My aunt's 16 y.o. female cat has developed a lump on the bridge of her nose, almost overshadowing her right eye.
It is very soft and spongy, and appears to give her no pain when touched, it hasn't slowed her down, she runs around like a large nutty kitten, but when she sleeps, she snores like a buzz saw, and I'm thinking that it has narrowed her right nostril.
My aunt's vet said that he'd like to make an incision, and drain it if it contains fluid, and send the fluid off, with a piece of the lump for a biopsy, but he's concerned that at the cat's age she may not survive the anaesthetic, plus his estimate is £750.
She can't afford that, but I said that I'd give her £250 toward the bill as a gift if she wanted to go ahead.
Personally, as much as I love animals, I think that £750 is pushing the envelope, and she may be better to wait and see if the lump dissipates when the cat has finished her £66 course of antibiotics.
Any suggestions?

As a son of a vet, I advise you that your Aunt's vet maybe one of those small animal practitioners that went into the veterinary profession to earn a tonne of money of UK animal lovers, as I have never heard of any vet wanting to charge someone almost a grand to treat any cat or dog over 15 years old. The cat is a centenarian, the anaesthetic would likely kill the poor animal..

That vet is preying on your Aunt's emotions, let the cat live in peace.

Good post, totally agree with you.
Its also possible to be a fatty lump, my dog had one for years when he got older, and he lived to the good age of 15.

Thanks for both your replies, I will advise my aunt to wait and see.
Vet's fees DO sometimes seem to be exorbitant, but I always think, well, they have undergone years of training, who else can fix your pet?
I agree with the 'playing on emotions' bit, a lot of animal lovers probably think that they should mortgage their home when their pet is unwell, or they'll be thought of as uncaring.

I have 3 dogs, but when they get old, I would not put them through operations (depends what is wrong mind), and would always take into account their quality of life afterwards.

After a week or two agonising, I bit the bullet and took the old moggy to Celia Hammond's veterinary clinic in Lewisham.
They kept her in for four days, did X-rays, opened the lump, no pus, took a piece for biopsy, the result comes in on 18/12/15, but the vet is 95% sure that it's a tumour, I picked her up today, with her medication, total; £124.23.
The vet said keep her comfortable, and we'll take it one week at a time.
That is way better than £750, as I picked up the tab and told my aunt that it was her and the pusscat's Christmas present.
Last edited by Debrajoan : 15-12-2015 at 20:40

Do they know whether or not it is malignant yet?

I guess that they'll tell me when I call them on Friday.

This advice! The cat is 16 age comes with conditions at times and the cat as you say, is otherwise eating and appears healthy. I would leave well alone.

Absolutely

Any further news OP?

Sorry for delay, have not been checking the Pets section.
Definite tumour, but benign, so no spread of anything bad around her body.
Vet said that providing she's eating and drinking okay, plus passing urine and faeces she should be okay, just keep an eye on her.
Lump seems to have grown a tad since then, and there is an occasional trickle of blood at the entrance of her right nostril, I'm assuming that the mass is closing her nasal passage, as when she sleeps, she sounds like a buzz saw.
I'm going to contact the vet, to ask if there is any way to get the mass reduced, if no, then it'll be just keep her comfortable for as long as we can I guess.
Thanks for your interest.

That has to be good news

Thanks, I emailed the vet to give him an update on Misty's condition, and he called me to ask if I had any questions or concerns.
I said that I doubted if it could be done, but was there any way that the lump could be reduced in size, as I feared that it was now restricting the field of vision from her right eye.
He said attempting that would almost certainly damage small bones in the bridge of her nose, and possibly her skull, so leaving it would be the lesser of two evils.
Which is a shame, as my husband has started referring to Misty as Joseph, or John Merrick, the Elephant Man.