.  He was more than a pet and far more than just a cat - we had a connection that I know cannot be duplicated.  But I know that there was no alternative in the end and I take a comfort in knowing that he went with his spirit fully intact, ready for those open fields where he can lay in the sun and where he will never be harmed ~
 
Thank you for your site - I can't tell you how much reading everyone's stories helped me.

 

Jack

Email Susan about Jack

Jack was a CAT cat, the kind of cat that spent his time being superior and impervious to humans, very much "A dog thinks: You feed me you must be God, a Cat thinks: You feed Me I must be God". In fact if you picked him up and gave him a hug he would surely leap away from you with much disdain Jack Ruled. Jack was Alpha, he loved his companions Lily and Willie but they bowed to his presence. Jack ate first, Jack played first (dibs on any catnip toy and jingle bell balls and scratching post and...) Jack used the litter box first. It was good to be The Jack. And then he became sick and his world changed.

When I brought Jack home from his first surgery and most of his lower jaw was removed the first thing he wanted was Lily and Willie, but they rejected him. It was one of the saddest things I have ever seen, Jack was confused and scared, Lily and Willie hissed at him, spit at him and ran from him instantly. Jack's world was upside down and he was crushed. The vet said it was probably the smell of the hospital, the medications and disinfectants but most of all, Lily and Willie may actually had been able to sense Jack was still sick, to actually "smell" the cancer still present.

The next hurdle was eating and drinking. The surgery had left him with his last two teeth in his bottom jaw and I was told he would be able to eat and drink on his own. That his feeding tube in his throat was only temporary so he would not become dehydrated. Jack went for his food, he was very hungry and then.. he gagged and gagged and tried again and again to eat even to just drink water, Jack didn't "believe" he could do it and he never did again. The first few days of trying to get him to eat and drink were hell, I couldn't eat or sleep I was so worried. And he slept with me, his tummy rumbling in his sleep. On the second night I had a dream of opening can after can of cat food and Jack would shake his head at every one I offered him. I started to cry and said "Jack please tell me what you want." And he looked up at me and sadly said "I want chicken!" I remember this dream so vividly, I can still hear his little voice, it was sad and so freakin adorable. Every time we had chicken (fried, baked..) Jack would race into the kitchen and watch everyone eat, he really did want chicken. Within three days it was clear he would never eat or drink on his own again so he went back to the hospital for a feeding tube to be implanted in his stomach.. My life was now regulated by what Jack needed, feedings had to be on time and carefully monitored, I had to check his stomach contents before feeding him and often he was uncomfortable after eating from gas pains. When that happened the rules were, Jack would walk a path in the figure 8 snaking around the living room furniture for several minutes, then he would sit on my lap and look up at me. Apparently this was the only time and way he felt comfortable enough to pass the gas and since his prescription cat food's primary ingredient was liver there was a distinct odor left hanging in the air. He was dubbed "Gaseous Little Cloud" for times like these, it amused my family to no end..

I watched my CAT cat become a little cuddle bug who loved to be hugged and beg anyone who came to visit for attention and affection. One instance stands out, my brother-in-law who is anal when it comes to germs. He did not want anything to do with Jack, it grossed him out to infinity and beyond. But that only made Jack seek him out more (and this is the only person he did this to) he waited patiently at the bathroom door for my brother-in-law who was either taking a shower or checking himself out in the full length mirror for the thousandth time. He emerged and lo, Jack was sitting there like a happy little puppy. My brother-in-law came to grips that day with Jack. His wife and children were watching, his mother-in-law and I were watching, he was on the spot, and he folded in the face of being accused of possessing an incredibly cold heart. He patted Jack gently on the head for the first time since Jack's surgery, it has been duly noted in all history books.

I learned a lot about caring for a helpless animal from Jack, my days and nights revolved around his schedule and there were times I would be up at 4am to get his last feeding in (he had to be fed at least 4 times a day but his digestion didn't always accommodate 8 hours of sleep for me). I learned alot about myself, that I was capable of doing and dealing with medical procedures and cleaning stitches and measuring stomach contents and dosing medications, things I never ever thought I could or would be doing. Jack and I suffered together through three feeding tube replacements (once he caught it on the blinds while leaping from window to window). For four years and five months Jack lived a happy and full life, he was spoiled and pampered and he had every right to be. Jack taught me that love has no bounds. That love will lead me to do and be whatever my loved one needs from me. That love does conquer all. And I will be forever grateful for the time he was mine, I will miss him the rest of my life.
 

I lost Jack on August 9, 2005, after four years and five months of being in a miraculous remission from bone cancer and being on a feeding tube. He was 17 years old. He suddenly developed a secondary tumor on his left hind leg right at the joint. The only treatment for it was amputation and since Jack was already fighting his first cancer (a tumor inside his lower jaw swelled up so fast his skin split open literally overnight and his lower jaw had to be removed) and was weakened by it and his age, amputation was not an option. All that could be done was to place him on pain meds (fentanyl patches) and watch him carefully. He actually LIKED getting the patch changed, I had to shave a little spot at the base of his tail and swab it with alcohol every three days before putting on the new patch, he would be purring as soon as he saw it in my hand. I sang "The itsy bitsy kitty clawed up the water spout..." as I prepped him for the patch, he loved it.

That was in April 2005, I was lucky to have had him at all and the last months of his life were full of both love and loss. I have a casting of his paw (I sometimes called him "Bear Paw", he had these HUGE paws, he was a HUGE cat weighing in at 23lbs when he was healthy) and some locks of his fur (he was jet black but after his surgeries little tufts of fur with white tips would grow in where he had been shaved), his jingle bell ball (the only one he would ever play with even after it was broken, he learned to carry it in his mouth with his tongue and top fangs and would prance around meowing so everyone would lavish praise on his skill) and his Christmas ribbon, the towels I wrapped him in for his last trip to the hospital..... all these things to remember him by as if I could ever forget him. He was a little angel and a testament to the will to live.
  

Keiko

Email Evelyn about Keiko

I have two cats, Keiko (13) and Tybalt (8). Keiko has beautiful green eyes lined like Cleopatra. She acts like a princess. She is a lap cat. She accompanies me to the bathroom every morning and evening while I get ready for work or bedtime. She just sits on the counter next to the sink and purrs or brushes against me. She sits on my lap when I have breakfast. She is small and demure. I call her my “petite pussy cat”. She’s also known as Pookie.

5/14/06
Took both cats for a wellness exam. Keiko had a senior wellness exam. Both physicals went well with clean bills of health. Told Vet that Keiko started a strange behavior recently. She licks the wet kitchen or bathroom sink. There is always water in the pet cooler/spa.

5/19/06
Time for dental check up. I got the bad news when I picked them up. Keiko has a tumor on her jaw. The Vet did not know until he removed a tooth and saw the lump. An X-ray verified it. It has already invaded the entire right jaw. I am devastated. A few days ago I had a healthy cat. Now she has a life threatening illness. The Vet advised me that radical surgery was an option if I wished to consult with an oncologist. The surgery might add a few months to her life. She’d have half her jaw removed. Would surgery be justified?

5/22/06
I called the Vet for referral to an oncologist. I can’t talk to him without crying. He advises me to think about it longer because right now I’m acting on emotions. I can’t help it. I want to know what to expect. How long does she have? Will she suffer?

