My senior cat is constipated, vomiting, and in pain. Is it cancer?

Question

Constipation even with stool softeners; cries with pain---frequency increasing; trying to hide; vomits after feeding; decreased appetite; thin, ribbon-like stool; had full anal sac near to rupture; 13 + years old; feral until approx. 6 years old; behavior seen for past month, getting worse. Vet examined three times; x-ray of bowel done--full of stool when anal gland enlarged; some arthritis of knees, hips and spine; hx of pancreatitis; on Hill's CD vegetable and chicken stew wet food. Cancer? Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Female | spayed | 13 years and 3 months old

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

I'm sorry Nikita is struggling so much with constipation! Typically constipation is a chronic problem that must be managed for the entire life of the patient, but it is possible that she has cancer. It might be a good idea to talk to your vet about getting a biopsy sample of her intestines to check for cancer. This much be very hard for you to deal with, and even if she did have cancer, the prognosis is poor. I'm sure you don't want to hear this, but I would recommend looking at her quality of life. It sounds like you have done a lot for her with little to no improvement, and it may be time to consider letting her go peacefully. Letting her pass without any further pain and illness would be a kindness to her, and I would serious think about this. I'm sorry, this probably isn't something you want to read, but it may be best for her. I work for a home euthanasia service, and I face this problem with my clients all the time. If you'd like to consult with me further on this, I'd be happy to talk with you. Just click the "consult online" button under my answer. Otherwise, speak to your vet about the possibility of an intestinal biopsy or potentially letting her go peacefully.

My senior cat is constipated, vomiting, and in pain. Is it cancer?

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