About how long does a cat have to live when diagnosed with lymphoma that has spread to his lungs?

Question
My cat is 15 years old and I found out the other day after a year of going to the vet for him throwing up and always having trouble breathing and coughing that he has lymphoma that has went to his lungs. The vet gave him a depo-steroid shot and sent me home with Theophylline. He isnt eating much and is mostly just laying around..I am wondering how long it takes before he will pass or I will have to put him at peace now that it has went to his lungs. And are the meds they gave him something that should be done or is it gonna hurt him and prolong the inevitable?

Answer
Stephanie,

Unfortunately I am not a veterinarian so I am unable to provide you with specific answers about your cat's condition. I am terribly sorry to hear that your little guy is so sick. One treatment option that you may not have considered is taking your kitty to a homeopathic vet or a holistic vet who is trained in the use of homeopathy - this may not do anything to reverse his current condition, but offering the best possible nutrition and administering the right remedies might be a step towards keeping your kitty more comfortable and possibly even give him a bit more good quality time with you. If you have specific questions about the use of homeopathy in this situation my recommendation would be to check out the Ask A Vet portion of this site - Dr. Christine Chambreau is a homeopathic veterinarian and in the past when I've dealt with her she's been absolutely fantastic. From what I understand Dr. Chambreau offers phone and email consults for a fee within the US, but you would of course have to discuss that with her.

I understand that you are in a difficult position as far as knowing what to do for your precious feline companion since you've just found out that he's quite a bit sicker than you realized. There are many considerations that go into deciding what's best for each individual cat and when the right time is (if at all) to humanely euthanize such a dear friend. I have had many pet parents turn to me for guidance and ask when the right time is to euthanize their pet and my answer is generally the same - in short I can't make that decision for you, nobody can. You and you alone know your cat the best, you'll know if and when it's appropriate to consider giving nature a helping hand so that your cat can cross over to the Rainbow Bridge. My general feeling is that if a cat isn't able to have any kind of quality of life, say for example he is no longer able to eat, drink or use the litter box without considerable medical interventions or other types of support it may be time to start weighing your options. Since I know that you may be dealing with the loss of your friend sooner rather than later I've taken the liberty of including a few resources to help you through the difficult times ahead.

The Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Fragile Circle


"We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan."

Irving Townsend

May your whiskers be ruffled by only pleasant breezes,
May your bowls be filled with tuna and sweet cream,
May your dreams be blessed with legions of mice,
And most of all,
May you forever purr in peace.
Amen

There is also a great video on Youtube for grieving pet parents, it's called Til Then, but be prepared with a box of Kleenex because it truly is a tear jerker - in my experience sometimes tears can help to heal the soul and this is especially true when we grieve the loss of someone who is close to us, regardless of what physical form they take. Fortunately changes are starting to happen within our society with regards to pet parents grieving the loss of their precious companions and people are starting to accept that pets of all kinds are special family members, in some cases our pets are the closest friends we have. As far as I'm concerned the friendship a pet gives should be a model for all friendships, they're loyal, free with their love, honest, intuitive and forgiving even when we make mistakes or get frustrated because they've done something we would have preferred they didn't. I know you're facing some tough decisions along the way and my heart goes out to you, you and your cat will be in my thoughts and prayers and I hope that you are able to make the most of the time you and your kitty have left. Please feel free to contact me again, I'll be happy to offer any support that I can for you.