5/23/06
I decide to search the web. I’m so glad because there is so much information on SCC and this wonderful support group. Everything the Vet told me was confirmed. Keiko has the classic symptoms. She is now drooling slightly and pawing her mouth. I am no longer considering surgery. I will keep her happy and comfortable as long as I can. She is behaving normally (except for the sink licking) and looks healthy.

6/8/06
She’s on antibiotics now. Hates taking it. Still has enough spunk to fight me. Her breath is terrible. Salivates more. Paws her mouth. Losing some weight. Supplementing her Science Diet with baby food. She likes the Gerber chicken in broth first foods. Spends less time in the bathroom with me. Sometimes she doesn’t greet me at the door when I come home. She sleeps a lot under the bed. Still enjoys sitting on my lap when I’m still long enough.

6/20/06
Amoxicillin didn’t improve her breath. Lump and jawbone are thickening noticeably. Lump the size of half a cashew nut. Stretches her mouth and paws it more. Prefers just baby food now. Sat by the refrigerator tonight and meowed for it. Tybalt has distanced himself from her. They no longer sleep or play together.

6/22/06
Her health is declining. Didn’t come out from under the bed this morning until I enticed her with baby food. Was sitting by the window when I left for work. I give her a sponge bath in the evening occasionally. She can’t clean herself because of all the slime in her mouth. Of course she hates it, but I can’t leave her mouth, chest and front paws a mess.

6/23/06
Last night she ate quite a bit of baby food. She has good days and bad days. When I think it’s time, a good day happens. It’s very hard to make that call.

7/5/06
She’s only eating two spoonfuls of baby food a day. Getting very thin. Her saliva is sometimes pink. Her gums may be bleeding. Called the Vet today to make that last appointment. Spent some time petting her while sitting on the floor watching TV.

7/6/06
She sat on the bathroom vanity watching me this morning. Having difficulty eating. Almost gags halfway through. She meows at me. Something she hasn’t done in weeks. She used to have the cutest meow. It was a combination meow and purr that sounded like cooing. Almost like she was asking a question. Sat on my lap for a few minutes while I hurried through my breakfast. She was sitting on the kitchen windowsill when I left for work. Not quite like old times. This evening her mouth was definitely bleeding. I’m very upset. Hate to see her like this. I think it’s time.

7/7/06
Brought Keiko to the VET this morning. She is upset and meows in the carrier. She knows where she’s going. It was very quick. She struggled and growled while the needle was injected. Maybe she wasn’t ready. I think the past six weeks were harder for me than her. I knew she was dying. She didn’t know what was happening to her. She was loved and had a good life. I miss her.

 

Foo

Email Dara about Foo Foo

 

I am writing to tell the story of my beloved cat Foo Foo Montague Bijoux. “Foo” for short.  

I got Foo Foo in 1996 at a cat rescue operation here in the Midwest. She had 7 kittens and each were adopted, but she waited there still with no home. She was scheduled to be euthanized the next day, as the shelter was bursting at the seams with kittens. She was very little and had a somewhat short pointy tail, so I think people did not think she was very pretty. However, I played with her and she immediately tugged at my heart strings. From the moment I took her home, she was comfortable at the house. She wandered everywhere with me and slept next to my head every night on her own pillow. I eventually went back to college and took her to Virginia with me where we lived for 5 years. I returned to Iowa and got married and bought a house. Foo was still her usual self, sweet, soft cute and a little aloof! That’s why we loved her so. She ran all over the house and loved the space to roam!

I noticed in the middle of July 2006 that she seemed to be drooling more than she usual did before. I also noticed that her coat was not as luxurious as it had once been, but I imagined it was due to her advancing age. She didn’t seem to act any different, but the next day, I saw that one side of her jaw was slightly swollen looking. I thought it was due to her cat food dish, because sometimes she had allergies to new bowls. She went to the vet the next day and the vet said “It’s most likely squamous cell carcinoma.”  I was of course in complete shock and disbelief. I cried for two days straight.

We came home and researched SCC and looked at all of our options. Within that same week, the tumor grew and her interest in food started declining.  I bought a food processor and made concoctions of baby food and milk and tuna. We went/talked to several vets within this period of time, found out a biopsy would cost nearly two hundred dollars and take a week to have the results. We did not even think she had a week left to live, due to the aggressive nature of the tumor. It was growing bigger every day. She had good days and bad days though. I found out about a study at the University of Illinois Urbana about SCC, but the prognosis with treatment was not much better than without. We declined the radiation and or surgery.

Week  2 was the worst because she became really aware that something was in her mouth and she wanted it out! She pawed at her mouth constantly, stopped grooming, became increasingly intolerant to any food other than tuna broth and was somewhat lethargic. One day while trying to eat, she must have really hurt herself because the began bleeding profusely. I agonized about what to do.  I cried every day, questioned what I was thinking. Questioned if I was irresponsible for not getting a biopsy, but it seemed that she was going to suffer and I did not want her to suffer. Week 3 was about the same, tumor grew and she was starting to sleep more. Occasionally she would try to eat the mixtures from the food processor, but I think the effort to eat was more than it was worth to her. Again, some days she seemed much better than others.

Soon, she stayed in bed for almost two whole days. She would get up to use the litter box and to socialize with us a little bit, but not much else. She was drinking tuna broth only and she seemed very frail. She began to smell very bad and her drooling was extremely excessive. I could tell she was not happy and was not going to get better.

The tumor was so large after four weeks that her lower jaw was completely out of line with her top set of teeth. I knew it was time to put her to sleep and had to schedule and reschedule four times before I made it in with her. There is never a right time to have to put your furry child to sleep, but  when she first showed signs of cancer, I made an agreement with myself that when she was not eating and was not happy to see us anymore, it was time. I kept that pact and I am glad I did.  The day we took her to the vet, we let her roam the back yard for nearly an hour. She layed in the plants and seemed to enjoy being out, since she was always an indoor cat.  I am glad she had a wonderful last day.

She made it 28 days from the day of the diagnosis.  The injection was fairly quick and she went comfortably with us petting and talking to her.   Every pet owner knows their pet the best, and I knew it was time. She was an awesome cat, and I know there will never be another like her. Her ashes are buried underneath a new tree in our yard. I say good morning and good night to her every night. I am so glad we chose to remember her with a tree, it will live on in her memory.

I hope my story will help others know what to expect and to know that it’s ok to let them go. I know it’s hard, because the last 5 weeks have been the worst of my whole life. I also know that she is somewhere over the rainbow bridge and someday I will see my gray furry baby again. Ten years together was not long enough!

 

Coors

Email Nancy about Coors

 

October 2006

Coors seems a bit rough looking, her fur is a bit matted but other than that she’s okay, thinking it’s old age I don’t do anything about it. She has a bit of black on the outside of her nose.  She seems okay and plays and purrs.

Nov 23rd

Coors has been leaving her hard food in the bowl and only eating the soft food for the past few days.  I also notice Coors has blood coming out of her mouth.  I figure it is just her teeth but call my dad who is a vet to set up a time to bring her in to have her checked out.  I don’t want to sound panicked so I say “she’s not dying or anything so it can wait till the weekend”.  Coors seems okay, just seems to be getting old. 

Nov 25th

I bring Coors in and immediately he looks at her tongue and said she has a tumour and from what I described he was afraid of that.  An inoperable tumour because it is at the back of the tongue and that her teeth are fine and it’s pretty big.  He asks if I want a biopsy and I said yes.  I cried for the rest of the day.  I was not expecting this as I was expecting him to say she needed her teeth cleaned and I should take better care of them.

