On September 23, 1999, I brought Tabby into the vets because we noticed a "sore" on her right lower mammary gland. Well, they took her into surgery the next day, did a biopsy, and removed the mammary strip and a lymph node as well as it was infected, and they spayed her at that time, which she was 10 year old going on 11, as of next week.

She had to stay in the hospital for 2 days, due to the anesthia and they wanted to watch her, she came home with her collar on and antibiotics and was very tried the 1st day, she was so good at me giving her her meds, and she was eating and drinking, so we had alot of hope that the "mammary tumor" would come back beign.

I got a phone call on Thurday, September 30th, 1999, and my worst nightmare was told to me on the phone by the vet, Tabby had Adenocarcinoma, and it was also in the lymph node they removed, and no cancer treatment was avaliable for her. Oh my, my heart just dropped, I wanted to say, you have the wrong house, the wrong cat, the tests are wrong!! I have prayed and took care of her,,, she will be fine,,, she doesnt look that sick!!!!! but in my heart I knew she was. The vet said she could live anywhere from 3 to 9 months, and told me the signs to watch for later on, so when the time came I could do what I need to, WHAT I NEEDED TO! oh no, I have never lost a pet before, she looks fine!!!! How can I do this!! I dont want to do this!!

You know, one thing I regret so much about Tabby, is that I never had her spayed when she was younger, She was an indoor cat, never had kittens so I thought, why put her through this operation!! But you know, this is how most animals get this!! If you dont spay your females, there is a very high risk of mammary cancer, and Tabby, was one of the "unlucky" ones, how could I have been sooooooooo stupid!!!!

I am trying to take one day at a time, it is hard, but i love her, she was our 1st pet, and I am not a big cat lover *smile* but Tabby and Buttons have won my heart...

I hope I have given her a good life, I hope she knows I love her, and I hope when her time comes I will be with her. This is the hardest things you have to go through when you have pets and you love them and they are part of your family.

Please make sure, you spay or neuter your animals, I hope if this can reach one person and save one life, it is worth the tears I have right now...

I will keep you updated on Tabby, from time to time...

An Explaination Of Tabby's Type Of Cancer From My Vet With A Link To More Info On Adenocarcinomas

The cause of tumors is unknown, but it is seen more in unspayed females. The cancer usually has spread to the lungs by the time we see the mass on the mammary glands. X-rays of the lungs may not show anything, but small tumors are usually present. Adenocarcinoma is a classification of tumor, but it is a cancerous growth. There is little that can be done to extend the life of Tabby. Some vets have used hormonal therapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy, however, none have had any significant response. About 2/3 of the cats have recurrence at the surgical site, and most cats pass away within 12 months.

It is important to keep the cat comfortable and spend quality time with her. When she stops eating and losing weight, and in general no longer enjoying life, it may be time to consider euthanasia.

Feline Mammary Adenocarcinoma (FMGAC)

Dear Lord,

Please watch over our humans, they are so weak. They have no claws or teeth, they can't run fast or fly away, neither can they burrow or build a nest in which to be safe. They smell bad, do strange things that aren't altogether intelligent, have no real ability to communicate with us, although we are able to figure out what they want.

Lord, grant US the ability to watch over our humans, care for them, cheer them when they are down, make them laugh, smile, and shower them with our love. We pray that we can bring a little joy into their otherwise mundane existence...

Lord...please let them know that when we insist on getting attention, its so we can check their emotional well being and boost their morale When we pester them for different foods, toys, etc, its so they will learn to see us in ways they hadn't considered, bringing them closer and back into the fold... which they are part of but keep forgetting about. They expect us to know what they want even though sometimes they don't know what we want. Some of them really try and we know they love us but some of them are so dumb yet our love for them remains intensely unfaltering.

Lord, when we die, please make sure to send us ahead to where ever our humans are going to be, so we can pave the way for them, vouch for them and be there for them when they too die.. ....please allow us to continue proving the humans are worth the effort. You placed these humans in dominion over us, but you charged us with the task of caring for them and SHOWING them your love every day, through us.

God bless these mere mortal humans, they know not that we are their guardian angels sent in love to task them so that they may grow to be part of your plan. You and Us God... we'll bring them back into the fold... you and us.

~Author Unknown~