My cat has lung cancer, isn't eating, and can't walk. What now?

First off, I'm very sorry Iggy has lung cancer! If he's stopped eating, unfortunately it may be time to let him go. It's actually very serious when a cat stops eating because they will develop a fatty liver after 72 hours of not eating. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment. It's not fair for him to starve to death either. You need to look at his quality of life, and ask yourself if he's having a good quality of life when he's not eating. I think you know the answer, but it is the hardest decision to make. Should you let him, know you are giving him one last, great gift: You will be letting him go peacefully without any further pain. I hope this helps.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Mecia is having trouble breathing, she should be seen by a vet immediately as she may require stabilization such as fluids or supplemental oxygen to make her more comfortable. A vet may recommend euthanasia, but no vet will euthanize Mecia without your consent.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m so sorry to hear about Pepper. Cats need to eat everyday to prevent organ damage. If he stopped eating, I would be concerned the cancer is causing him too much discomfort to eat. When we talk about quality of life and when to make end of life decisions, I measure good days and bad days. When the bad days outweigh the good ones, then quality of life is declining. Good days are doing things he likes to do (like be social if he likes to be social, get petted, sleep in his favorite area, eating, using the litter box). Bad days are not eating, vomiting, diarrhea, hiding, lethargy, weight loss. If Pepper has been eating well since his diagnosis but suddenly stopped, I would consider it a bad day. I hope this help when determining his continued care. If you have more questions or concerns, please submit another question. Kisses to Pepper!

It’s important to keep her quiet with minimal stress. Your veterinarian may decide to switch from the metacam to prednisone at this stage as it may reduce the swelling that may ease her breathing and eating. Unfortunately this sounds like a life threatening cancer at some point so give her lots of love and enjoy every minute with her. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Moosh.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Tashi's loss of appetite can be related to her cancer, similarly to humans who have cancer, animals can lose their appetite and not feel well. However, it can be caused by something else such as a toxin, intestinal parasites, or a number of underlying medical conditions. I recommend keeping a close eye on Tashi, and having her seen by a vet prior to her appointment if she does not eat for a full 24 hours, has loss of energy, or vomits/has diarrhea. I hope all is well and that everything goes well for Tashi during surgery!

I am so sorry that you are having to go through this with your cat. As long as your cat is eating and drinking and not losing weight I would continue palliative care. Once he starts to decline, like acting sick and not eating or drinking, then it may be time to consider euthanasia.

I'm very sorry that Persephone has been diagnosed with cancer in her spleen and intestines. You can talk to your vet about putting her on pain medications, but if she isn't eating and not responding to appetite stimulants or antiemetics, then it may be time to let her go peacefully. Not eating will cause her to slowly starve, which will be painful in itself, and she will be suffering from that. From what you have told me, it sounds like her quality of life has declined to a point where humane euthanasia should be considered. Because I work for a home euthanasia service, I face these types of decisions frequently with my clients, and I'd be happy to have a consult with you to discuss this further if you'd like. Just click the "consult" button under my answer. I wish I had better information for you, and I'm very sorry :-(