Dying Cat - Wanting Virtual Hugs

Shadow has started to refuse cat treats. At first, well she might not be in the mood, blah blah. Over the last couple of days though I noticed she is far less active. I picked her up, she felt lighter, so I did the trick of standing on the scale with and without her. Now she's at her "ideal" weight, which means she's lost two pounds since last year, and those two pounds were probably lost in the last month or two. I checked the lumps, which I've been lax about doing, and one is the same, one has grown some, and now I'm feeling a large, hard, bumpy growth directly under the two lumps. I don't know if it's flat or so deep I can't feel the bulk of it. She also purred while I was rubbing and manipulating her belly. Belly rubs (whether for pleasure or lump checking) has always resulted in the low pitch warning meows, followed by growling, followed by trying to take your hand off your wrist and an escape if you are stupid enough to not listen to the growling. She has never laid there and purred before. I decided to see if she would eat wet food, I had one tiny can. She ended up with some kind of breathing problem (again) but guarded the dish until she could eat. But she didn't finish it either, which is also weird.

I will take her to the vet to discuss palliative care. I'm also not going to ask for tests. But I'm pretty certain that a) it's cancer and b) it's spread, triggering the breathing problems.

So yeah, hugs wanted. And words of coping from those who lost a cat to cancer, especially those who chose not to treat.

I don't have any words. But, I can send you hugs.

Many hugs to you and your furry one. I'm sorry for what you're going through. Keep us updated when you can.

I'm wrapping you and Shadow up in my heart right now.

I'm so sorry to read this. You and Shadow are in my thoughts.

I don't have any words, or advice to offer, but I can send you and Shadow virtual hugs.

I'm so sorry. I lost my sweet Sophie last August to unspecified nasal carcinoma. She was only 9 years old. Our situation was different in that Sophie started presenting symptoms in April and by August she let us know that it was time.

We have no specialist in my city and I would have had to travel a minimum of 5 hours away to even get an MRI for her and treatment if it would have been a viable option. I don't think I would have done the treatment (radiation) anyway as it would have been quite traumatic with no guarantee.

Palliative care with her included pain relief and basically catering to her until she let me know it was time. She had trouble eating because she had trouble breathing. I gave her baby food meat that I would dilute so she could lap it easily, usually with me holding the dish up for her so she didn't have to lower her head to eat. I gave her kitten chow (all of mine were switched to wet only the year prior) too as the dry food seemed easier for her to eat with out struggling to breathe.

You know Shadow better than anyone. I know you spoke of this on the "what's on your mind" thread recently and my heart breaks for you. Know that we are here for you and we walk in solidarity on this journey with you. ((Hugs)) friend and kitty kisses for Shadow

I'm so sorry to hear this. Big hugs to you and Shadow.

Sending special thoughts and countless hugs your way. We've had many cats over the years but our last cat, Neely, was the first to succumb to cancer. She showed no signs until it was too far gone and we did everything we could to make her comfortable but no heroic measures because even the vet said it was a very debilitating form of cancer. My sincere sympathies go out to you.

Many many hugs to you and encouragement. We decided not to "treat" Kitty with chemotherapy due to the advanced stage of cancer. We are now glad we didn't, it would just have made his last days miserable, the cancer was too aggressive to try anything at that point. We did try prednisolone, which increased his appetite and at least probably helped with the inflammation.
Spend as much time as you can with Shadow and think of the good times you lived together. Don't loss hope!