Nov 26th

I manage not to cry for most of the day and feed Coors soft food mixed with some lukewarm water and also put a lot of tuna on her dish.  Her two cat mates get hard food and she wants it too but she can’t eat it.  She seems okay and is in good spirits.

Nov. 27th

She is drooling more now.  I put towels on all the furniture but she seems okay and can eat her soft food with a bit of difficulty but not too much so it’s not time to put her down yet.  She still seems in good spirits.  She sits on my lap on the couch. 

Nov. 28th

I call my dad and he says the biopsy results are not back yet but that the technician who took the biopsy said her tongue is very bad and degraded and it doesn’t look good and I should prepare for the worst. I am at work when he tells me this so I go to the wash room and have a small cry.  I then for the rest of the day fight to hold back tears.  I have a fight with my boyfriend for no reason.  Then I tell him what my dad said and told him I’m very sad.  Later that night I get the results from the biopsy and it is  sublingual Squamous Cell Carcinoma.  It is confirmed.  He tells me not to let it go on for too long and quality of life is the most important thing for her.

For the rest of the week she goes on having good days and bad this but seems to be getting a little worse and her eating is a bit more cumbersome and the drooling is a lot more.  She also is unable to groom herself and tries to with her front paws so they are all dirty.  She also has a bit of a smell about her after she eats probably from the food in her mouth.  After she eats she just relaxes and purrs and seems fine.  I just keep thinking I’m going to have to put her to sleep.  I cry at least once a day and while at work fight to hold back the tears.  She just seems okay other than while she’s eating.  I am torn because I don’t know if I’m being selfish in thinking I should put her to sleep or if I’m being selfish in keeping her alive with the way she is going.  I decide to hold off on anything until I give it time.  I am not ready for that decision yet. 

Dec. 2nd

Coors has eaten her breakfast and has trouble and has to use her paw to get some food that is stuck out of her mouth.  I realize that I am going to have to make a decision sooner than I think after seeing this.  My heart just breaks when I see her eating.  Her love of life is to eat, when I get home from work she runs out the door into the hallway in excitement for supper time.  I go up to visit my parents and tell my dad I think Monday I will bring her in.  He tells me no problem and the sooner the better for her own well being.

Dec. 4th

I’m supposed to bring Coors in tonight. She had a good breakfast and wasn’t struggling too much.  I don’t think I can do it today.  I decide to wait till later to see how she is at supper time.  I get home and she runs out into the hall as usual and I feed her and she seems okay.  I call and cancel, I’m not doing it today.  I just can’t.  She is still drooling a lot and rubs the side of her face on any hard surface she can, it must be itchy. 

Dec. 5th. 

Coors had a good breakfast and was playing with her favourite thing which is the flashlight.  I figure maybe I’ll be able to give her another week.  This is killing me but I am so sad about it.  I get home and at supper Coors isn’t doing so good.  She is bleeding more and having a hard time eating and again is getting food stuck.  I just cry while watching her and decide I can’t take this anymore and I’m sure she’s not enjoying gagging and trying to get food out of her mouth with her messy paws.  She won’t let me clean her up so I have to leave her as is.  I call my dad crying and tell him I’ll bring her in on Wednesday.  He said “it’s her time, it really is” so I just cry and hang up.

Dec. 6th

I know the day has come.  She actually has a good day, breakfast was good, I get home and she ate her whole plate of food with some difficulty.  Then she sat on my lap for an hour and a bit and just purred.  Then when it was getting close to the time to leave she jumped off and went out on the balcony for one last time.  My boyfriend comes and gets us while I’m crying the whole time.  When we get to the clinic he makes sure I can go right in so I wait in the car.  They are in there waiting for me in there.  I go in crying with her and she’s meowing.  My dad checks her mouth and looks at the tongue and there is the big cancerous lump.  He said he realizes it’s hard because she is alert and normal so it’s so hard to do this.  I just cry.  He leaves the room and the techs come in.  I just pat her and look into her eyes and she is gone within seconds.  I just stand there and cry and my dad comes back and says I did the right thing and it’s better that she had a good last day and wasn’t in pain or unable to enjoy what life she had left. I’m now waiting for her ashes to come back so I can keep her with me.   

This has been the hardest thing I’ve had to do in my life.  She is the first of 3 of my cats to go.  They are all 14 and have had a good life so far.  It was a hard decision because she didn’t appear to be in pain but just unable to eat properly.  Also reading some of the stories I just knew it wasn’t going to get better but actually would get worse.  It’s been one day since I took her in and I have cried off and on for most of the day.  I’m so sad but know that she is in a better place.  My other 2 cats are a bit confused but seem okay.    

Jeeves

Email Linda about Jeeves

August 2007

My favorite cat, Jeeves, was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the tongue in mid-February by a veterinarian specializing in oncology.  I had gone to this group of specialists because my regular vet couldn't seem to find out what was wrong with him, but I knew that something was not right.  Jeeves had dealt with growths on his thyroid on two occasions in the past (both successfully treated with radioisotope therapy at Tufts Veterinary Hospital in Boston), and each time I was the one who brought him to the vet because of subtle changes that I'd noticed....mostly some wasting of muscle mass along his spine and a change in the sheen and feel of his coat.   His regular vet and I assumed it was the thyroid again this time, but the tests came back negative.  So did an echocardiogram, chest and abdominal x-rays, and blood and urine tests.  The specialist I took him to found the growth on the first visit, but he really had to force open Jeeves' mouth to see it as it was way in the back on the base of the tongue (top not bottom).    A biopsy showed it was cancerous, and I was told that he had ony 6-8 weeks to live.   Because of its size, and the poor response this type of cancer has to chemo and radiation, surgical removal of the entire tongue with subsequent feeding tube was the only possible treatment, but it was just that....a treatment, not a cure.   I opted to make my 14 year old baby as comfortable as possible for as long as possible.  I did attempt to give him antibiotics as the growth sometimes ulcerates, but it was so stressful for him---and me---to get the pills down that I discontinued.   Because he has a heart murmur, prednisone was not advised.   It is now almost six months since that initial devastating diagnosis, and today I called the vet and told him that I think it is almost time.   He will come out to my home three days from now to euthanize my baby.    I think the hardest thing about this disease is that cats often seem to be healthy overall except for the cancer and the wasting that accompanies it which is exacerbated by the difficulty eating.   Jeeves has done very well with his food for the most part......starting with canned Science Diet, mashed tuna fish and minced chicken, and eventually the Beechnut meat babyfoods that he has enjoyed for the past several months.   He isn't in pain to the point where he is crying, but it's obvious that eating and swallowing is uncomfortable.  He still plays with a toy mouse now and again, cuddles with me most of the time, and can jump onto the couch and bed on his own.   But he is more lethargic, purring less, and often sleeps in a sphynx-like position with his front paws curled under him, something he seldom did in the past.   Like many of you, I try to keep him clean since he drools all over his white socks and ruff and has difficulty grooming himself, but he doesn't like being washed by me even though he has always been so meticulous.  He has gone from 15 plus pounds (he is a big boy, but was never overweight) to less than 11 pounds.   I know that I could probably keep him alive for awhile yet before he begins to suffer constant pain, but I don't want to take a chance on waiting too long.   I want his last days on earth with me to be reasonably good ones for him, and I don't want to see him waste to nothing before my eyes.   The past few days he's been asking for food constantly but then barely touching it.  That's why I decided that its time to set him free.   I don't think there is such a thing as a "right time" to euthanize a beloved pet......we can never know for sure when they cross that line from uncomfortable to pain, or enjoyment of life to merely living.  As much as I want to keep him by my side for as long as possible, I want to time his departure just as he crosses that line, and I hope that I have made the right decision.   I've had a number of cats over the years, and have five of them now, but Jeeves has been the best cat ever, and I can't imagine life without him.    He is my "lap kitty", and climbs into my lap whenever I sit down......even when I am on the toilet if I don't close the door!   Well, I guess you all know what I am going through, and that is what is so wonderful about this website......to be able to share our hopes for our pets, the joys that they bring us, and the grief we all go through.  Blessed be.    Nonnie
CLANCY CROSSES OVER AND MAKES A STRANGE, NEW FRIEND by Paul Clements (New Hampshire Sunday News, 12/24/06)
 
