My picky cat has a tongue tumor and won't eat. What can I do?

Poor Amelia! This tumor could be very painful to her, and that may be why she isn't eating. It could hurt too much for her to eat. You can try offering her some boiled white meat chicken (no bones), but if she won't eat that, take her back into the vet to discuss giving her pain medications. Have pain relief may help her eat again. Please do not give her any human pain medications, as many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. I would also make a decision as soon as possible on treatment for her, she cannot stay in this condition for long. I hope this helps!

Unfortunately ulcerated tumours are incredibly painful and analgesia will do little to help. If it cant be removed and cant heal you have limited options. Personally I would consider quality of life carefully and consider euthanasia. Othet management options would be to try orobase cream which makes a protective film over the open area and alleviates pain, but the cat would have to be amenable to you applying it. You could consider having an oesophageal feed tube placed so you can bypass the mouth completely whilst it heals. These tubes are usually temporary but there are linger term versions that allow you to put feed into the stomach directly. Consider carefully though as quality of life should be the overall deciding factor.

You can try tuna or tuna juice or baby food to drop in her mouth. Keep her tongue moist with just water on a rag to help. She will need to see a vet for further exams to see if there is an infection or ulcer preventing her from putting her tongue in and eating. Make sure to keep the kittens warm and bottle feed them.

Unfortunately I don't know that theres going to be a safe, non messy way to feed her other than her tube. Without her tongue to help her pick up the food and channel the saliva, there just is not a way for her to do it without making a mess. You could try "containing" the mess by putting her in a bathroom or laundry room for feeding time, where the surfaces are easy to clean up. I'm sorry, there really just isn't another option, unfortunately. Thank you for taking such great care of her! She's lucky to have such a dedicated owner.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is very likely a malignant tumor unfortunately. Cats are very well known for having a mouth tumor called squamous cell carcinoma which carries a poor prognosis. However, it could still be something else. The only way to know is by doing some sampling via fine needle aspiration or possibly a biopsy. If squamous cell carcinoma is confirmed, it is not likely to respond to medications much other than mild decrease in inflammation. Treatment for squamous cell carcinoma is limited by how aggressive this tumor is though sometimes surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are options. Sorry for the sad news. Let's hope it is more on the benign side. Good luck and have a great day!

Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that you and Bonnie are in this situation. Bonnie's weight loss could be caused both by her lack of appetite, as well as any cancerous process and/or subsequent kidney disease. You can try to tempt her to eat with bits of boiled white meat chicken, small amounts of tuna, or even meat-based baby foods. Also discuss appetite stimulant medications (cyproheptadine and mirtazepine are two commonly used drugs) with Bonnie's veterinarian since they may be helpful. However, if none of these strategies improve her appetite and her overall quality of life is declining, it may be time to consider euthanasia. I hope this helps and that all goes well for Bonnie.

I would feed her soft canned food until you are able to get her evaluated by your veterinarian. She could have an injury, an abscess, or even a tumor that could be inhibiting her swallowing. Watch her breathing closely as it is possible that what is inhibiting the swallowing may progress to inhibiting breathing. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.