My cat has cancer. How do I know when it's time to say goodbye?

Hi Linda! I certainly understand your concerns for Bugger and am sorry that he has such a large cancerous mass. The challenge in this situation is that it's difficult to know which treatment options would be best since the type of cancer is unknown. The ideal situation would be to take Bugger to an oncologist, as they would be able to advise you as to whether or not he would be a good candidate for chemotherapy and/or radiation. If that isn't something you're interested in pursuing (which is completely understandable), then unfortunately, there likely isn't anything that can be done to treat the cancer itself aside from gently cleaning the area and making sure that his eye is comfortable. If Bugger's eye is unable to blink normally, it could become dry and ulcerative, which is quite uncomfortable. You can very gently clean the eye area with a sterile eye wash solution (available in most drugstores), and you may want to ask your vet if they have concerns about his eye comfort. It's possible they may recommend eye lubricants and/or oral pain medications. While it sounds as though Bugger is still loving life now, the growth of this tumor is undoubtedly starting to affect his quality of life. This page has some helpful food for thought when it comes to assessing a pet's quality of life at home: https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/default/files/import/assets/pdf/hospital/companionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf. I'm wishing you and Bugger all the best!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I only see cancer patients and as you can imagine, I see terminal cancer patients on almost a daily basis. First of all, sorry to hear about Timmie. Give her lots of love, treats and all the good stuff that she deserves and wants. Usually regardless of the cancer type, I recommend treating any symptoms if they occur. Meaning that if Timmie develops any decreased appetite or nausea or vomiting or diarrhea, these are treated with medications. Otherwise, if you not pursuing cancer therapy, there is really nothing else to do. This decision is hard to make, no question. However, what I tell my clients is to consider making this decision if they think that quality of life has been severely affected. This means when Timmie does not seem to be enjoying herself anymore. You could consider doing it if Timmie stops doing 2 out of her 3 favorite things (that could be eating, playing, running, etc). Best wishes for you and Timmie!

On a white cat, there is always a concern that a bump like this could be a squamous cell carcinoma. I'm sorry Fatcat is having good days and bad. I would make a list of five things he loved to do, and when he's no longer doing at least two of them, his quality of life has declined to where euthanasia should be considered. You can also speak to his vet to see what they feel his quality of life is, and they can advise you if it's time to say goodbye or not. I'm sorry you are facing this choice, and I hope this helps.

This is a very difficult situation for you to be in. When it comes to quality of life I advise owners to look at what things there cat enjoys doing and if they are still doing those things. Examples could be eating, playing, or interacting with you. If those factors are not what they should be then it is a matter of can this be fixed or not. For example if your cat is not eating due to nausea could we give him medication to make them feel better and eat. Or if they are weak due to anemia could we give a blood transfusion or stimulate the bone marrow to make more red cells to help them feel better. If though none of the interventions are acceptable to you then it might be time to assess the quality of life and end any suffering. Ultimately it is your decision about what constitutes Peter having a good quality of life and if those measures can be met or not realistically. As you know lymphoma ultimately is fatal. Some cats can do very well for a long period of time however with his dropping red cell level I am concerned about Peter's long-term prognosis.

I'm sorry you are faced with making this decision. It is always tough. The best thing to do is to assess her quality of life. If her quality of life is poor then you know it's "time". I think these links will help you more. ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-decision-of-euthanizing-your-pet/ ) ( https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/default/files/import/assets/pdf/hospital/companionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi there. I'm sorry to hear about what you're going through with Dude. Think about the things that make Dude happy. Cats often sleep a lot, especially as they age. If he's still interactive with you, eating, and using the litter box then it sounds like his quality of life is good still. If these things begin to change, and he's not doing the things he likes, then his quality of life is not good and it is reasonable to let him go. All my best to you and Dude.

Hello Linda, So sorry that Bugger has this issue. The other thing you can do to make him more comfortable is to give him oral pain medications, such as piroxicam and/or buprenorphine. Those medications will reduce discomfort associated with the tumor. You will need to get those medications from your veterinarian as they are prescription only. Topical medications unfortunately, do not help. Again, I am sorry that you and Bugger are dealing with this. Cancer is a terrible disease.