We noticed a growth on the side of Felix's mouth about two weeks ago. As soon as we saw it, we all thought the worst. The vet put him on antibiotics as it was also infected but said that she didn't like the look of it but she couldn't do any tests on it until the infection had been treated as the infection would mask the tests. It meant a week waiting for the antibiotics to kick in and then a second week after the sample was taken to wait for results. They came in yesterday.
It is cancer which is not treatable without removing most of his jaw (and it is still likely to come back). We discussed steroids but eventually decided that leaving him be until he has trouble eating again would be best for him. At that point another dose of antibiotics or maybe steroids to help him again - the tumour becomes ulcerated which is what causes him pain.
Each time we go, we will have to discuss if "today" is the day to say goodbye.
It is an aggressive tumour but not necessarily fast growing - the only way to know more would require a GA to take the full biopsy and I don't want to put my boy through that when it won't change the outcome or the treatment.
Felix walked into our lives over 10 years ago as the dirtiest big tom cat you can imagine. I was the one who resisted letting him in until one evening everyone was out and he strolled in the cat flap, walked over to me sitting on the sofa, jumped on my lap and settled down like he lived there. From that moment on he was MY boy. We put collars on him with a message in the barrel asking about his owners. After 3 collars that disappeared as soon as he left the house, we accepted that he was our cat and chipped and had him neutered. He has been a very special and loving cat ever since - he seemed to love and appreciate his home and family more than the other cats as he knew what it was like to be homeless.
Sorry that this post is so long but I'm slowly trying to get my head round the idea that he won't be with me for much longer.
