Let's See Your Cats!!!

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Munch.

 

No flowers shall pass.

 

Ginger is on hospice care. She's 15, and started breathing fast and eating less so we took her in. She had fluid around her lungs caused by a large mass under her heart that is not allowing lymph fluid to drain. They removed the fluid to make her more comfortable, but further options are limited. We could be aggressive and get a needle biopsy done, but this would be very risky based on where the mass is located. Ultrasound and xrays confirm it's a solid mass, not a fluid filled cyst or something, so it's almost certainly cancer of some kind - probably lymphoma. Even if we did the biopsy, the next step would be chemo and/or major chest surgery based on the findings. We wouldn't do either to a cat that doesn't understand what's going on - especially a 15 year old cat - so we're left with making her comfortable for as long as she has left. Steroids and some other stuff is what we are left with...that and lots of love and affection. The wife is pretty upset, but Ginger has had a good life with us. 15 isn't too bad. She seems fine now, and has been eating junk food and sitting in the sun all day.

 

I hope her remaining time with you is filled with love, cuddles, & purrs.

 

Sorry to hear about this and I hope you guys look back on your time with her and have happy memories of her.
I wouldn’t be completely against the idea of a needle biopsy as there’s always the chance that it could be a benign tumor. Yeah that would still mean a subsequent surgery but it might be worth it. That’s a personal decision that you guys can only make. Just try to stay strong for your wife- she’ll need you and you her.

 

Sorry to hear that, sounds like she will have had a good life till the end

 

Liked, but only for the last sentence.

 

She is living and has lived a life full of love, affection, and all of the other good things. Good on you, and enjoy the time you have with her.

 

I'm sure Ginger is a great cat. Fortunately, the pitter patter of her little paws running around the house will always be with you.

 

My little Delilah with her dog Amy!

 

You better have treats for those 2...lol

 

I have them both covered! They eat better than I do!

 

Another smiling cat picture- I love it!!!

 

Thanks to everyone for your kind and supportive notes. Ginger was on a narcotic pain medication for a few days following the removal of the fluid, and her last dose was on Wednesday night. By Thursday afternoon she started straining very hard to breath and had what I can only describe as a panicked look in her eyes. We almost took her to the ER, but didn't want her to go out in a place that she wasn't familiar with - and is full of barking dogs. We decided that she must be in pain, and even we were wrong that the narcotic might calm her down. We gave her a dose around 19:00, and she did calm down quite a bit. We have her back on the pain meds this morning and she's no longer panicky or straining. This is not a long term fix though, and so we have set a date to take her in for her final appointment in a few days. This is much earlier than we expected, but we feel that it's the right thing to do. We're skipping everything else and just loving on her as much as she will tolerate. Here she is this today laying in the sun and sniffing the morning air.

 

I'm sorry that you and Ginger have to go through this - I've been there too.

I lost my cat Buddy in January 2019, with the same problem - it broke my heart to have to make that decision, and I still tear up when i think about him. In the end we have to do what is best for them, and know we'll see them again someday...

 

we just went through this earlier this year too. Auggie was 16 1/2 and her kidneys were giving out.
We made her a comfy as possible and she got lots of love before we said goodbye.
It was really tough for my Daughter because Auggie was her bestest buddy. Literally slept on her pillow next to her head every night.

we really miss the old girl.

 

My ex several years ago had a cat from her childhood that was nearly 20 years old, indoor/outdoor cat (used to chase off coyotes in the front yard, she was fierce lol). Anyway her kidneys started going out too, it was awful. She required fluids injected into her scruff because she couldn't handle drinking water on her own, something to do with how her kidneys were doing too poorly. Every day, twice a day I would have to stick a big thick needle into her scruff and hold her while a saline bag dripped water underneath her skin that she could absorb. Eventually it got to be too much for my ex and her family and they had to put her down. It was hard to watch.