by Nikita
(Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)

First of all I apologize if this has already been answered. I've looked through the existing information, but I haven't found a definitive answer to my question. Still, I hope you can at least point me in the right direction if the answer is indeed somewhere on this site.
Thank you.

Now onto the issue:
Today my cat (female, about 7 years of age) has been diagnosed with mammary cancer. It's already in a late stage of development and has affected one of her lungs.

The doctor said that she can only live a relatively normal life for several more months, however I get a feeling it may be less than that - she's already lost weight and appetite, has been a lot less active and spends most of the time lying or sitting around the house.

She breathes faster than normal, and sometimes she would also start coughing. She still eats, walks around the house occasionally, goes to the toilet, but overall she doesn't seem happy either. It really pains me to see her like that.

My parents think that it would be easier for the cat to live out the few months she has left and then be put to sleep instead of going through all the treatments and surgeries and making her life even more stressful. The cat might not even survive the surgery, and even if she does - there's no guarantee that she'll live for much longer.

So here are the questions I have:

~ What are the odds of curing our cat back to normal even if a lung has already been affected? Are there any fast and effective ways of treating the disease? Or would it be a better option to just let the cat be and put her to sleep when it becomes too hard for her?

~ Also if she does go through a surgery and survives - what are the odds that she'll live at least a few more years after the surgery?


Thank you very much for your time.



Dear Nikita,

I am so sorry for your kitty's condition and the turmoil you are experiencing. It is always your decision, of course, but in my opinion, if this were my cat, I absolutely would NOT put her through surgery or chemotherapy treatments of any kind. It will buy you no time and will just put her through misery and therefore, you too.

If I was in your position, I would love her and spoil her until she was either having difficulty breathing or until she stops eating and is no longer having any good quality of life.

I am so sorry. I wish I could give you more hopeful news, but I have to tell you the truth.

My very best to you and your precious kitty,
Dr. Neely

P.S. What a great picture! She is so beautiful!