     Clancy suddenly felt freer than he ever had before.   There was no pain, no feeling of sickness, none of the weakness of age.  He was no longer in the animal hospital, but could not recognize his surroundings.  He seemed to be in a fog, a brightly lit fog, but one that clouded his vision.   Suddenly, he heard a voice calling his name, "Clancy, come this way."
     Clancy turned in the direction of the voice, and saw a movement.   Frightened, he backed up, going deeper into the fog.  The voice called again, "Clancy, come this way."
     Suddenly, the movement Clancy had seen solidified into a shape.  It was a dog, and Clancy's fear turned to terror.  He remembered how his mother had warned him about dogs.  Clancy wanted to run, but the dog seemed to be everywhere at once, all around him.  There was nowhere to run!   He heard the voice again, this time saying, "Don't be afraid, Clancy.   Come this way."
     Clancy realized that the voice was coming from the dog.    "That's funny, " he thought.   "Dogs don't talk like humans."
     "I'm not talking, " said the dog.  "I'm only thinking, just like you're doing."
     "But you're a dog, and I'm a cat, " Clancy said.  "And we're not supposed to be able to think and talk."
     "We're not cat and dog anymore.   That's just what we appear to be, because that is what we were in life."
     Curious now, Clancy found his fear was lessening, and he was willing to listen.   It was all very confusing to him.   "What do you mean, 'what we were in life'?" he asked.
     "I guess you haven't realized it yet," replied the dog, "but you're not alive anymore, and neither am I.  Your physical body, the cat that was you, got sick and had to be discarded, same as me.  Don't you feel the absence of sickness, the feeling of freedom?"
     "Well, yes, I guess I do," Clancy replied.  "But I still look like a cat, and you still look like a dog."
      "That's a temporary thing," said the dog, "to help you get used to the cross-over.  Once you get used to your new circumstances, you won't need to look like a cat anymore."
     "Well, okay," said Clancy, "but if that's true, then why do you still look like a dog?  It seems like you've been here for a while."
     "Yes, I have," said the dog.  "I've been here a long time waiting for you."
     "Waiting for me?!" Clancy exclaimed incredulously.   "But I've never met you before."
     "In this place, things are a lot different from what you remember," the dog replied. 
     "But why are you waiting for me?"
     "Well, when I was alive," the dog explained, "I was the companion of a human, just as you were.  I was very fond of that human, and he was good to me.  He took me in when I was a lost puppy, just as you were taken in.  We played together and he took me places where I could run free.   He taught me tricks, and he brushed my fur so it was clean and shiny.  When it was my time to cross over, I saw him crying.   I knew then that he loved me as much as I loved him."
     "That's all well and good, " said Clancy,   "But it still doesn't explain why you're here with me."
     "Simple," said the dog.  "My human was YOUR human.  We both loved him, and he loved both of us.   When you crossed over, I heard him asking me to look after you.  I saw him crying then, too, so I know how much you meant to him.   One thing I learned here is that if you give love, you get more of it back.  He loved me, I loved him; he loved you09, too, and now I'm more than happy to love you, too.   So forget that cat and dog stuff.   We're going to be the best of friends.   We shall wait for our human to cross over----and then we'll all be together again."
 

Oreo

Email Jane about Oreo

January 2008

I found your site when my Oreo was first diagnosed with SCC back on November 28, 2007.  We lost him on January 2, 2008 and I am ready to share my story;
 
 
    Oreo was an incredible cat, not just by my own biased accounts but from the input of many friends, family and neighbors.   He had a personality much like a dog, or human for that matter as he would come when called, go for walks with us (even on the beach nearby, in the off season of course), greet us when we came home expecting to be picked up and head butted for hugs, etc.  Even those who traditionally hated cats grew to love Oreo.  He also had a way of knowing that people who were allergic had to get used to him, which they often did!
 
In any event, in late November, 2007 I noticed some wheezing from Oreo while he was awake.  He had snored a lot over the past few years which I assumed was normal, or even a feline sleep apnea.  When I took him to the vet ("Fred") on Nov 28th, there was a good sized tumor in his throat and on the side of his neck. The growth had to have been fast and recent as Oreo was at the Vet's for weeks back in late September/early October with bladder blockage issues. Ironically, the source of those was never pinpointed although there was suspicion it started in the kidney area so who knows, perhaps some cancerous cells were upsetting his system before he was diagnosed.  Our vet said there was little that could be done based on the location and size of the tumor except to watch for further symptoms and spoil him rotten.  Surgery was out of the question and medical treatments, although possibly prolonging his life wouldn't save it or even improve his quality of life in the process. His days were clearly numbered but at this point he was comfortable, eating and acting fairly normal.  
 
After the initial shock of such unfair news, we spent the next few weeks just loving him and watching for signs.  If he stopped eating, we'd buy all kinds of new foods in gravies and sauces so they'd be easier to swallow.  He was now wheezing more and more, even his purring started changing tones.  He did seem to sleep quietly, though, and still enjoyed all his routines of snuggling, licking the shower and sinks and going for walks.  We were hesitant to let him outside alone for fear he'd run off knowing he was sick. At this point I wanted him to stay healthy enough to see my kids when they came home from school and get through the holidays.  He did, but it was clear he was deteriorating rapidly at that point.
 
We took him in from time to time to have Fred check the tumor and although it was growing, it hadn't ruptured, leaked or stopped him entirely from eating yet although he was eating less and less but drinking a lot of water still.  The week after Christmas, Oreo was clearly not himself. He was now only sleeping in two spots, barely moving except for an occasional drink of water and nibble of food.  He was happiest outside, though, so we took him for walks and he even killed a mouse one day!  Just before New Years, he began to drool a lot and pretty much stopped eating. It was starting to smell, his mouth was dry and he couldn't even clean himself and he had lost 2 lbs. On January 2nd, we made the decision to put him down as his quality of life was clearly affected and it was hard to watch.  I couldn't do it but my boyfriend, Ron, was very brave and did so.  He put him in the car to go to the vet and stopped to take him for one last walk. Oreo wasn't interested, wanted to stay in the car. At the vet, Fred confirmed that it was time so they gave him the injection and Oreo went peacefully to God, where his twin sister Reeses has been waiting since she was young. Ron spent an hour with him back home sobbing.  He buried him, with some of his toys, in the back yard and we've ordered a stone.   
 
A month later, there is such a void and I am having a very hard time still.  He and Reeses actually came to me in a dream the other night which was nice.  My research has found that the sun may actually cause this type of cancer on white or light haired cats that are outside a lot. Oreo used to lounge in the sun a lot.  I had worried that all the chemicals in the lawns and still water puddles may have contributed. I guess they don't really know but it doesn't really matter. except our next kittens will be darker at least.  We were so blessed to have a fantastic vet in Fred and his office assistants, Jo and Lisa.
 
