There is no one right answer when it comes to making medical decisions for your cats.
Advances in veterinary medicine make it possible to treat medical conditions in cats that would have been a death sentence in the past. From chemotherapy to kidney transplants, cats can now receive pretty much the same level of medical care as humans (and sometimes, probably even better care.) But just because these treatments are available doesn’t necessarily mean they’re right for each cat.
It is inevitable that at some point in your cat’s life, you will be faced with making difficult decisions about her care. Rather than waiting until you find yourself in a crisis situation, it can be helpful to think about this topic while things are calm so that you’ll be better prepared if and when the time comes.
Get all the facts
Be sure you understand the medical condition your cat is dealing with. It can be difficult to know what questions to ask your veterinarian when faced with a frightening diagnosis, so don’t be afraid to ask follow up questions once you’ve had a chance to process the initial information. Make sure you understand all the treatment options, along with cost, side effects, and prognosis for each option. Get a second opinion and/or go see a specialist if you’re not comfortable with what your veterinarian tells you.
If you’re going to research your cat’s condition on the internet, use common sense and look for sites that present facts, not just anecdotes and opinions.
Diagnostic testing
Learning that your cat may need diagnostic testing can be overwhelming. While some tests are painless (x-rays, ultrasound) or minimally invasive (blood draws and urinalysis), they may still cause considerable stress to some cats. Other tests may involve sedation or even anesthesia.
Be sure you understand what’s involved with a test, and whether the results will change the prognosis or the treatment plan.
For a detailed look at diagnostic testing for your cat, click here.
Are finances are concern?
Diagnostic tests and advanced treatments are expensive. If finances are a concern, be honest about it with your vet. There may be alternative tests that will also yield answers about your cat’s condition. A good vet will always recommend the optimal course of diagnosis and treatment, but will work with you to determine whether there are other less expensive options.
Emotional and physical aspects
Once you have a diagnosis, be sure to understand what’s involved in treating the condition, and what to expect. Can you easily medicate your cat? If your cat needs surgery, can you provide the necessary after care?
It’s also important to understand what will happen if you choose not to treat your cat’s condition. Deciding not to pursue treatment can be a very difficult decision for many cat parents. We all bring our own experiences with illness and treatment to the table. We may have had a negative (or positive) experience in the past with a different cat than the one we’re trying to make a decision for. Even experiences with illness of a human family member or friend can influence this process. Personal opinions and spiritual beliefs can also play a role in determining what we are willing and able to do for our cats.
“What would you do?”
In my years of managing a veterinary practice, a question many clients often asked was “what would you do if it was your cat?” I wish I could have answered it, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t because, first of all, I’m not a veterinarian. I also couldn’t have answered it because what I would do for my cat could be completely wrong for the client’s cat.
But after having faced difficult decisions for four of my cats over the past two decades, I now have an answer to this question.
For me, it comes down to this: listen to your heart. After gathering all the information, and weighing all the factors, try to set aside your fear and worry for your cat long enough to connect with your center. Some call it gut instinct, or intuition. And then make the best possible decision for your cat. Because when it comes down to it, you know your cat better than anyone else.
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I have dogs. They are my children. 2 have had fast growing cancers. I research the cancers and medications, etc. I treated them as long as I knew they were not in pain or suffering. I spent 50k on my first girl and over 30k on my second. I am not rich by any means. However, I just brought what I needed, ate cheap food and watched my budget. A few of my friends chastised me for spending so much money on a dog, much less a senior dog. My reply – it is my money, not yours. Would you put your parent down because they were sick or had cancer? I know many people can’t afford to do what I did. I feel that when you get a pet, it is your responsibility to give them the best life you can, food, love, health, etc. Many people don’t consider the cost of having a pet. Then after several years or when the pet is a senior they abandon them. I like my vet, she has made a few serious mistakes, but I can’t find another homeopathic vet in my area. I am the type of person that researches everything. I go to several veterinary sites. My current girl has some health issues, she goes to the vet every 2 wks for electrostem acupuncture, I have a cold light laser as well as several Assisi loops. She can’t have regular dog food, so I cook for her. So many pets are being abandoned, turned loose. The shelters and rescues are overwhelmed and full. None are accepting owner surrenders anymore. I have a feral cat that comes to my house. I found it living in my detached garage. I leave food and water for it. I can’t even get close to it. I know it must belong to someone in my neighborhood . I live in a small development where people have several acres, used to have horses and had barn cats. No one claims the cat. I asked for help from a cat rescue to help me trap him/her and put the cat in one of their feral colonies that they feed. However, no one will call me back. I fixed a bed for him with quilts in a box. My dog would not do well with a cat in the house. She iis a senior with several health issues. I will continue to feed the cat.
