# clark my senior cat most likely has a brain tumor



## strollingbones

his first seizure was 5/22....it was mild and small and i denied it was a seizure...just a bit of bad meat or such...
6/6 my fears were confirmed when he had a full blown seizure....vetted him yesterday....all systems are normal....all tests show a healthy cat....he is between 15 and 17...good weight eating well....i knew the vet  was trying hard to break it to me ....i told him i had googled and i knew it was most likely a brain problem....he agreed...we discussed options and he agreed there arent many...said we could image but then ask if i would have him operated on....i declined...he agreed with that...so we are just going to chart the seizures and see what happens...everything i read says it will be a quick and hard few months....if it is a brain tumor....the seizure will become more frequent and longer...the fates are most unkind....wish us luck and mostly hope that i have the courage to do what needs to be done when the time comes....he has been too good a companion to me....to ever let him suffer...


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## Compost

I'm so sorry about Clark.  You will find the courage to get through this and to do whatever you think is best for him.


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## Bruce_T_Laney

strollingbones said:


> his first seizure was 5/22....it was mild and small and i denied it was a seizure...just a bit of bad meat or such...
> 6/6 my fears were confirmed when he had a full blown seizure....vetted him yesterday....all systems are normal....all tests show a healthy cat....he is between 15 and 17...good weight eating well....i knew the vet  was trying hard to break it to me ....i told him i had googled and i knew it was most likely a brain problem....he agreed...we discussed options and he agreed there arent many...said we could image but then ask if i would have him operated on....i declined...he agreed with that...so we are just going to chart the seizures and see what happens...everything i read says it will be a quick and hard few months....if it is a brain tumor....the seizure will become more frequent and longer...the fates are most unkind....wish us luck and mostly hope that i have the courage to do what needs to be done when the time comes....he has been too good a companion to me....to ever let him suffer...
> 
> View attachment 197289


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## Erinwltr

Beautiful little buddy you have there. 

I waited too long with my little Jack Russell, Mel.  Massive cluster seizures were controlled with potassium bromide, phenobarbital and valium.  I made the decision to put the "little zombie" down at age 6.

I hope you find the balance needed for little Clark.  My best wishes to you.


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## strollingbones

clark has had a great life....and always will...thanks yall


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## Marion Morrison

Aww.


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## JoeMoma

Animals are often easier to love than people.  It is a shame they don't live longer.


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## Sunni Man

Sorry to hear that Bones.  ....


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## ChrisL

strollingbones said:


> his first seizure was 5/22....it was mild and small and i denied it was a seizure...just a bit of bad meat or such...
> 6/6 my fears were confirmed when he had a full blown seizure....vetted him yesterday....all systems are normal....all tests show a healthy cat....he is between 15 and 17...good weight eating well....i knew the vet  was trying hard to break it to me ....i told him i had googled and i knew it was most likely a brain problem....he agreed...we discussed options and he agreed there arent many...said we could image but then ask if i would have him operated on....i declined...he agreed with that...so we are just going to chart the seizures and see what happens...everything i read says it will be a quick and hard few months....if it is a brain tumor....the seizure will become more frequent and longer...the fates are most unkind....wish us luck and mostly hope that i have the courage to do what needs to be done when the time comes....he has been too good a companion to me....to ever let him suffer...
> 
> View attachment 197289



Sorry to hear about your kitty.  The only downside to having a pet is that we will usually always outlive them.


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## Skull Pilot

Sorry to hear that Bones.

We lost a cat last year to a brain tumor.


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## strollingbones

this is the longest living pet i have ever had....my son gave him to me..with another kitten named roland.....he was all....you know like the explorers roland and clark...that boy is all rock...clark has always been happy being a house cat...i never realized how much he sleeps...i am keeping him away from dogs when we are not here...i am afraid he will seizure..the dogs will either run or attack him ....and i am afraid of the latter


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## strollingbones

another seizure.....i made an appt with vet....need to give them time to compound the steroids...i need to remember to get him something for stress on the 4th...


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## strollingbones

Skull Pilot   do you mind sharing details?


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## peach174

So sorry about your cat.
I know you will have the strength to do the right thing.


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## HereWeGoAgain

Man that sucks Bones!
We eventually had to put down Katy for the same thing.
  But there are some pretty good drugs out there that will extend Clarks life.
  They bought Katy an extra year or so.


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## Ridgerunner

For you and Clark Bones...





Catmint Catnip Plant


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## strollingbones

just got off phone with vet...no use for an appt....he has started the compounding process.....it will take a week or so ....that is all we can do at this point...a scan of his brain will be 1500 to 2 grand....i cant rationalize that for a cat this age....and i have 4 others 2 dogs 2 more cats that like to eat and have medical and the vet said it wont make a bit of difference in the treatment


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## strollingbones

his new meds arrived today...hoping they will help....compounded by roadrunner pharm outta az


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## Marion Morrison

Cats are a dime a dozen. Get some street heroin and meter the dosage to make him comfortable. (mixed with wet food)

$1500 for a cat? 

I've given up on tending my 1 cat's 2-year old infected head wound. A couple times I snuck her antibiotics,
and it healed, and then she got into a fight with the cat that gave her the head wound again...twice.
And the wound was back.

I put some peroxide on it a few nights ago, now she hates me. These are outside cats.

I'm considering grinding up some Prednisone, whatcha think?


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## my2¢

It's tough to see pets suffer.  When it gets to you take comfort that you took care for the little fella all these years and provided him a wonderful life.


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## Sun Devil 92

This applys to cats too.

Someday you'll be together again.  

The sting of loss only highlights how much they mean to us.  Soon it will settle into sweet memories.

All the best.


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## Sun Devil 92

strollingbones said:


> his new meds arrived today...hoping they will help....compounded by roadrunner pharm outta az



Hard choices.  

God bless both of you.


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## JakeStarkey

oh, bones . . . and oh, clark . . . hard times.  I am sad for you both.  Be strong when the time comes.


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## strollingbones

three days on the meds and he had another seizure.....i will continue meds..and meet with vet after a month


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## yiostheoy

strollingbones said:


> his first seizure was 5/22....it was mild and small and i denied it was a seizure...just a bit of bad meat or such...
> 6/6 my fears were confirmed when he had a full blown seizure....vetted him yesterday....all systems are normal....all tests show a healthy cat....he is between 15 and 17...good weight eating well....i knew the vet  was trying hard to break it to me ....i told him i had googled and i knew it was most likely a brain problem....he agreed...we discussed options and he agreed there arent many...said we could image but then ask if i would have him operated on....i declined...he agreed with that...so we are just going to chart the seizures and see what happens...everything i read says it will be a quick and hard few months....if it is a brain tumor....the seizure will become more frequent and longer...the fates are most unkind....wish us luck and mostly hope that i have the courage to do what needs to be done when the time comes....he has been too good a companion to me....to ever let him suffer...
> 
> View attachment 197289


15 to 17 is near the end of a housecat's normal life span.

Time to find a gravesite and get ready for the unavoidable and inevitable.

Then you will need to get a new kitty.


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## yiostheoy

strollingbones said:


> three days on the meds and he had another seizure.....i will continue meds..and meet with vet after a month


I don't think the seizures hurt or cause the cat pain.

So I would not euthanize.

I would let the kitty just live out his life.


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## yiostheoy

Marion Morrison said:


> Cats are a dime a dozen. Get some street heroin and meter the dosage to make him comfortable. (mixed with wet food)
> 
> $1500 for a cat?
> 
> I've given up on tending my 1 cat's 2-year old infected head wound. A couple times I snuck her antibiotics,
> and it healed, and then she got into a fight with the cat that gave her the head wound again...twice.
> And the wound was back.
> 
> I put some peroxide on it a few nights ago, now she hates me. These are outside cats.
> 
> I'm considering grinding up some Prednisone, whatcha think?


My cat recently got bitten by another cat and lost a dime sized spot of fur off his cheek.  I took him to the cat hospital where they gave him an antibiotic shot.  Then I got a cone for him (modified a Chihuahua cone by trimming it down with scissors) and put Neosporin on the wound.

It healed nicely in 2 weeks and now it is scarred -- furless.

So he got over it.


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## yiostheoy

strollingbones said:


> just got off phone with vet...no use for an appt....he has started the compounding process.....it will take a week or so ....that is all we can do at this point...a scan of his brain will be 1500 to 2 grand....i cant rationalize that for a cat this age....and i have 4 others 2 dogs 2 more cats that like to eat and have medical and the vet said it wont make a bit of difference in the treatment


My threshold of pain for $$ is $500.  That is usually the cost of an overnight stay with treatment in a pet hospital.


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## strollingbones

i have dropped 3 grand ..one time....my dobie needed a new knee...and of course he needed the huge active dog knee 
i know clark is at the end of his life....i just hoped it would be a quiet heart attack in the night....never happens ...i just cant explain the clark...everyone loves him and he loves everyone..he is just a really sweet cat...never enough time with them...never


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## yiostheoy

JoeMoma said:


> Animals are often easier to love than people.  It is a shame they don't live longer.


Rabbits live around 10 years in captivity.  These are perfect pets for little kids.  They cannot bite or scratch.

I caught my own rabbit when I was 7 years old, but my dad let it go one day when she was fully grown at 3 months old.  He did not believe in keeping wild pets.  My feeling on that was that it was my rabbit not his, so he should have kept his hands off it.

After a pet rabbit, a child is about 14 or so years old and therefore responsible enough to have a cat pet.

Cats can live up to 20 years.

So 1 rabbit plus 4 cats is the normal lifespan of a human.

Humans were not meant to live alone.


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## strollingbones

vet assured me that clark is totally out of it..during the seizures and that it will take a few minutes after for his brain to rewire....when he starts having more symptoms ..then we review


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## yiostheoy

My cat is only 4 1/3 years old.

So he has at least 11 to 15 years to go.

And if I am killed in the line of duty and he outlives me then the lady upstairs has promised to take him in.


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## strollingbones

rabbits are good pets you can litter train them


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## yiostheoy

strollingbones said:


> i have dropped 3 grand ..one time....my dobie needed a new knee...and of course he needed the huge active dog knee
> i know clark is at the end of his life....i just hoped it would be a quiet heart attack in the night....never happens ...i just cant explain the clark...everyone loves him and he loves everyone..he is just a really sweet cat...never enough time with them...never


I don't feel the same attachment to dogs (or horses) as I do to cats.

While I would indeed spend several thousand $$'s on a cat, I would not do that on a dog or horse.

Dogs and horses are a dime a dozen.  You can even adopt them from rescue organizations for free.


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## yiostheoy

strollingbones said:


> rabbits are good pets you can litter train them


Rabbit pellets are not nearly as bad as dog or cat sh!t or pee.


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## Vastator

strollingbones said:


> rabbits are good pets you can litter train them


Rabbits are food; not pets...


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## EvilCat Breath

I recently had to put my dog down.  His body was as healthy as a racehorse but he had a massive stroke.

Not only do I still miss him but it ripped off the scab from my other dog's loss.

I certainly sympathize with the decisions you will be forced to make.  God grant you strength.


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## strollingbones

it is funny what we tell ourselves...my dog is healthy but for the massive stroke....clark is healthy but for the suspected tumor
i had a friend just put down her 22 yr old blind and deaf cat...she let it go way too long but that was her decision..


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## Compost

I've watched many dogs grow old and had to put several dogs down.  It never gets easier.  The only good thing is that after a while, after the grief is no longer raw, you remember that friend when he was in his prime.  I don't know what that all means, but I know I don't want to do without dogs in my life.  I'm sure I'd feel the same way about a beloved cat.  Hang in there, Bones.


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## strollingbones

the meds worked for a while...the seizures are starting again...i knew they would...so far he is coming out of them fine....

o i have dogs too...yesterday.....two of them locked up....and there was damage....i was running thru the yard trying to get to ernest t. who was screaming....i knew loki and him had locked up...hubby forgot and let the terrorist out before loki finished eating...it just went poorly...hubby is going....he is fine....i am screaming...his eye is bleeding....so i get him to vet....full physical and eye check...has a tear in eyelid...started antibiotics, eye drops and pain meds...vet is afraid a tear duck is damaged..(they cant fix that) may have runny eye....so far ...so good...well ernest t. hates the eye drops...he is such an ass that to give him pills i toss a few treat pieces down on floor with the pill...he hogs all of it up...

hubby refuses to go more than 6 furbabies.....i run them thru the vet...at least once a year for check ups....and i do the all at once...like i told a friend..a helpless kitten shows up and hubby will suddenly say maybe 4 cats isnt too many...


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