Hi everyone! A year and a half ago I adopted a senior siamese calico mix. She is a very sweet cat when she is comfortable, but otherwise she is an extremely temperamental, cranky girl. I love her so much, even with her attitude. She is 14. She does not tolerate vet visits well at all and each experience stresses her out emmensely. She has to be lightly sedated for taking x-rays.
This week during an annual visit the vet told me they found two lumps in her lower right belly and that it is most likely mammary cancer. My first cat developed mammary cancer and treating this disease with radical mastectomy was traumatic for the cat and for me and my family. Due to the removal of lymph nodes, she developed swelled legs and ears. I've already been through what my vet is recommending for my extremely sensitive senior cat and as much as I want her to live a nice long life, I am very concerned for her quality of life. If she were more adaptable or younger, I would entertain the idea, but I'm leaning towards perhaps having the current lumps removed and making sure she's comfortable (palliative care) from there on.
Some other info: she has a heart murmur which has not yet been addressed. She also has early stages of kidney failure. When I say my cat is temperamental, cranky, and most of all sensitive, I really mean it. She doesn't just hate being picked up or pet along her torso. It sends her into a panic where her heart is racing and she growls and freaks out with swatting, claws out, biting. When the vet has to handle her for blood tests she urinates in panic. I respect her space and her boundaries, petting her head only, and we coexist happily together. Despite her temperament, she really is a very sweet cat otherwise.
I adopted her as a senior knowing she could possibly have health issues and I may not have that long with her. I love her dearly and deeply, and I absolutely do not want to stress her out with major surgeries and repeated vet visits. Also I can afford the surgeries and visits, this is really just about prioritizing her level of comfort in her old age. My issue with this surgery is that the results are unpredictable. It could lengthen her life greatly and ensure she is cancer free, or the cancer could develop on her left side as well. The removal of lymph nodes could cause complications etc. I'd rather ensure she is happy for the rest of her life, even if it is a shorter life. I'd love some insights from people who also decided not to have their cat undergo mastectomy and instead take the route of palliative care. Any insights, shared stories, or advice are greatly appreciated!
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/lo6ufk/foregoing_radical_mastectomy_on_senior_cat/
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