The Felix Fund for Feline Lymphoma

One in five cats are diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Feline lymphoma accounts for an estimated 30% of feline cancer diagnoses.

Our amazing cat Felix was diagnosed with lymphoma after several months of struggle. We are raising funds to both recover some of our expenses and to make a donation towards further research so that others can avoid meeting the same fate.

Felix is a bit of a medical mystery. What started as some small swelling in his jaw rapidly worsened and led to a series of unknowns and inconclusive tests. Initially, biopsies were normal and it was thought to be an infection, but the swelling continued to worsen. When he was first seen by his dental specialist, the prognosis was grim. They thought at first that he had bone cancer, but upon further examination, we found out that was not the case. Felix underwent immediate dental surgery to remove infected bone and tissue. Several tooth extractions later, he was still not on the path to recovery. The swelling worsened, his jawbone had begun to erode, and we still had no answers. Despite all signs pointing towards cancer, repeated diagnostics and biopsies came up clean, showing only infection and no root cause. The excellent team in charge of Felix's care exhausted every avenue of testing to figure out what was causing the damage, infection, and swelling.

After his fourth series of tests and biopsies, we thought we finally had an answer. Felix was diagnosed with lymphoma. It was thought that we could treat his cancer with radiation and we were hopeful it would respond well. Still, his diagnosis was extremely odd. Cats don't usually develop cancer in the mouth, and lymphoma does not usually present in the way his did. But we at least had a path forward for treatment and it looked like the end was in sight.

A few short weeks later, Felix had received all necessary tests to ensure he was eligible for treatment and that the cancer was localized to his jaw. We became increasingly hopeful as the outlook no longer looked grim. He began radiation therapy with the support of the oncology team at the Ontario Veterinary College, and the first few treatments seemed to be going well.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, Felix lost his battle after his red blood cell count nosedived unexpectedly. He held out long enough to pass away surrounded by those he loved while being made as comfortable as possible. The doctors are unsure as to the cause of his sudden decline since he had been (relatively) healthy and talkative earlier in the day after treatment. We firmly believe that no life should be cut short due to the cost of care. We did absolutely everything we could to get him through. Unfortunately, that meant for there to be a chance to save his life we had to take hold of an overwhelming financial burden.

As heartbroken as we are, at least we have one solace in all of this. While it is always difficult to be a medical "first", we hope that our struggles and the answers found can save other animals that see similar symptoms in the future. His dental specialist wants to write a report on him, and we hope that by giving consent for a requested necropsy we can find the answers as to why he took a sudden turn for the worse.

Felix was the absolute best cat anyone could have known. He was sweet, always wanting to cuddle or keep close. Whenever one of us held him, he would reach out to touch the other. He was originally the pet of Avery's father, and when his father lost his own battle with cancer, Felix was never able to get over the loss. His mourning took the form of separation anxiety.

This anxiety didn't stop him from making friends and becoming the best friend of anyone he met. He was the best boy, always ready to sing the song of his people to you for a treat, and ready to curl up on your chest when the world seemed overwhelming. His favorite spots to sleep were on top of Rob's head or with his head tucked in against Avery's neck.

Felix was a fighter. In 2021 he survived meningitis after undergoing surgery (Ventral Bulla Osteotomy) and carried on to live an immensely fulfilling life. People marveled at how young and healthy he looked at the age of 24 as he trotted into the doctor's office. Most of the staff liked to play a game where they had others guess his age, and nobody ever guessed above 12 or 13, with many going as low as 7. Even for his first day of radiation treatment, he was on his leash and ready to walk through the doors and rule the hospital halls. "Fe" knew not a single enemy and he adored the attention of everyone around him, even to the point of walking up to strangers to roll and beg for a few head pats.

Felix's life may be over, but his legacy continues. With your generosity and support, we are committed to setting aside at least 20% of the funds to donate to feline cancer research in the hopes that we can save more precious friends like Felix. If we are able to recoup the costs of his treatment in any part it would be immensely helpful and we will increase the size of the donation as we are able. Should we manage to recover our costs, every additional penny will be added to our donation in Felix's name.

He truly was the most marvelous old man, and we are heartbroken without him.

Thank you,

Rob & Avery

Rest In Peace - 2023-10-19 10:40 am