Cat With Mouth Cancer

[baxtersmom]

I've been lurking around the forum for awhile now but have never posted before. I have a 16 year old cat, Peanut, with mouth cancer. I know that she's dying and there's nothing I can do about it. I've been showering her with love and trying to make her as comfortable as possible and making sure she knows how much she's loved and keeping her pain free. I've been feeding her by hand and up until yesterday she's been eating pretty good that way. She won't drink water unless I put a little bit of milk in it. I only put a tiny splash in, just enough to make it a little white. That seems to fool her into thinking it's milk and she'll drink it up. Yesterday she refused to eat. No matter how hard I try she just won't eat anymore. She's still drinking, but when she does she starts gagging. I've read that cats can't go without food for more than a couple of days. I know it's her time but the idea of upsetting her by putting her in a crate and taking her to the vet to be put down is killing me. I can't afford to have a vet come to the house to do it (I've looked into it and it's very expensive). I just went through an awful scare with my dog and it ended up costing over $2,000 to save him. So needless to say, I'm tapped out. I guess my question is, how long will she live without food and will she pass peacefully that way? I don't want her to be in pain or scared. Right now she just sleeps all day and night. If she were in pain I would have her put down, but she's not, so I just can't bring myself to put her through the torment of that last terrifying car ride. This picture is from last week. She just lays there and sleeps peacefully pretty much 24 hours a day. (I was washing her soft kitty blanket so she was laying on a sheet).

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Being in pain is one thing and I would think cancer of any type hurts, but starving to death is another. I wouldn't consider that a peaceful death.
She won't really pay that much attention to being put in a carrier, not really.
When you're there ask if they can work out a payment plan.

No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life. Sorry about the title

Financial Aid for Pets

 

[baxtersmom]

Taking her to the vet to be put down isn't the problem. It's having a vet come to the house to do it. Anytime she's ever had to go to the vet she's panicked so bad that I thought she would pass out from fear. In her weakened state the thought of putting her through that and then ending her life makes me cringe. I've done a lot of reading and from what I've read, cat's will usually stop eating when they are nearing death. That being said, a few minutes ago I was able to get her to lick a bit of food. I just can't stop imagining her crying in fear the whole way to the vet and at the vet and then them ending her life. I don't want her to die that way.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! How are things today?

Maybe this will help --below, but it is incredibly difficult either way. I had a similar situation with our Maine Coon several years ago, didn't have a home vet even available and could not deal with the thought of pain, since cats are so good at hiding that, or starvation which is totally awful.

I witnessed a friend's cat starve, she was dying as well but had a bad tooth the vet missed (?!) and tried to drink and eat little bits for a week but couldn't. We finally saw the tooth but she was still hanging on, for another week. I don't know how long she would have lasted like this, they finally took her in and put her to sleep.

Short term brief upset of a trip to the vet, versus long-term drawn out agony. If you saw a starving cat lying in your back yard or trying to walk across the road, that cat would be in obvious extreme discomfort. She's sleeping a lot but that doesn't mean her mouth doesn't hurt or that she's not feeling hunger pangs.
It's an unfair rotten thing for your poor baby, and any cat. I feel badly for both of you.

If there's any way at all that you can get a vet to the house, try and work out a payment plan.

You know a lot of this already and maybe have seen this specific article, but in case not;
Caring For The Dying Cat

 

[Pjg8r]

I don’t know where you live, but lapoflove.com is a home hospice/euthanizia vet practice. I have used them. Even if they don’t have any locations near you, their website has wonderful videos about making end of life decisions. Thoughts of peace for you in the midst of this.