I have attached some pictures as well. 
 
Thank you for sharing this.
Jane 
  

Weffy

Email Lori about Weffy

November 2007
Today we took our beloved Weffy to be put to rest.  After reading the posts here on the web site, I felt I owed it to her to tell her story.  I want to thank you all so much for your messages which really assisted me in preparing for the end.  I cried many tears knowing we would go through the same thing very soon.  You have been my strength and I can't thank you enough.
 
Weffy was in a litter of kittens left at my work place 20 years ago.  As we brought the kittens one by one into the office to try to find homes, Weffy was the last one.  I remember going out for her and she came running to me, not wanting to be left alone.  After the day, we had 2 of the 6 kittens left.  We took them to the pound because I was in college at the time and already had a cat (Buffy), secretly hidden from the landlord. I was due to go back to school in a few days so finding a home was slim given the time.  My brother and I drove Weffy and Tiger to the pound which was an hour away.  After the guilt, we drove back up, pounding on the doors after closing to get both of the kittens back.  One if the best decisions ever made.
 
Weffy and Tiger stayed with my brother for about 6 months, until unfortunately, Tiger was hit by a car.  With Weffy alone, I took her to college and she was mine ever since. The landlord never new. 
 
Weffy was a special kitty in that she was the runt of the crew.  She was always small in stature and timid.  As the feline colony grew to four cats over the years, Weffy was always protected and loved, which took a lot of energy and discipline.
 
Buffy was put to sleep in 2003 for renal failure.  It hit hard and fast.  I had a year of healthy friends until Weffy was diagnosed with the same thing in 2004.  Because her nature was shy and timid, this allowed me to give her subcutaneous fluids at home for 3 years, always 200 ccs, once a week.
 
This summer, I was watching her eat and she was tilting her head to one side.  I thought we had a tooth issue as she went for dental surgery recently, and because of her age, her blood pressure rose and then fell, and they could not extract one of the teeth that were a problem.  Well, this was not the case.
 
The vet stated that a tumor was under the tongue and a biopsy at her age, based on the bp with the tooth extraction, would not be in her best interest.  For three months, we kept her as comfortable as possible and gave her lots of love, tons of love.
 
At first it was eating to the side.  Second indicator was her pawing at her mouth after she ate and drooling started.  She then began to bleed and the pawing became more aggressive in nature.  Her weight dropped 2 pounds in 3 months which obviously meant she was not eating as she should.  My husband and I struggled as to when would be the right time. Other than the signals of discomfort, the vet indicated she was not in debilitating pain but we started putting pain medication in her food to help her along.  
 
This Friday, I noticed the food fell out of her mouth as she perhaps lost the ability to swallow.  However, to her credit, she was still hanging with us, lying on her warming blanket as usual. This Sunday, she stopped eating completely.  She started to wonder around the kitchen, at the buffet of food we laid for her (baby food, tuna, fresh blended white chicken breast and broth, Fancy Feast favorites), and sniffed and walked on. 
 
It was time.
 
Because of the renal failure, hitting the vain was not easy.  They placed her under anesthesia by injecting medicine into a muscle and brought her back to me.  She fell asleep in my arms.  They then took her back to put her to rest.
 
As I sit here and type this, I miss certain things that I never thought I would:
 
1.      I miss lying with you and watching TV, hearing you purr.  You were my constant couch companion in your later days.  I liked your warming blanket too.
2.      I miss you following me around the house, waiting until I finally sat down and lay with you.
3.      I miss laying three plates out for three cats.  I even did this tonight, force of habit.
4.      I miss caring for you, as this became such an integral part of our life toward the end.
5.      I miss wondering about you all the time, as this again became common place.
6.      Most of all, I miss you, and the unconditional love you gave me for 20 years. 
 
Goodbye my sweet Weffy.
 
This trail will not be easy, but if you can focus on the time left with your cat, make this special, and keep it present, it will help.  You will not be able to control the outcome, but you do have control with the time given, even as brief as it is.  Use it to its full advantage. 

Chucky

Email Terry about Chucky

March 2008

I am still in shock after hearing from my vet that my 9 year old cat, Chucky has squamous cell carcinoma. This cat has been in perfect health for 9 years, never even been to a vet. Two weeks ago, on a Saturday, Chucky (who is an inside/outside cat) came flying into the house and hid right under my bed. He wouldn't come out at all, and every time I went near the bed he started to growl. He had never done this before. He stayed under the bed for two days. On the third day he ran out when the front door was open and dashed outside. For the next 4 days he stayed outside, and whenever I called, him, he would come, but wouldn't let me near him. As soon as I approached him, he ran in to the bushes. I started to think that someone had hurt him or he'd been hit by a car, although I couldn't see any injuries or blood.

On the 5th day of hiding, he came home in the middle of the night, scratching at the window which he does all the time so I let him in.

The next morning I took him to the vet. This was late in the pm so the vet had to keep him overnight. The next day she called to say that she could see no injuries, but his mouth was swollen and she had a feeling it was tumour. WIthout an autopsy, she wouldn't know for sure, so of course I wanted to be sure, but I was shocked as I said I had never seen any signs of swelling, or any ill health until he suddenly dashed under the bed. We decided to go ahead with X-rays first and then see what they showed. But after the X-rays, the vet recommended a biopsy so that we were sure of what we were dealing with. I told the vet to go ahead with the biopsy, and I had decided that, if, in fact, he had cancer I should have him put down. I couldn't bear to go see him as I couldn't bear the thought that this might be the last time I saw him!

On the third day, I called the vet again and they told me that he had started eating and was feeling pretty good, so I decided to go see him.

I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't to see my cat looking healthy, happy and frisky when I walked in to the room!

While I was visiting him, he ate a whole tin of cat food. I left feeling positive and happy, certain that the vet had made a mistake and that cat was fine. On Saturday I went in and brought him home and decided to wait for the biopsy results. Prior to this, I paid a $500 bill which included the cost of the X-rays and the biopsy. When I picked him up, I was also told that he was on antibiotics, which I hadn't been told before and that I should continue with the antibiotics until they were gone. At the time I wondered why he was on antibiotics if he had cancer..but I just kept hoping that it was maybe just a tooth infection and now that he was eating again, it would go away.

On Monday, I heard nothing, so I called the vet and they said the results weren't in yet. On Tuesday late morning, the vet called to say that the biopsy had revealed "squamous cell carcinoma", terminal cancer. She said there is nothing more she can do. My heart stopped and was in shock! I remember asking what do I do now and her saying "just enjoy the time you have left." She said it may be as soon as two weeks! She also told me that during the biopsy procedure she had removed 2 teeth. I remember thinking (but not asking!) why she hadn't told me about the teeth before hand, as my cat had always eaten dry cat food and he was continuing to eat dry cat food over the past days after I picked him up. Unfortunately, due to shock, I didn't ask any questions.

When I came home I started on line to find information and came across your website! It taught me a lot. One of the things I noticed was some people are saying that doing the biopsy is sometimes the "catalyst" that makes the disease progress quicker and after hearing this I became very angry that this wasn't explained to me. I never would have agreed to a biopsy, if I knew it would shorten the life span of my beloved pet!

