Why Chemotherapy for an Older Cat Is Less Effective

It's difficult to watch your suffer from cancer, and even harder to choose a course of therapy, like cat chemotherapy or radiation, to try to improve the situation. However, for older cats, many veterinarians recommend against treatments like chemotherapy, as they can be less effective.

Age Is an Important Factor for Chemotherapy

When he was a kitten, you never had to worry about recovery time. One minute your kitten had a cold, the next she was bouncing off the walls. Recovery time is increased with age, and it takes longer for your cat to heal.

As a result of the cancer, your cat may have suffered damage to his or her immune system. Before setting on a course of chemotherapy, understand that the procedure includes pumping chemicals into your cat's system, causing sickening side effects. Your cat may not be able to recover from the drugs themselves.

Consider Other Options for Older Cats

Veterinarians can recommend other procedures to keep your cat's health in check, like radiation and surgery. Coupling these with chemotherapy may be too much for your cat's system, already taxed by disease and treatments.

Older Cats Quality of Life Post Chemotherapy

Taking a course of chemotherapy may increase your cat's life expectancy by six months, but if your cat spends the rest of his life vomiting as a side effect of the drugs, is it really worth it? Let your cat spend its last months with as pleasant a condition as possible.