 

[baxtersmom]

Thank you both. She's not refusing to eat because of pain. She just isn't interested in it. All she wants to do is sleep. Once in awhile I can get her interested if I pester her enough. Then she'll lick if out of my hand and shows no sign of pain or difficulty as long as the food is mushy. When I make her get up to go to the litter box or outside in the sunshine to do her business she gets annoyed with me. She'll go and do her business but then she wants right back in her bed, lays down and goes to sleep. You can tell by the way that she sleeps that she's not in pain. She's very content and once in awhile she'll stretch and kneed the blanket. She actually seems so comfortable and enjoys the extra pampering she's getting. She even looks like she's put on a little weight since I started hand feeding her. If there were any signs that she was in pain I would force myself to take her in and end the suffering. I've seen other cats in pain and they sleep all curled up. You can just tell they hurt. But she lays all spread out, her breathing is normal, her ears and tail relaxed. Thank you for the article on caring for a dying cat. Peanut's mom passed away about 2 weeks ago. She was at least 18 years old. I'm not certain because she came to us as a pregnant stray to foster until she had her kittens. I fell in love with her after helping her deliver those kittens so I adopted her and one of the kittens (Peanut). She went very fast. That morning she didn't come running for her food (she loved to eat). All day she kept moving around like she couldn't get comfortable. She was still drinking, but not much. Her breathing had gotten faster but she still purred when I loved on her. That night she just laid down and went to sleep forever. My husband found her the next morning laying in the same spot she had been in when we went to bed. It looked like she just went to sleep and didn't wake up. Here's Peanut a few minutes ago sleeping peacefully.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[Jem]

Do you have a good relationship with your vet? I wonder if they would give you something to give your cat that would sedate her enough so she would not know that she is going to he vet? I honestly don't know if they would, but it's something I plan on asking mine. One of my cats is terminal, and I feel the same way as you, when it comes to not wanting his last moments on earth being in a car and going to the vet. But I also know that starving to death is not pleasant (to put it mildly), and although your cat may not be in pain now, she will be if you just let her go naturally.
I wish you all the best and a peaceful end to your precious Peanut.

 

[baxtersmom]

Unfortunately I don't. The vet I use has several vets and you never really know who's going to be working and they seem to have a big turnover rate. I was able to get her to lick a couple of tiny scoops of food but then she turned away and wouldn't take any more. I've pretty much decided that I'm going to take her Monday. I so wish that she would go peacefully on her own before then but I don't see that happening.

 

[baxtersmom]

Well my wish came true. Peanut passed away at 12:40am this morning. Around 9:30 Saturday night she started getting restless and couldn't seem to find a comfortable position. Her tail started swishing like they do when they're not very happy. She kept changing position over and over but just couldn't get comfortable. I thought maybe she had to go potty so I took her out back for a few minutes. She peed but then just laid down in the mulch. I carried her back in and put her in her bed. I tried to get her to eat some food off my hand but she would have none of it. I couldn't even get her interested in drinking her milk/water. For the next 3 hours she got progressively worse. She kept getting up and stumbling over. She threw up a little. Around 11:30 she stood up and fell over and cried a loud, sad meow. I comforted her and she seemed to settle down again. As the hour went on it happened several more times. Her breathing was getting labored and her eyes were glazed over. I got my pillow and laid down by her side. I talked to her and loved on her and told her how much I loved her and what a wonderful kitty she had been. She seemed scared, especially when she would try to stand and fall over. Each time she did that she let out a loud meow that sounded like MOM. I put my hand under her head and held it up for her. Eventually her head got too weak for her to hold it and it flopped over. Her breathing was very rapid and labored. I held her head in my hand and stroked her and talked to her softly. Eventually she started gasping a bit every few minutes. Right before she passed she seemed to have a couple of small seizures. Her little body would tighten up and then relax. This happened about 3 times. Then she took one last breath and was gone. I picked her up and wrapped her in her soft blanket and held her for at least an hour. She's at peace now running in a field with her Momma near the Rainbow Bridge. This picture was taken soon after she passed away. Rest in peace my sweet Peanut. 4/12/02 - 9/1/18

 

[Jem]

So sorry for your loss. She is free and happy. I'm sure she felt your love and comfort until the end. RIP little Peanut.

 

[SnugglesAnn]

I am so sorry for your loss. When reading your story, it was almost as if I had written it. This past January, my Snuggles did the same as your baby, except I had to choose to let her go. I still miss her so much, but am thankful for the time we had. They will always hold a special place in our hearts.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

 

[Antonio65]

Peanut bravely waited for her end, and you bravely were at her side.
This story is too sad for me to read as I have recently had to say good-bye to my cat.
RIP Peanut, you deserved and earned your place in Heaven.

