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Old cat with lump on paw.

Species: Cat
Breed: She's a mix/she's br
Age: 11-15 years
Our family cat is 13 to 15 years old. within the last two weeks she has lost her ability to eat food. she has an inflamed heel on her left front paw which limits her mobility. her foot hasn't been a problem but now with it being hot here in Texas she's been living in the garage. She used to weigh 16 pounds but she's done to about half her normal size. What can I give to nourish her apetite back to normal?

When I pick her up she cries like she's asking for help
but she won' eat her regular food. Can I give her a formula with an eyedropper or something that can nourish her?

Wtih her advanced age, I don't want to have her putdown. Do you have any ideas on what I can do for our cat.

She's white & brown all over with a thick full coat that sheds hairs every where she goes, if that will help your diagnosis.

The heel of her front left paw has inflamed to the size of a marble and sometimes it bleeds. She's had it for about two months. Thank you for any help for our cat.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, sorry to hear that Mamakitty is not doing well. I do really get concerned when an older cat is losing weight and not eating well. It is usually a sign that there is a serious medical condition.

I'm concerned that the lump on her foot may be a tumor. It is also possible that it is an area of infection though. If it's at all possible to have a vet take a look at her that would be great. If it is an infection then there is a chance that we could make her better with antibiotics. If this is the case then oral antibiotics prescribed by the vet would be necessary.

If she is not eating it could be that she has some underlying disease such as kidney disease which is relatively common in older cats. While we do have some things we can do for kidney disease there is no complete cure for it.

Until you can get her to a vet here are a few things you can do to help her to eat. You can heat up some canned food or add some warm water to it. You can offer her tuna juice. And yes, you can offer small amounts of baby food as well.

Ideally though it would be best to have your vet do an exam and possibly some bloodwork to determine what is going on and find out if we can do anything to help her.

I hope she is ok!

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.