Today is Saturday, March 15th, and my cat had been eating normally all

week and doing the same things he always does. The only difference,

is, now that I know, I watch his every move and every breath, wondering if he is out of character, or in pain. Now I probably watch for things or notice things that aren't even there because I am so paranoid about him being in pain! I went out and bought him some soft food and he seemed to enjoy it up until today. He won't eat the wet food or the dry food today. I went to a specialty pet store to ask for some advice about feeding. When I filled them in on that past weeks in the life of my cat, they were shocked about a few things: 1) why didn't the vet ask first about removing the teeth 2) why didn't the vet tell me when I picked the cat up that he had teeth removed 3) how big is the tumour

4) where is the tumour 5) is it growing in out out of the mouth 6) is there anything I can do about keeping him out of pain

All these questions make perfect sense, but in my shock, and denial, I never had a chance to ask them. I am going to phone the vet now, get an appointment and ask these questions! Stay tune for the answers, and the continuing story of my beautiful, Chucky.

Update on Chucky: when I called the vet back she wanted another $25 to make an appointment to answer the questions. This, after already spending $500 and no consultation??? Anyway I found another vet and what an amazing difference. She sat with me, the cat, and my daughter for 1/2 hour, went over the x-ray from the other vet and the diagnosis and did a thorough exam of my Chuckie. She agreed with the vet's diagnosis, but felt in view of my cat's excellent health and condition otherwise, that he could live another

4-6 months. She prescribed a pain medication and has agreed to see my kitty every 2 weeks, weigh him, (for free) and then we will see when he starts to go down hill rapidly, I may have to make the dreaded decision. In the meantime, he continues to eat, go outside, and enjoy life while we enjoy him! I will keep you posted. By the way, will this be posted on your website?

Terry

 

Magu

Email Chris about Magu

March 2008

Magu started her life with us after I found her in a pet shop at the age of 8 weeks back in June 1997. I immediately fell in love with her and brought her home to be a companion to our cat Stan (who came to us as a stray at approx 3 years of age in 1994), 3 children aged 7, 9 and 12 and partner Eric.

The decision to end Magu's life on March 14 2008 was an extremely difficult one. It was one that I had hoped I would never have to make. More than anything I wanted her to just go to sleep at home one day or night and never wake up. Wishful thinking. I had never gone through this experience before and was in shock. I researched all I could about this ailment and soon discovered that even though she now appeared healthy, her time would quickly come. Through my research I discovered this site and found it to be extremely useful and was rather surprised to find so many others in a similar position to us.

 

Late 2007 I noticed slight swelling under her right eye. The next day I saw what appeared to be pus coming out of her eye and immediately rang to make an appointment to see the vet the following day. He looked inside her mouth and told me that she had a 'nasty' infection, which appeared to be an abscess from a tooth, and would need to be on antibiotics for a week. She was then booked in for the following week for a dental. During the dental she had one tooth and several roots (without teeth) removed and an x-ray was taken. The results of the x-ray showed that her jaw was eroding which was caused possibly by either a really bad infection - or cancer. I was told she now had no back teeth left - only her beautiful front teeth.

The results of Magu's biopsy came back early January 2008. It was confirmed that she had squamous cell carcinoma of the right upper jaw and as this is a particularly aggressive form of cancer the only advice I was given was to take her home and let her live as comfortably as she could until her quality of life deteriorated – to the point where she could no longer eat or drink.

She continued to eat (she loved cat biscuits and not once in her life did she chew these - only swallowed them - so she continued to eat these) - she still ate her canned food, raw mince, little treats of chicken if we had that for dinner - and of course she continued to purr, meow and sit on our laps.

Little by little she detached herself from us and became more recluse. She slept more and would really only come when she heard the other pets being fed. She would eat, then try to clean herself and totter off to her favourite spot of the day and go back to sleep. Eating became more of a hassle with each passing day, she managed to eat okay but the ritual of cleaning herself afterwards became a real effort. As the disease progressed it invaded her sinus cavity so she often sounded congested and made lots of sneezing noises. Her eye also became badly affected.

Last week she felt real pain and became sphinx-like, tense and unhappy. It was time. The day arrived, she ate her breakfast, I took her outside for a last little feel of wet dew on her paws, she came and sat on my lap and purred so loud. When we arrived at the vet I took her out of her carry case in the waiting room (something I’ve never done before) and we cuddled until we were called in. She purred, cried and clung to me for dear life. We said our goodbyes.

She was the best cat I have ever had and I am going to miss her so much.

Chris Martens

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to 'talk' about our experience. I really appreciate it.

 

Timmie

Email Valerie about Timmie

In 2000, a kitten showed up on my front porch.  I kept her and named her Timmie because she was so timid. 

December 22, 2008

Took my birthday day-off to take Timmie into vet to check teeth.  I had noticed Timmie eating slower for the last 2-3 weeks and foul breath the last week.  The vet removed tartar (lots), gave vaccine and prescribed antibiotic for two weeks. While giving the antibiotic during the last week I felt a lump in the soft tissue of the jaw.  I thought infection but she was on an antibiotic and that should take care of it.  I also wondered if the lump had already been there and both I and the vet hadn’t noticed it (that would have been horrible if the vet hadn’t noticed it since she did do a teeth cleaning job).  Going on to the next week the lump was still there and might be enlarging.  She was still eating slowly and the foul breath returned.  New signs occurred: drooling down the chin and the tongue was slightly sticking out.  I made another vet appointment.

 

January 20, 2009

The vet (Dr. B) examined the hard lump growth on the left jaw bone and said it was pushing the tongue up and the lower left jaw down.  Dr. B wanted to rule out tumor by biopsy and x-ray.

January 23, 2009

Timmie was taken in for x-rays and biopsy.  I went home and researched treatment for cancer.  For humans I believe food is medicine, especially fruits and vegetables.  So I figure food would be medicine for Timmie as well.  The problem, there is not much info out there for pets.  Can cats eat fruits/veggies?  Which ones, I know cats have more sensitive bodies than dogs.  I didn’t come across this site until later in the disease process so I did not see the protocol for Casper.  I started off with the following and made educated guesses regarding doses:

            Astragalus, Pau d’ Arco, Prozyme (been using for all pets for years), multivit/minerals (routinely used), a little raw food, Udo’s Choice (I stopped this after a couple months after hearing Flax is not absorbed as well as other oils), salmon oil (routinely used).

January 30, 2009 - Prognosis

Dr. B called with biopsy results stating it was positive for cancer.  I went into the office for further discussion.  Got results from pathologist: squamous cell carcinoma, intermediate to high-grade, invasive into bone. Expected to be locally aggressive with moderate to possibly high potential for eventual distant metastasis.  Multiple areas of bone invasion were identified. Dr. B explained alternatives, none pleasing.  She spoke with radiologist-several treatments to be given at weekly intervals (difficult to make appointments when working) and concurrent with chemo.  Because of the location of this tumor in the jaw itself, the radiation may not reach the tumor through the bone.  This was also a very expensive alternative, especially when I feel I will be out of a job soon.  Also the survival of a few months to a year can’t support this route.  Surgery to remove the tumor would also not be an option; cats do not do well with portions of their jaw gone.  Dr. B was not sure how much of the jaw/tongue would have to be removed since margins would also have to be removed to make sure the entire tumor was removed.  Dr. B informed me of the progression of the disease and what to expect.  Basically, I would be giving end of life care, the majority being for pain relief.  Eating will become even more difficult, the teeth would be pushed out and the bone will dissolve into a “rubber jaw”.  However, a feeding tube could be placed.  She also gave me information of an oncologist who also treats with supplements but who does not actually practice true integrative medicine.  The only problem here was that this vet only visited a nearby city only on Wed.  This poses a problem for a working person, I would have to drive quite a distance and make sure I can get this time off.  I called this vet (Dr. V) to make an appointment.