 

[baxtersmom]

Peanut bravely waited for her end, and you bravely were at her side.
This story is too sad for me to read as I have recently had to say good-bye to my cat.
RIP Peanut, you deserved and earned your place in Heaven.

I read your story about your sweet Lola and it broke my heart. Thank you for telling it as it helped me so much in taking care of Peanut. Lola had the same cancer that Peanut had so I was able to understand what to expect and how best to care for her by reading your journey. I hope Peanut and Lola have become friends and are playing together at the Rainbow Bridge.

 

[baxtersmom]

I am so sorry for your loss. When reading your story, it was almost as if I had written it. This past January, my Snuggles did the same as your baby, except I had to choose to let her go. I still miss her so much, but am thankful for the time we had. They will always hold a special place in our hearts.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Saturday I had made up my mind that Monday was going to be the day that I took her to end her suffering. I had hoped and prayed that I wouldn't have to make that choice and I guess my prayers were answered. That night Peanut decided to go out on her own terms. From the time she started to act uncomfortable to the end took less than 4 hours. I had hoped she would go in her sleep but I know that rarely happens. I'm just so glad I was able to be with her through to the end and comfort her. I know the dreaded car ride and vet visit would have been so terrifying for her. She went in her favorite spot in the living room, laying on her favorite blanket with her head in my hand.

 

[Antonio65]

I read your story about your sweet Lola and it broke my heart. Thank you for telling it as it helped me so much in taking care of Peanut. Lola had the same cancer that Peanut had so I was able to understand what to expect and how best to care for her by reading your journey. I hope Peanut and Lola have become friends and are playing together at the Rainbow Bridge.

I'm amazed that you read my story about my sweet Lola, I can't believe that someone is still reading it.
And I'm glad that it helped you through your ordeal. Hospicing a terminal cat is something that sucks your life away.

Might I ask you where exactly Peanut had her cancer in her mouth?
Lola had it under her tongue, as you have read it in my long thread.

I do hope that they are both playing at the Rainbow Bridge. Peanut will be telling Lola how much she was loved and taken care of.

 

[baxtersmom]

I'm amazed that you read my story about my sweet Lola, I can't believe that someone is still reading it.
And I'm glad that it helped you through your ordeal. Hospicing a terminal cat is something that sucks your life away.

Might I ask you where exactly Peanut had her cancer in her mouth?
Lola had it under her tongue, as you have read it in my long thread.

I do hope that they are both playing at the Rainbow Bridge. Peanut will be telling Lola how much she was loved and taken care of.

Peanut's cancer was in the roof of her mouth and jaw area. It didn't affect her tongue thank goodness. I remember reading how hard it was for Lola to eat because most of her tongue was gone. Eventually it started affecting her lower jaw too. I hate this picture but it shows how bad her mouth had gotten towards the end. As bad as it looks she was still able to eat (out of my hand) and drink on her own. She slept most of the time stretched out comfortably and sometimes would kneed her blanket as she slept. I could tell when she hurt because she would lay curled up tightly. Anytime I saw her that way she would get her pain medicine and then she would stretch out and sleep soundly. The day before she passed I noticed that she had lost her upper canine tooth. I wanted to look in her mouth after she passed to see just how bad it had gotten but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Oh how I hate that cancer and what it does to our precious babies and how we are unable to fix them. Even at 16.5 years old she was still tiny and acted more like a kitten. About a month ago she was still doing this thing she did where she would be sitting or laying somewhere and would suddenly leap up and zoom through the house, this way and that. Just being silly. She loved giving head butts. If you leaned over and said "give me a kiss" she would raise up on her hind legs and give you a sweet head butt. I miss her so much.

 

[Antonio65]

This photo breaks my heart, because I do know what it is like, I remember what my Lola went through as it was yesterday.
But it is great that she retained her kitten attitude even in her last months, at least this lightened her conditions and your mood.

I wanted to look in her mouth after she passed to see just how bad it had gotten but I couldn't bring myself to do it

You showed some respect to her insulted body, this does you a great honor.

Peanut was 16 years and a half old.
Lola was 16 years and 10 month old.
They have lots in common.

RIP Peanuts!