# My cat may have cancer. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 24, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141 "2007-12-24T17:46:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/1 "2007-12-24T17:46:12Z")
Okay, everyone here probably knows by now that we have six cats. I’m just getting that over with, and if anyone wants to comment on that, please go elsewhere. [Misty](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/Kitties/mistycrop.jpg), the second oldest of the bunch, as always had bad allergies. She’s always wheezing and snorting, and by now, we’re used to it. However, for the past few weeks, she’s been really bad. Her nose is running constantly, sometimes bleeding (from scabs), she’s stuffed up, and you can hear her snorting from another room. So, my mother called the vet to make an appointment for this Wednesday. The doctor mentioned that it’s probably some kind of blockage-could be a polyp, or there’s a possibility it’s a tumor. I’m praying it’s not, but why does this have to happen around the holidays? Oh, and if you’re going to come in here and snark that “it’s just a cat!” And “there are PEOPLE out there dying, and much worse could happen”, please, just go elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/2 "2007-12-24T18:09:46Z")
Be well, Misty… Here’s sending you some hope and energy, **Guinastasia**. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/3 "2007-12-24T18:59:04Z")
{{{{{{{{{\*\*Guinastasia \*\*& Misty}}}}}}}}} Hope it turns out to be something minor. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/4 "2007-12-24T19:19:04Z")
Even if it’s a tumor, there might be something they can do. I’m hoping it’s something much more minor, though. Maybe she inhaled a bug or something! ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/5 "2007-12-24T19:23:05Z")
Tis the season for sick cats. Still dealing with my sick boy. Seems to be on the mend though, he’s been talking a lot and grooming himself. ((Guin and Misty)) Sending good thoughts to both of you. ---
**Author:** ![TPWombat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@TPWombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TPWombat)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/6 "2007-12-25T12:28:09Z")
((((((hugs)))))) Every pet comes with a guaranteed heartbreak. I’m hoping it’s something minor too, though. ---
**Author:** ![conurepete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@conurepete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conurepete)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/7 "2007-12-25T17:54:52Z")
We had this problem with George the parrot. The runny, snorty nose stuff is usually an early sign of death in birds, especially when when they get fluffy and lethargic (massive infection or pain). It turned out he had shoved a piece of cuttlefish bone up his nose and it had swelled up. One birdy roto-rooter later and he was fine, and only slightly snotty. He lived another 11 years, with a slight chronic sinus problem. When a parrot snorts mucous out, the nostrils point up, allowing them launch booger-bullets up to 2 feet. There is a chance that Misty has a similar trouble (mechanical blockage). I wish you good luck ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/8 "2007-12-25T18:55:18Z")
{{{ **Guinastasia** }}} I hope it’s something minor. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/9 "2007-12-26T17:33:21Z")
Pretty kitty. I hope it’s nothing serious. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/10 "2007-12-26T23:37:30Z")
It’s cancer, all right. For the time being, we have her on steroids, to shrink the blockage in her nose, so she can breath and be able to eat (because she can’t smell her food). But really, it’s a question of when-not if. So for now, we’re just going to make sure she’s comfortable. She’s not in any pain, for the time being. _sigh_ I just don’t know what to say. I’m mostly just numb right now. (And if that isn’t bad enough, Noel has to have her tail amputated, because it got infected from her chewing it. Dumbass cat. _She’ll_ be fine, once she gets her balance back.) ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/11 "2007-12-27T01:16:15Z")
Aw, I’m sorry to hear this. I know how animals can become part of the family and how sad it is when somethign like this occurs. All my best to you and Misty. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/12 "2007-12-27T03:14:22Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] It’s cancer, all right. For the time being, we have her on steroids, to shrink the blockage in her nose, so she can breath and be able to eat (because she can’t smell her food). But really, it’s a question of when-not if. So for now, we’re just going to make sure she’s comfortable. She’s not in any pain, for the time being. [/QUOTE] I recently lost a little 13 year old Jack Russell the same way. He had seasonal allergies that we treated with steroids, nebulizers, IVs … He always seemed to get better, but one Saturday he just crashed. It was cancer. I was so not ready. Still not. Hug the rest of the little guys for me. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/13 "2007-12-27T15:35:28Z")
I’m so sorry. I lost my sweet Bo in July to bladder cancer. He beat cancer twice, but the last time got him. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/14 "2007-12-27T17:14:11Z")
That sucks. On the bright side, cats seem to be able to handle steroids incredibly well, so there’s hope the drugs will really help without doing any harm. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/15 "2007-12-28T01:18:11Z")
It should-if she’d just let us get them down her-rather than forcing herself to throw them back up. (She’s done that before) Noel, on the other hand, is seriously pissed off. She’s got the collar, and she’s forced to stay in my sister’s room. She’s pissy because she can’t get at her tail, and she keeps trying to get out and scratch the collar off. Oh, this is going to be fun. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/16 "2007-12-28T01:45:47Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] It should-if she’d just let us get them down her-rather than forcing herself to throw them back up. (She’s done that before) [/QUOTE] See if you can find Pill Pockets. They carry them at PetSmart. They work with two of my cats and one of them a bit of the time. We’ve also tried them with two cats with kidney failure and they didn’t work at all. But those cats weren’t eating, so it’s hard to say if they would have liked them if they had felt better. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/17 "2007-12-28T01:49:23Z")
I’m so sorry. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/18 "2007-12-28T01:51:53Z")
Oh, and depending on the drug, there may be an option to get it in a liquid form. Our Halley needed prednisone for her eosinophilia and there was a drugstore where they would do specialty compounds and put it in a tuna-flavored liquid. She LOVED that stuff. It was foul, but cats are weird as hell. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/19 "2008-01-17T16:44:05Z")
She’s getting worse. She’s losing weight rapidly, and her nose is always running, when it’s not bleeding. Her fur is a sticky mess from this, and she smells like it, too. She did crawl into my lap the other day when I was watching _Law&Order_, something she hasn’t done for a long time. Seeing her go down hill and knowing it’s only a matter of time is the worst part. But…I can’t cry. I’m not crying yet. I guess it hasn’t fully sunk in yet. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141/20 "2008-01-17T17:19:03Z")
It sounds like it might be time for some tough decisions. Good luck and best wishes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-may-have-cancer/431141.md?page=2)