February 4, 2009 - Begin Treatment

Dr. V explained everything as Dr. B had.  Dr. V thought that radiation would not work (of course) because the tumor was in the bone but it could be done concurrently with the chemo.  She also explained the future necessity of a feeding tube.  I felt this was not needed at this time because Timmie was still eating a lot although slow and was regaining some weight she had lost over the last couple of weeks (ounces).  Looking back I think this was a mistake.  I should have had the feeding tube placed at this time when Timmie was in the best health and it would have been a less stressful procedure.  Because I was so overwhelmed in the moment and wanted to say I did everything I could to help my kitty, I had a chemo (carboplatin) treatment done at this visit.   At this visit several other meds/supplements were prescribed: nalbuphine (pain), metacam (anti-inflammatory), Eskimate (mushrooms-enhance immune system), agaricus (mushrooms-enhance immune system), cytoxan (chemo), cerenia (nausea).  The carboplatin chemo would be a monthly treatment and the other meds were given daily or every other day.  When I got the bill for the visit I contemplated only using supplements and hospice care since I could not afford $700/month for the required 3-6 treatments. 

I gave two of the prescribed at-home chemo treatments then decided to quit the chemo altogether since I could not afford it and continued with the previous supplements and added milk thistle and CoQ 10 to help the liver excrete the chemo.  Timmie seemed to tolerate the chemo ok.  She got slightly lethargic and went off food for a couple of days.  The Cerenia helped with this.  I gave the supplements by opening the capsules and pouring the contents into her food which she ate fine.  I don’t know if this method is appropriate.  I thought that the stomach acids might just inactivate the substances.  I started to put her into a large wire dog crate at feeding times to keep the dog from stealing her food.  She would run to the crate when she heard me fixing the meals.  She was always fed first.  About 5 days after the chemo the lump started to feel a little warm.  I hoped that this was good.  When Timmie was having bad days I gave the supplements (I used tinctures when possible for this) by syringe into the mouth.  This could only be done on the right side of the mouth since the left side of the jaw had started to droop and was probably painful.  The tongue was still slightly protruding at times and shifting to the right side of the jaw.  She would drool every now and then.  Dr. B prescribed Bupren2x for pain when I could not be home for long periods of time since the nalbuphine had to be given every 3-4 hours.

At her next appointment with Dr. V, her tumor appeared to “stabilize” and the nodes and tongue were clear.  I felt so relieved, but I increased the dosages (by 25-50%) of the supplements.

March 2009

The tumor appeared to be enlarging with more outward growth, but not yet to the right side of the jaw.  The left eye seemed to have a slightly increase in moisture/tears.  The tongue still protruded about ¼”.  She drools occasionally. Timmie started using her paw to get food to her mouth.  I started her on IP6, this I put in a very small amount of food first thing in AM and last thing in PM since it is supposed to be taken on empty stomach.  I also added Maitake (mushroom).  I give her all of the foods she preferred.  Because she can’t eat the dry food anymore, I used a pill crusher to smash this and sprinkle it on the food.

April 2009

Timmie was gradually losing more weight due to decreased food intake.  A small amount of pus from the mouth was seen.  The antibiotic, Convenia was prescribed on an every two week basis.  I was to give an injection at home and the next one would be given at the monthly clinic check.  Subcutaneous fluids and subcutaneous vit B12 were started at this time as well.  I would be giving these at home as well.  I had to do this with an older cat just a few years earlier so I was used to doing this and it was not a problem, one gets used to it.  This would have been another great time to have a feeding tube placed, but I still felt hopeful I guess.  Timmie would eat fine for days and then have a poor day in between.  I continued with all of the prescribed anti-inflammatories, pain meds and supplements.  To stimulate her appetite I added juice from the dog food, tuna and any other items I could think of.  I had to make trips every couple of days to Dr. B to pick up a box of Buprenex.

May 2009

Early in the month I saw blood clots mixed with saliva on the sheets in the crate.  I did not see any active bleeding from her mouth.  I figured the teeth had started to be pushed out.  Timmie’s weight had stabilized by her next vet visit, so she appeared to be eating better with the antibiotic.  Dr. V stated surprise (but pleased) to see Timmie had survived this long and to keep doing what I’m doing (but didn’t ask/wasn’t interested in what I was doing although I had told her previously that I was using supplements).  The drooling continued and sometimes was very prolific.

However, this didn’t last too long.  By mid-month her appetite had greatly decreased and one day she meowed to leave the crate leaving most of her food uneaten.  The favorite foods and sprinkling of smashed dry food did not seem to work anymore.  There was some clotted blood on the dish.  She immediately ran behind the couch.  She had been drooling quite a bit lately and a small bare patch had started on her chest.

Timmie’s drooling had decreased but the bald patch had grown on her chest.  This I dusted with cornstarch to prevent skin breakdown.  The bald area had started to spread down the front legs over a couple of days.  The chest area was mostly dry and the drooling appeared to be less and I didn’t observe excessive cleaning.  By this time I think self-cleaning by Timmie was too difficult.  I continued to use cornstarch and there was no skin breakdown.  A cycle started to emerge: decreased appetite occurred with excessive drooling/bleeding and appetite returned when drooling/bleeding decreased.  Timmie no longer runs to the crate in anticipation for her meals.  Now I have to go find her, coax her, or just grab her to place her in the crate.  When she can’t eat she meows to be let out of the crate.  I added a little juice or just stirred the food and sometimes she ate a little more.  I carried her around with me a lot now; I called her “queen”.  I was somewhat glad that I was laid-off so I could have that extra time with her.

June 2009

The drooling continues.  Fur had regrown in the bare areas.  Timmie had started to shake her head to get rid of the drool accumulating in/around her mouth.  This has made me place newspaper/towels in her favorite resting areas.  However, each time I put newspaper or a towel where she has chosen to sleep she didn’t go back to that area and picked a new place to lie.  So I ended up with a house full of oddly scattered newspaper and towels!   Her chin had become very itchy and she found great satisfaction in me rubbing it.  I just had to quickly turn my head when I see the head shaking coming on so I didn’t get splattered.  I added pycnogenol to her protocol.  She actually looked as if she was feeling pretty good.  Because of the weight she lost (she should have lost this weight to begin with, she was overwt) she actually climbed a tree to get onto the roof, which she hadn’t done since she was much younger.  She was also still jumping onto the couch to sit next to me (to have her chin rubbed) and up onto the file cabinet (her last sleeping area).  She did however avoid the other cats and the dog, to prevent injury to her face.  When she wasn’t eating too much I added water to make the food possibly easier to eat.

July 2009

At Dr. V appointment: there was edema (swelling) under the tongue now and the lump had increased in size.  There has been more blood in the drool over a longer period of time (mostly every day now).  I increased the amount of IP 6.  Timmie was not eating much at all now, no matter how dressed up I made her meals.  Now I was becoming very concerned and thought more seriously about placing the feeding tube.  At mid month a mostly clear, thin drainage started from under her chin.  I made a short notice appointment with Dr. B for the 17th.  She examined Timmie and suggested I put warm compresses to the area twice a day.  She did not give any explanation of the cause.  A few days later, the wound increased in size and had blood present this time.  Timmie was not eating at all and had what looked like food stuck on her tongue and stuck in her mouth.  I made an appointment for the 27th.  Dr. B examined Timmie once again and stated she had no more bone left and has the “rubber jaw” she described to me at the time of the diagnosis.   Now I wanted to place a feeding tube.  Dr. B stated she did not feel comfortable doing it at this time since so much inflammation ha occurred and she cannot get a clear view to the correct placement.  She would like Dr. V to do the procedure.  This would not be a problem since our next appointment was on the 29th.  By this time, when I put Timmie’s dish down she would stick her head down and try to eat but just couldn’t.  She would look up at me and meow.  If I walked around to do other things, she would walk around with me and walk around in circles in the kitchen meowing to me that she was hungry.  I tried to syringe feed her, but she fought it a bit, and it wasn’t enough to fill her up.  I told her she was going to have a tube put in and then she could eat all she wanted and would have a full tummy again. 

