cat making noise when eating

Question
Dear Marie,

My cat was recently diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in her abdomen.  However, the vet did only one blood test a long time ago and said she was "pretty sure" that this was what the problem was, and the rest of the diagnosis was based on her just feeling around in the abdomen (no x-rays or anything-I am getting a second opinion later today).  She prescribed prednisone (5 mg) to try to shrink the tumor, which apparently is not working.  I know that prednisone is supposed to increase appetite, but since being on it my cat's appetite has worsened, and she has lost a lot of weight. Most troublesome is the grinding noise she has started to make when eating since being on the drug.  She has a very hard time chewing (no dental problems), kind of throws her head around, and loses interest in food fairly quickly even thought she acts interested at first.  And while chewing there is a noise, kind of like a grinding, that I'd never heard her make while eating before starting the prednisone.  I am afraid this difficulty eating is why she has lost so much weight, rather than a poor apeptite.  My question is, do you think she may be allergic or otherwise having a bad reaction to the  prednisone, or do you think it may just be coincidental that this behavior only started with the onset of giving her the drug?  Thank you so much for your help and any insight you might have into other cats making this noise while eating.  Sincerely, Mary

Answer
Follow UP - Mary, I am sorry for the loss of your cat to cancer.  The vet did the best he/she could do for her.

Again, so sorry

Marie Peppers