# Cyclone Chemotherapy Update



## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Well, my daughter's cat Cyclone has been on chemo for a little over two weeks. The only change we have seen since he started chemo is more energy, and if anything he seems healthier. Last night, Cyclone was under my bed and then, for no apparent reason, there was this sudden high speed flying blur out from under my bed and down the hallway. Zoom. I thought it was Fresh Air, but it was Cyclone. Maybe missing a front leg makes him more aerodynamic? I had no idea he could move that fast. It made us both laugh. He's doing awesome.

He eats his pill wrapped in a pill pocket and looks for a second treat every night before dinner. Then he gobbles his food as always. He's playful, feisty, fast, demanding, and funny. I couldn't be happier. Go, Cyclone, go!


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Those are wonderful news ! Go cyclone !


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

Good news! So glad he is a happy kitty.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

Go Cyclone, feeling good makes cats aerodynamic :wink:


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I am so happy that he is doing well and that you have a good system down for getting that pill into him.


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## Asta's Mom (Aug 20, 2014)

So glad to hear the Cyclone update. Sounds like he is not letting this get him down a bit.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

What a GOOD BOY! And really really cute too!


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Well WOW! It sure sounds like all is ok in Cyclone's world!!


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## galofpink (Mar 14, 2017)

Oh this is just wonderful news! I hope Cyclone keeps doing well and living up to his namesake!


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

I'm so happy for your speedy recovery Cyclone! You've kicked cancer's butt. Here is to your positive attitude!


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Cyclone has been taking chemo since February. He's lost four pounds since February. We took him to the vet on Thursday and she said he's lost fat and is not wasting in any way. She's actually glad to see Cyclone weighing in at 10 pounds. Cyclone is getting around the house much better. In fact, Cyclone has discovered a new perch. The top of our refrigerator!










You have no idea how shocked I was to see him up there. How in the world did a three legged cat hop up to the fridge? A few months ago, Cyclone was so fat he wasn't able to jump on the kitchen table, let alone all the way up to the fridge. Maybe Sunshine showed him how to get up there? Lately the two of them rule the kitchen as Emperor and Empress of Fridge. 










Even though he's getting around better, Cyclone is having some bone marrow suppression from the chemo and has too few white cells with is chemo. We're switching his chemo schedule to every other day instead of every day. That should help his white cells rebound. But, even so, all signs point to awesome for our double cancer surviving boy, Emperor of Fridge.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Oh my goodness, Cyclone is amazing! I hope the new chemo schedule helps with his WBC count.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Wow! Cyclone is one amazing cat! He's just not ready to kick the bucket, 
not........ one.......bit!!! You go Cyclone!!!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Thanks - it is good to hear Cyclone is fit and happy, and very reassuring to hear of an animal doing so well on chemo. We tend to think of chemo for cancer as a miserable and debilitating treatment, a last resort to buy a little time, but that is obviously not necessarily the case for cats and dogs.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

FJM,

I agree. It's one of the reasons I posed this. Chemo increases quality of life. Reducing tumor burden increases quality of life. Lowering the intensity of autoimmune illnesses increases quality of life. Cyclone is doing better for two reasons, we think. The cancer may have been having some impact that it's no longer having, but the big reason is he's not snacking on dog kibble anymore.

Noelle and Francis used to eat together from Kong Wobbler toys, but when they got older, Francis pushed Noelle away from both toys. Francis started gaining weight and Noelle started losing weight. While Francis was busy bullying Noelle, Cyclone gobbled dog kibble from the Wobblers and got fatter by the minute. So, we stopped using those and transitioned to dog bowls. Unfortunately, Cyclone pushed Noelle away from her food bowl. Noelle is so gentle she doesn't put up a fuss. She waited for Cyclone to eat her food, and then ate whatever was left. That wasn't working, either.

Cyclone and Francis are now banished while Noelle eats. Both of them lost weight. Noelle has filled out nicely and all is well again. Cyclone is so much more active now. It's wonderful to see him thriving.


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## galofpink (Mar 14, 2017)

Thanks for the positive update! It is always so great to see our pets do stuff they "haven't done in years". Cyclone you keep making that fridge your castle observation tower!


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## LizzysMom (Sep 27, 2016)

Woo hoo, Cyclone! You're amazing! (And, cute, too.  )


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

We took Cyclone to the vet today. He weighed 11.5 pounds, so he's gained a little since last time, which is good news. He's not getting worse. If anything, Cyclone is getting more bold and more feisty. 

Last night, Fresh Air was on the cat tree, minding his own business. Cyclone hopped up behind him. Cyclone raised himself up on his hind legs, and bashed Fresh Air upside the head with his only paw. Fresh Air yowled and hissed. Cyclone yowled and hissed. They batted each other for a moment, and then Francis came in like a traffic cop. Break it up, break it up. And they did. Cyclone captured the cat tree and expanded his empire. He is now Emperor of Fridge, Ruler of the Living Room Cat Tree. All hail Emperor Cyclone.

Cyclone is also jumping up on the cat shelf above the sink. He'd never been there before because he was too fat. Now he hangs out on the shelf watching cat TV out the window. He shares the shelf with Fresh Air and Sunshine so the three of them watch cat TV without fighting. Fights are rare, but of course they do happen once in a while with two neutered males in the house. We let them work it out. No need to add human drama into the situation. One second they are pounding each other, next second they are grooming each other. Why? Who knows. Cats are weird.

On the advice of his oncologist, we started giving Cyclone chemo every other day instead of every day because his blood counts were dropping too low. We will find out his blood work in a few days, but so far so good with our tripod troublemaker.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Wow, that's wonderful news about Cyclone. He sure is active and clearly feeling better.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Cyclone's blood counts look great! Much better than last time. We're all so pleased around here. Next month he'll get his chest x-ray and we will see if the chemo has slowed the tumor down.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Fingers and toes crossed in the hope that the x-ray shows treatment has shrunk or slowed the tumor.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Those are great updates even without the clinical findings, the change in behaviors to normal active cat activities is grand.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

We used to free feed our cats dry food. We did that for over 20 years with many many cats, and never had a problem. Then we got Cyclone. He ate constantly and got enormous. We free fed our old dogs, too and Cyclone ate dog food when he wasn't eating cat food. He got even bigger when we got our kittens and had dry kitten food and then we had puppy food. By this point, Cyclone was pretty much round. 

We fed Francis and Noelle in a Kong Wobbler to keep them occupied while we ate dinner. Then I noticed Noelle losing weight. Francis was keeping Noelle from eating, and Cyclone was pushing his way in as well. Noelle was so gentle, she'd say, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that was yours." Francis got fat, Cyclone got fatter, and Noelle's hips and spine were visible. This is not working.

We got rid of dry cat food. Two small cans a day for Cyclone is plenty. Noelle and Francis eat meals separately in different rooms. I shut the doors and Noelle eats in a cat free environment. 

Cyclone started losing weight before the chemotherapy, so I don't know if the chemo made him lose weight or not. Sometimes free feeding works well, but sometimes you end up with a round cat. Here are some before and after pictures. He really, truly was round. See?


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Oh my he was enormous! Feeding can be complicated. We feed Peeves off on his own, where he makes a ridiculous mess because he takes food out of the bowl and puts it on the floor before eating it. Remember that their meals are the consistency of stew. Ugghh. I often have to put Javelin out the back door when he finishes his meal to get Lily to eat. Other days Lily will dive into Javelin's bowl and put him off his food. They are very funny poodles.


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