July 29

I kept Timmie in the crate overnight so I wouldn’t have any problems finding/catching her and to keep her fasting (that was probably no problem) for her morning (mourning) appointment with Dr. V for a feeding tube.  I wasn’t sure if it could be placed that day or if I would have to schedule it for the following week.  Oddly, Timmie was very, very quiet on the trip to the vet.  I don’t know if this was because of the swelling (she could still purr and meow softly) or she knew something I didn’t know.  I kept telling her she was going to have a tube to help her eat and that she could have food soon and not be so hungry.  I talked with the vet tech first. She explained the feeding tube and a gastric tube.  I couldn’t afford the gastric tube.  Dr. V then came in and explained the options as well.  She talked about the feeding tube, gastric tube (I said I could not afford this), and euthanasia.  She examined Timmie and stated that there was so much swelling there would be additional complications and special procedure and tube had to be used.  I believe she had to get assistance from a more experienced vet as well.  Because of these complications, this increased the cost of the procedure beyond of my ability.  This left only euthanasia.  This was not part of my plans.  I was expecting to take Timmie home with me, either with a feeding tube in place or an appointment for its placement.  So this part of the story is cloudy.  I remember a lot of talking by Dr. V about being wise, animals live in the moment, and if I took her home now without some intervention that that would be torture.  She gave me an article to read regarding euthanasia.  I don’t remember what it said; I don’t think I even read it.  They gave me as much time I needed to make my decision.  They were quite respectful and did not rush.  This was the most difficult day of my life.  The euthanasia procedure went as smoothly as possible.  Timmie got a very strong pain med to put her into a deep sleep.  I spent about 40 minutes with her at this time and tried to explain what was happening.  Why there was a change in plans and that she would not be coming home the way we expected.  After this the other drugs were injected.  A little candle was lit and a bunch of flowers were placed on the exam table.  I stayed with my kitty.  The vet tech took her out of the room after these drugs took effect, supposedly to trim a keepsake fur for me.  I believe Timmie was holding on for too long and additional drugs were injected.  Well she came home with me and was buried with her dish and I like to think that she can now eat all she wants and is pain-free.  At her 1 and 2 month anniversaries she has told me so.

  

 

Timmie at 9 years in spring 2009.  Protruding tongue, swelling at left jaw, and shifting of jaw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spree

Email Julie about Spree

 

Apr. 11, 2008 Here is my journal on my cat Spree. The best kitty ever.

Around November, I noticed that Spreezie (as I called her) didn't seem all that interested in eating like she used to. But, she wasn't getting thinner either.

12-07, both cats went for their annual check-ups. The vet recommended that Spree get her teeth cleaned.

1-16-08, my 12 yr old female cat, Spree went in for a routine teeth cleaning. She's always had a terrible time with her teeth and only had about 9 remaining in her mouth. Her breath had deteriorated and she seemed to be uninterested in eating her normal dry food but she isn't losing weight. The vet removed a tooth that was almost out by itself and thought that she may have been in pain since food particles were trapped under the root. Everything else seemed normal.

1-18-08. Spree is running around and playing like a kitten! It's really great to see her so elated!! She is on antibiotics from the oral surgery and it will probably be 2 weeks before her mouth is back to normal and eating dry foods again.

2-12-08. Spree is still very cautious about eating dry food, so, I've been "finger" feeding her canned/wet cat food 3x a day. Something isn't right so I make an appt. with the vet. He sees her the same day and says that he feels a lump in her lower jaw and wants to x-ray her. I pick her up later in the day and he says he isn't hopeful because the x-ray shows deterioration of the lower jaw and it's most likely SCC so he took a biopsy and results will be back by the 15th.

2-15-08, just as we feared, SCC. The vet didn't think that removing her lower jaw & hooking I.V.'s up to her was a humane option, so, I decided that I would keep her as comfortable as possible for as long as this was going to take. I immediately ask for pain meds. The vet prescribed "Metacam" orally at .15ml every other day. Since this is a nasty NSAID, it will probably damage her liver & kidneys, however, I am certain the cancer will win this battle. The vet didn't think she'd make it past 2 weeks. Spree won't eat from her food dish anymore and is starting to eat Gerber's baby food 2nd stage, meats but only if I "finger" feed her. She's clearly hungry and plays more than normal!

3-1-08. Spree is still with us! She seems more comfortable on the days that I give her the Metacam but she is having trouble eating quickly and is starting to paw at her mouth a little and she is drooling a bit more, too.

I have been giving her numerous handfuls of "pounce" or "whiskas" cat treats and she'll eat them right off of the carpet. She has trouble picking up these morsels off of hardwood flooring.

3-12-08. She is very hungry today and even initiated playing with her ball all by herself! She isn't losing weight and seems normal but has started pawing at her mouth with both paws. She won't eat any more baby food but has been eating cat treats regularly.

3-14-08. Spree has started finding new sleeping spots that are out of the normal house traffic. She is drinking water and seemingly okay but the tumor is about the size of an almond when you feel under her chin. I also noticed that she is shedding way more than ususal for this time of the year.

Over the next week, Spree has good days and bad ones. Some days I can get her to eat tons of "treats" and others, she isn't interested. She is sleeping quite a bit and the drool is getting worse. The oddest thing is that the vet initially said that she would probably bleed continually and her breath would smell bad, however, I didn't see or smell any of that.

She's still playing with her favorite ball and sitting in my lap.

3-26-08. Not much change but I do think she's becoming uncomfortable and is very cautious when eating and drinking water. She found a hiding spot in our closet on top of a fleece jacket that is resting on a storage bin.

3-27-08. I found a few drops of blood on her white blanket but she seemed okay. She wouldn't eat today.

3-28-08. Today she is "scared" to eat. She is hiding in the closet again.

I got her to drink some tuna fish juice and she seemed elated about that!

She had a couple of moist "Pounce" but it's nearly impossible for her to pick them up off the carpet and she gets frustrated.

3-29-08. Spree came to wake me up this morning. After trying the tuna juice and whiskas treats she ran away from me as if I was serving up daggers. This poor girl. When coming downstairs I see blood splotches all over the living room floor and a few dots on her blanket. After I pulled back the couch cushion, there was a massive amount of blood all over her white towel & bedding. I knew today would be the final day for her. I couldn't have gotten a clearer sign that it was time. At 9:45 am, she was euthenized and went peacefully.

This type of oral cancer is terrible. She was the sweetest cat and I am very angry that she had to have something this devistating happen to her.

It's never easy when you have an animal that you love so much and is part of your life suddenly get this ill this quickly. Cherish every single second you have with them because you never know when it will be over. I cry nearly every day because I miss her so much. I hope this helps anyone out there that has just found out their beloved pet just received this diagnosis.