Stanley the Survivor?

Soon after we lost Felix in May this year (2004), Stanley started to lose weight and sometimes, but only in the evening, would vomit but was otherwise just his normal happy lively self. We wondered if he might be developing an overactive thyroid, which has happened to several of our cats but his pulse rate didn't seem unduly fast. We took him along to the vet, who thought he could feel something in Stanley's abdomen which could be nasty, so took blood for tests and booked him in for an ultrasound scan.

We took Stanley in on the following Monday for his scans and had a call from the vet later that day. The good news was that the blood tests showed that Stanley was very fit with no sign of kidney, liver or any other problems. The bad news was that the scan showed a growth but they couldn't tell exactly where and they needed to open him up to see just what was going on and where, and take biopsies. The vet hoped the growth would turn out to be on the pancreas or intestine and could be easily removed. It wasn't. Poor Stanley had a growth on his stomach, which had reduced its capacity to one quarter of what it should be. No wonder the poor animal had been vomiting! This was not operable but there was one more hope - that it would be of a sort that could be treated with chemotherapy. They wanted him to stay overnight to recover from his operation and by the time we picked him up they should have the biopsy results and we would know his fate. Meanwhile, we took another cat home with us - one recovering from an accident. After Felix died, we had offered to take on any black or black and white male cat who needed a home and this one did, so we agreed to adopt him. You can read about him here.

Good news! The tumour could be treated, so Stanley was to go for his first chemo on the Friday. As soon as he arrived home, he leapt out from the cat carrier, went over to say 'Hello' to the new cat and then headed straight for the kitchen and food! You would not have thought he was seriously unwell, let alone that he'd been cut open just the day before.

Stanley just after he'd had his stitches removed

.......... It's now August and Stanley has had several chemo sessions. He is doing very well, eating plenty, though he must not have dry food or any chunky food, and has hardly vomited at all. Of course, the treatment is costing an arm and a leg. Even though we have him insured, we still have to pay an excess and, because he is over 10 years old, a percentage of the costs. Still, it will be worth it if it gives him several more years of quality life. He's such a happy little cat!

.......... We're now into October and Stanley has finished his chemo. He has had a blood test to see if everything is OK and the vet cannot feel the tumour at all, so hopefully the chemo has been successful!

.......... The results of the blood test showed that Stanley is still very fit, so he will just need regular check-ups to check that the tumour is not growing again. He was fine at his first check up in November.

.......... Mid December and not such good news. Stanley had a tummy upset, so we booked him in for a check up and the vet could feel something which might or might not be the tumour growing back. He gave Stanley antibiotics to fight a probable infection as his temperature was up and a cortisone injection to see if that would help. The next week, the lump had apparently decreased in size, so he is now on cortisone tablets, which will hopefully keep things in check. He seems fine in himself, except that he has been scratching his neck and making it sore, so is having to have cream rubbed into it!

.......... The end of December and nothing can be felt where the tumour had been, so he is continuing with the cortisone tablets and will have another examination in a month's time.

.......... During the first week of January we noticed Stanley's pupils were dilated and his legs seemed weak. It turned out that his kidneys had lost some function and that he was being affected by all the accumulative toxins. After 4 days in 'hospital', having his system flushed out, he was a lot better but his kidneys were too far gone for him to survive much longer. He had been drinking more than usual, which is a sign of kidney problems but we had been told that the cortisone tablets he'd been prescribed in December would make him thirsty so didn't take any notice of it. While he was having the treatment, he charmed all the veterinary staff, who were so sorry that such a sweet, good natured, friendly little cat is nearing the end.

He came home again on the Friday, with various pills and potions to keep him comfortable till the inevitable happens. He is spending most of his time dozing and is now eating very little of the tasty morsels we have been offering him.

.......... Stanley gradually ate less and less and grew very weak. On the following Thursday, I put him into the old hooded basket, where he could be comfortable. He was still himself, 'talking' to me and taking notice of all that was going on, but he felt cold and his pulse was slow for a cat so I hoped he would eventually just drift off into oblivion. However, during the evening, he made it known that he was not happy and we made a mercy dash to the vet, where we said goodbye to him. It was a very peaceful end.