We are verklempt in our household (useful Yiddish word meaning going quietly crazy) because the Best Cat has been diagnosed with liver cancer. Worse in ways because this exceptional beast has been a huge comfort to DH, who is very ill.Cat is now at a specialty hospital and we are awaiting cytology report. I would value hearing about any experiences, good or bad. I don’t want to get led down the garden path with aggressive treatment, but my poor husband is grasping at staws:-/
When my ex and I split, he took the boy cats and I took the girl cats (we had a farm!) Our nice big red man developed a liver tumor. We never had it biopsied as it appeared to have spread on ultrasound to nearby structures. He went down hill quickly and we put him to sleep about 5 weeks after diagnosis. He was a big boy, 18 pounds was an appropriate weight and 12 years old.
Animals don’t understand prolonging their life. They only know they don’t feel good anymore and dragging out the inevitable is cruel in animals as it is in people. If he has a chance at complete recovery, go for it but chances are he went to the vet because he was symptomatic and that is often a bad sign.
I am so sorry. Our Noland was a dear boy but there were really no options.
I had one as well. Bit of a question mark if her mass was in the liver or just near as the ultrasound was not 100% clear, but the boarded radiologist did believe we had involvement. We did not pursue further diagnostics as we were also dealing with kidney disease.
The most difficult item was managing the nausea, which we did very effectively for … three months? or so with Cerenia and Zofran. It did take the pair of them. Oh, also pepcid, and mirtazipine for appetite. Once that control started to slip, the decision was very quickly made to euthanize, as it was really all downhill from that point and the kitty would not be getting any better. She lasted with really good quality of life far longer than the vet expected, but was not symptomatic when we discovered the mass.
I asked my vet about prednisone (a few times) and was told (repeatedly) that with a tumor in that region, steroids could really cause very rapid worsening. Possible it could have helped, but it wasn’t worth taking that risk.
So sorry for your kitty, and to not have a happier story to share 
It’s really going to depend on the cytology results regarding prognosis and treatment. Jingles.
Liver cancer is bad; it depends on the extent of the cancer though, to determine what your options and prognosis is. Surgery can be done in the case of isolated tumors, sometimes, but it’s risky. Anything disseminated has a poor prognosis.
Jingles!
find an holistic vet
I went through a similar situation recently with my much loved little kitty when the allopathic vet found growths on her mammary glands; he, of course, wanted to do the chemo, radiation, surgery regimen;:eek: which would, I fear would kill her,
or, at least make:( her feel very sick; she, the holistic vet, has had good results making nutritional:yes:
changes; which. is what we are doing:yes:
Thank you all! Your input really helps. Waiting and hoping for a favorable cytology report. But Best Cat’s course so far has not suggested much hope. Literally five
days between the first time he did not race to the front door to help me fetch the newspapers, and the day he walked into my study with his tail down–a first–looking like a very sick cat. He presented at vet with ascites a day later.
Hoping we can at least get him feeling a bit better before we have to let him go…
[QUOTE=ChristinaClarLuisa;8258822]
Thank you all! Your input really helps. Waiting and hoping for a favorable cytology report. But Best Cat’s course so far has not suggested much hope. Literally five
days between the first time he did not race to the front door to help me fetch the newspapers, and the day he walked into my study with his tail down–a first–looking like a very sick cat. He presented at vet with ascites a day later.
Hoping we can at least get him feeling a bit better before we have to let him go…[/QUOTE]
How old is your sweet man? I am so very sorry!
We are letting our boy go today. He’s my grown daughter’s beloved, beautiful gray with green eyes, and only six years old. He presented in the beginning of July with being NQR, mopey and looking like he had to pee all the time. Thought it was a urinary blockage, but they are all (boys) on urinary tract diet formula, so was dismayed. Turns out, no blockage but bloodwork was all over the map in the wrong ways. Started him on antibiotics hoping it was an infection. No improvement…started getting worse. This week he hasn’t been able to eat or drink but wants to. Made the decision to not take any drastic measures but to let him go.
I’m so going to miss my Zipper…
So Sorry to all who have lost a pet this way…it’s hard. OP, I’m sorry to say I have no good news for you. Much like humans, when cancer spreads to the liver it’s not good and means the end is quite near. And pets don’t complain and will sometimes be quite stoic about it, which means it can be much more advanced. I hope for good results and that you can keep your kitty for a bit longer. If you cannot and results are not good - then my thoughts are with you and your husband and with Kitteh that his end is peaceful. ((((Hugs)))) to you and your husband - kiss for kitteh.
He’s gone. Vet indicated that there was nothing we could have done. He had jaundice and fluid from the tumors (suspected) had filled in the cavity surrounding his liver.
RIP sweet Zip…give Monkey a hug for us when you see her
Thank you all, COTHfriends, for the truthful, helpful words. Cytology came back bad–ductal carcinoma–and while it looks like a primary tumor, not resectable. So tomorrow we say goodbye to Best Cat. Would have been this evening but DH too broken up to handle it (I’m not feeling too good myself.)
CindyCRNA, he’s only 7, as best we can tell. I am spoiled…all of my cats have seemed to live into their 20’s.
MoonWitch, very big hugs for you. So sorry. Boy they do hurt when they go.
[QUOTE=ChristinaClarLuisa;8260031]
Thank you all, COTHfriends, for the truthful, helpful words. Cytology came back bad–ductal carcinoma–and while it looks like a primary tumor, not resectable. So tomorrow we say goodbye to Best Cat. Would have been this evening but DH too broken up to handle it (I’m not feeling too good myself.)
CindyCRNA, he’s only 7, as best we can tell. I am spoiled…all of my cats have seemed to live into their 20’s.
MoonWitch, very big hugs for you. So sorry. Boy they do hurt when they go.[/QUOTE]
I’m so sorry for you as well!! Our boy was only six and it just sucks…
((((hugs)))) to you and DH and peace to both.
My DH was the one that had to do the deed. They say that men are the stronger sex, right?? He sat in the parking lot for 1/2 hour before he could even move.
Lost my heart Bouvier to liver cancer. Broke my heart and that was maybe 15 years ago it still breaks my heart.
My heart and thoughts go out to you, MoonWitch and you, ChristinaClarLuisa, in this tough time.
MoonWitch & ChristinaClarLuisa - I’m so sorry for both your losses. Hard to part with them so young. But they didn’t suffer and you will see them again.
((((HUGS)))) to both of you and your families.
OP, I am so sorry! Your only consolation is he didn’t suffer. Big hugs.
Hug to you also, Moonwitch. It’s so hard to lose them that young.
Thank you all. A little messed up now but very grateful for the help and support.
I’ve been thinking of you all day… sending hugs and blessings your way.
It just sucks, doesn’t it?? I keep seeing him everywhere and the daily “routine” without his antics are just painful…
Hoping peace finds you tonight…:sadsmile:
