(Sorry for the bad photo. It was pre-digital)
Twenty years ago last month I lost my Maine Coon-like cat, Lando Calrissian to mast cell tumors (MCT). He was 19 years old. I find this ironic because that’s exactly what Gooseberry’s tumor is. 
(Gooseberry-left-and brother Strawberry-right)
Lando was one in a litter of six kittens. Three of his brothers developed muscular dystrophy but he remained robust. At age ten I found the first MCT, a tiny little bump on his cheek and a few smaller ones around his ear but we had them removed anyway. The pathologist named them MCTs and told me that if he didn’t have another one in the next year he should be okay. Just one year later I found another tiny bump. Once again it was a MCT and once again I received the same directive, if he had another one within a year he would probably continue to have more. I sometimes wonder if the fact that his first ones were multiples should have been a clue that he would have more.
Lando continued to have more tumors show up. But finally it all caught up with him. We found mast cells in his blood and tumors on his liver. We started him on chemotherapy. Though he finally died of MCT he had lived to the ripe old age of 19 so that’s not bad.
Lando’s brother Zeit Geist also had a MCT when he was about 12 years old but that was it. He never had another one. That’s what I’m hoping for Gooseberry. His MCT didn’t show up until he was 11 years old so maybe that’s a good sign. I can always hope.
Have any of your cats had MCTs? If so, what did you do?
This is a Sunday Selfies blog hop. Our host is https://thecatonmyhead.com/
I can't advise as we have not encountered your problem, but if I may say, you seem to have a grip on this and are doing the best you can.
ReplyDeleteI hope someone else offers a more informed opinion but I send me love and admiration for Gooseberry in the hope he is a one and done MCT.
Marjorie and the Dash Kitten Crew
Thanks, I sure hope so.
DeleteThey are not a subject I know about, nor heard much spoken of here in the UK. I wonder if the prevelance or incidence is less? We hope Gooseberry doesnt get them at all, and he has a long and happy life.
ReplyDeleteLots of Sunday Selfie purrs
ERin
That's interesting. I never heard that before. Might be worth a little peeking into. I'll let you know what I find out.
DeleteI am sorry you lost Lando to mast cell tumors. My Lucy had a toe amputated because of one and lived for a few more years. She eventually died of cancer when she was 16. It was in her intestines, but I don't know if they were mast cell tumors. Joanie has had 2 removed, about 5 years apart. She will be 14 this month so I hope she doesn't get anymore. And Millie has one, but because of CKD and his heart, it can't be removed. I will be praying for Gooseberry.
ReplyDeleteSometimes MCTs don't spread so I'm praying for you and Joanie and Millie.
DeletePurrs and prayers and POTP for your sweet Gooseberry to heal and be healthy.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for visiting and thanks for the purrs and prayers.
DeleteI've never personally had to deal with tumors in my kitties but it sounds like a really tough thing to deal with.
ReplyDeleteMy ginger "old man cat" Tiger developed some sort of cancer in his old age but no tumors (that we were aware of). It was only a couple of weeks after his diagnosis that he passed away. It had just progressed so rapidly it seems. He had just turned 20. And that was 2 years ago this month.
I'll be sure to keep Gooseberry in my prayers and for no more MCTs. He and his brother are such beautiful kitties!
Thanks. Yes, I had another cat, Pixel, who died two weeks after her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. It had metastasized to her brain.
DeleteSounds like something scary. My Emma has a bump but the vet says it's all fat cells, or lipoma I believe is what she said. Knock on wood, it's nothing worse.
ReplyDeleteEmma and Buster
I'm knocking on wood for you.
Delete