My senior cat has tumors. What behaviors indicate she's in pain?

How lovely of you to think about finding this cat a home! She deserves a loving home for the remaining time she has left. The time she has left depends on the grade and stage of the tumor. It would be important to know if the cancer has spread, which would be a factor in how much time she has left. Without seeing her in person, I can't say how long she does have left. Yes cancer can be painful, but it would be up to the shelter vet to decide if pain medications are warranted or not. You should speak to the vet about that issue, and they can prescribe as needed. I would try to find her a home as soon as possible simply so she can spend her remaining time being loved and comforted, for however long that is. I hope this helps.

I'm sorry to hear this. This must be very shocking news. Without knowing the extent of the cancer, it's difficult to know for sure what to expect, but it will likely be a range of complications when the time comes near. One thing that is common is for the patient to lose a considerable amount of weight and muscle mass as time goes on. Pain is definitely a factor as the cancer grows, but cats will usually not show signs of pain until it gets moderate to severe. Luckily there are medications that will help to alleviate the pain and your veterinarian will help to ensure the pain is controlled. Generally, signs of pain are a decrease in activity, decreased appetite and possible increase in aggression. The cancer eventually causes organ failure, which can lead to many different problems. For now, it's good to monitor Twig for any changes and bring these to the attention of your vet when they occur; so they can alleviate pain when possible. I hope that helps and all goes as well as possible with Twig.

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 :-(

First off, I'm very sorry that Mama Kitty has mammary tumors! Unfortunately, 90% of mammary tumors in cats are malignant. I think your best option in this case is to enjoy the time you have left with her. Spoil her, give her lots of love and attention, feed her favorite foods (but not ones that are toxic!). Spend as much time with her as you can. Monitor her in regards to her quality of life, and if that starts to decline (i.e. she stops eating, stops drinking, loses more weight, becomes very lethargic, appears to be pain), then it's time to discuss with your vet humane euthanasia. It's a hard thing to do, but it will allow her to go peacefully and without any further pain. You can keep in touch with your vet to discuss her quality of life which will help you make an informed and objective decision. I work for a home euthanasia service and help owners with these decisions all the time, so if you'd like to talk with me further, you can request a consult with me. Just click the consult online button under my answer. Otherwise, again I'm sorry and I hope this helps somewhat.

Unfortunately, yes cancer is painful to dogs. Dogs are quite good at hiding their pain, so they often do not show many outward signs of being in pain until they are very sick and quite painful. I'm sorry she is so sick :-(

If 22 years of age is accurate, that is definitely very old. While cats can live considerably longer than dogs, that is still pretty far past the average lifespan. That being said, I would still advocate taking her into the vet to be examined to see if anything can be done to either make her more comfortable, or to offer you some information as to her quality of life moving forward. Some of the most common issues we see in older cats include kidney disease, thyroid disease, lymphoma (particularly of the gastrointestinal tract), and liver problems. Some of these are addressed with medication while others are far less treatable. I certainly wouldn't advocate just letting her go at home. If anything, if they feel she is in pain then they can make her transition much more peaceful. Hope this makes sense.

Good morning. I'm so sorry to hear about Mimi. If you have seen a veterinarian recently then I would reach out to them for some pain management. Hopefully they will prescribe something for you over the phone since they are aware of her condition. There are not really any safe over the counter pain medications for cats. Also, you may want to discuss with your veterinarian their process for euthanasia. It's not always pleasant to talk about, but having a plan and knowing what to expect is usually very helpful when the time comes. I'm so sorry Mimi is sick, and I wish you both the best.