CATS AND CANCER: BATTLING THE BIG C

Cancer – the mere mention of this word jolts us with a sense of horror so grave that we are left to react only in two ways: numbness or depression. Ask anyone who has had a family member diagnosed with such a terrible disease and they’d tell you that it is almost always a complete shock. The “Big C”, as it is so fondly called, is a battle fought not only by humans – it is something that can afflict our dear pets as well. I want to share a story with you, my fellow pet parents, because I want everyone to know that when facing the Big C, all hope is not lost. There is a way to fight it, a way to adjust to it, and a way to make your companion’s life more comfortable despite having this deadly disease.

This story is about a very special cat named Aicee. Last September 28, 2014, as I was going out of my house intending to go to work, I saw a very weak Puspin kitten crying in front of our gates. I wasn’t familiar with this particular kitten – I would know, because I manage our community cat colony, and since all of them are spayed and neutered, seeing 3 to 4 month old offspring around just wasn’t possible. The kitten looked like it was about 4 months old, but the more worrying thing was that it looked like she was a hit-and-run victim. She couldn’t stand, her legs looked limp, and she was crying out of pain. That weekend, we decided to bring her to the vet. We didn’t care about the bills – we want to help this poor creature survive, no matter what.

After it was confirmed that Aicee’s hind legs were indeed run over by a car, our vet tirelessly took care of her, giving her the medications, antibiotics, and tests that she needed in order to recover. After three weeks and a spay operation, Aicee was cleared to go home with us. Yes, we adopted Aicee and now, along with her “kuya” Rocco, we can confirm that the Luber household is owned by two very intriguing felines.

Aicee’s legs healed magnificently and before we knew it, she was walking fine and even playing tag with Rocco. Last December, when we heard her cry out and limp once again after a very long time, we decided to bring her to the vet for an advanced check-up. How can we forget the date, December 24 – the day when our vet told us that according to the x-ray, it was safe to assume that our dear Aicee has cancer. Bone cancer, to be precise.

I was at a loss. My boyfriend had to be the stronger person for the both of us because when we brought Aicee for that check-up, we expected it to be some sort of fracture or sprain, not cancer. I didn’t cry, but I was so lost that I couldn’t even look at our vet in the eye. Hearing that your pet has cancer is like hearing a death sentence – cancer meant eventual death and that scared me. Aicee didn’t deserve this, that’s what I kept telling myself. We didn’t deserve this. Out of all cats out there, why our Aicee? We did everything we could to make sure that she was safe. Was the car trauma really that bad that it turned into cancer?

Denial turned to sadness, and then to anger, and then to helplessness, to fear and eventually, to courage. No matter what happens, we decided that we will try everything – every antibiotic, every procedure, every surgery, every option – just to ensure that Aicee will live, or at least live a life longer than a cancer patient’s usual expectancy. With the help of our vet, we knew that it is possible to give Aicee a very comfortable life despite her condition. After all, despite having cancer, Aicee continued to enjoy life like a regular, healthy cat. She ate well, played lots, socialized with others, and more than anything else, she gave us hope. Hope that everything will be better. We will try, if only for her.

Our experience may be different from the experiences of other pet parents whose pets were diagnosed with cancer. For us, it started with confirmation – blood tests and x-rays to prove that it was really cancer – and the chemotherapy. Yes, pet chemotherapy exists here in the Philippines and is very accessible if you approach the right veterinary specialists. Dogs and cats tolerate chemotherapy better than us humans. Treating cancer in pets can be costly, but not as costly as the human form of treatment. But nevertheless, in the long run, your pets will live a more comfortable life, and though small, there is that chance that it will disappear. In our case, Aicee went through four chemotherapy sessions. Though Aicee didn’t experience any of it, side effects might include appetite loss, vomiting, or diarrhea. Hair, or in this case fur, loss is very rare in both dogs and cats. We decided to start with the chemotherapy immediately because with cancer, we all know that our main enemy is time – the sooner you act, the bigger the chance for survival. As soon as Aicee was cleared to undergo chemotherapy, we signed up for it.

We didn’t know what to expect. We only knew that at least in humans, chemotherapy was supposed to suppress the spread of the disease and if we were lucky, to even erase the growths altogether. We prayed for the best and we continued to give Aicee the best life possible. According to our vet, after four sessions, Aicee would be given ample time to recover from it all, and then after a month, it’s back to blood tests and x-rays. Before we even got to that point, we’ve noticed that Aicee has tremendously improved on a physical level. She can now run so fast and can jump so high! She can reach kitchen counters now, which was worrisome because she always likes to steal fried fish! She can out-claw Rocco now and she was the feistiest she has ever been! We knew something great happened, but we didn’t want to expect and be disappointed.

Now, two months later, her latest tests showed that she was back to normal. The growths and the scars, they all vanished! We were so happy! Though Aicee’s scheduled to have her blood test and x-ray again in three months, we were just so thankful that for the moment, Aicee is healthy and safe. We knew that not all pets were as lucky as her and though we still don’t know for a fact, 100%, that she’s cancer-free for eternity, we’re just happy to say that in this wonderful moment, she is.

To all pet parents with pets who have cancer, know that we are praying for you. Know that there are people who understand your plight and know that your pets, they don’t care about the cancer, to be quite honest. They just want to be happy. They want us to be happy. They want to spend every day with happiness and joy. We know that like us, you’ll do everything in your power to protect them, to take care of them, to make sure they live the longest life possible. But at the end of the day, know that all they want is for us to be there beside them, through thick and thin.

Because for our dogs and cats, there’s no such thing as the “Big C”, or at least they know that it’s nothing true love and affection can’t heal.

There are lots of other Aspins and Puspins who need your help! Please consider rescuing and adopting your next best friend!