All of your animals are so lucky to have you, Sandy! And thank you for feeding that feral cat that showed up in your garage.
This is a great post which many of us can benefit from. As you stated, you know your cat the most and also what the diagnostic testing would do for your cat. I recently had a heartbreaking eye opener when my cat Chloe passed away two weeks ago from large grade lymphoma. Even though it is a fatal disease, I agreed to chemotherapy treatments in the hope of some remission.
The eye opener occurred when I took her in for inappetence. The vet asked if I wanted to be with her during treatment and I agreed. She took sub-q fluids relatively well but struggled when the nurse tried to give her the inappetence injection. She fought and actually fell off the table to the floor. It struck me while I was sitting in the waiting room during her chemo treatments, that she had suffered all along with fear. The vet used to tell me “when we tried to give her medication/treatment, she told us she had had enough.” Seeing her receive treatment and her reaction firsthand broke my heart and I thought it does not make sense to go on as is when her cancer was aggressive. I decided to put her in hospice so she would not be scared and struggling for the rest of the time she had left.
It is very important if weighing the treatment with your cat is worth it.
I don’t regret my decision, but it was the hardest emotionally difficult time.
I’m so sorry about Chloe, Gloria. I so appreciate you sharing your experience so it can help others.
I just had to make a decision on Garfield. All of sudden he got real sick and was in constant pain. They thought at first just GERD and his arthrisis was getting bad. So they treated for the GERD and of course something to help his stomach(he was throwing up too) and I put him back on Gabapentin even though he just got a Solinsia(the pain shot-not sure I am spelling right). This time the shot did nothing for his pain. Later they found an abcess under his skin(all the vets said that would not affect what else was going on-I had option of treating or not. I decided to treat it). They really thought he was going to get better but; he just didn’t except for one morning he had a burst of energy and played with me. By evening was bad and I knew what to do. I asked them to do an Necropcy cause I had to know. The vet did it for free cause she wanted to know why he was not getting better. It did show the throat irration plus something with the back of his neck and the arthritis. Not sure how to explain except something grows out the bones to compenstate for trying to hold up the neck. I think that is what she was trying to say. Normally it’s slow and doesn’t bother. His was fast and very sharp digging into the back of his neck. So no amount of pain med would help except opioids and she said that would be no life for a cat. I was relieved she found something. Cause you always have that guilt of did I do enough? Should I have waited? She told she felt I did not let him go too soon or too late.
I should say I asked for that after he passed in case some people don’t know what it is.
Oh Sue, I’m so sorry about Garfield. It’s so hard to make that call. It does help to know that there was something that couldn’t have been fixed, but that still doesn’t make it any easier. My heart goes out to you.
Thank you.
Knoxville, TN. In 2005 I noticed a wierd bump buried in fur on the right side of our 3 yr old stray maine coon, Vincent. Took him to his vet immediately. She removed it intact and sent for analysis to University of Tenn Veterinary Medicine and Hospital. Melanoma! As my husband and I both had good jobs, we said yes to treatment and Vincent became part of the research program on feline cancer and we got a discount so it was “only” $1500 a month. The treatments went on for a year, then stopped because Vincent was in total remission. Vincent’s case and photograph are in a veterinary medicine text book!
Vincent had another melanoma removed about six years later. No treatment this time because they could not detect any other sign of cancer. Vincent lived to age 17 and had to be put down because one morning we found him paralyzed with no hope of recovery. The cancer treatment gave us 14 years of Vincent.
Before and after Vincent, we have lost at least 3 cats diagnosed with cancer that could not be treated. What are we doing that causes cancer in cats?
Thank you for sharing Vincent’s story. He sure was one of the lucky ones, getting 14 more years with treatment. I wish there was more research into what is causing these cancers in cats.
Thank you for the advice.
I completely agree it’s you about talking with your vet.
Recently I took all four of my cats for their annual and bi-annual visits. While there, we talked about my 14 year old needing teeth cleaning and probably some removed. I asked about a cyst on his side and mentioned that both of us are retired and what social security benefits aren’t much. My vet was very understanding and offered to remove the cyst at no charge while he got his teeth cleaned. So an estimate of $1,500-2,000 was reduced to $1,000.
Then the called me about my youngest bloodwork showing heartworm antibodies and told me how much it would cost for a special test. Fortunately, that one came back negative but they want to follow up in six months with a new test.
It sounds like you have a great vet, Sue.