Rufus's Story
My cat Rufus is a 9-year-old orange tabby who was diagnosed with plasma cell cancer on December 24, 2025 — Christmas Eve. We had our first oncology appointment in mid-January 2026, and he’s been on melphalan and prednisolone ever since. Rufus was found as an orphaned newborn kitten in a pile of leaves and brought to a shelter, and I adopted him at two months old when he was ready for a home. He has been my soul cat and constant companion for the last nine years. He deserves every fighting chance I can give him.
Rufus has a confirmed oral plasmacytoma — plasma cell cancer of the mouth. This is an exceptionally rare cancer in cats, and the oral location makes it particularly complex. Because it occurs so infrequently, there is limited data on outcomes — which also means there is no well-worn treatment roadmap. New research is emerging, and we want to give Rufus every possible chance to benefit from it.
The Treatment Plan
Radiation is the first preferred treatment for a localized plasmacytoma, but the cost is prohibitive for me right now. It also would put Rufus under a great deal of stress as it would require traveling to LA, 4 sessions under anesthesia (1 for CT scan, 3 for stereotactic treatment), and a feeding tube for recovery. Chemotherapy is the second path for treatment, but it can be slower to target oral plasmacytomas. For chemotherapy, melphalan is the gold standard for plasma cell cancers, and that’s exactly what we’re using.
The first month on chemo and steroids showed no measurable response; the second brought slight improvement. We’re not abandoning melphalan — we’re supplementing our approach. Because this cancer is rare, aggressive, and unpredictable even with gold standard treatment, his oncology team and I are now pursuing genomic profiling to identify targeted therapy options based on the specific biology of his tumor. The goal is to give us the most precise path forward, rather than relying solely on a protocol that, while appropriate, doesn’t guarantee remission for a cancer this difficult. This is new research that has shown positive results with humans and dogs and is being newly explored with cats.
An additional layer of complexity: Rufus’s tumor is not a small, isolated mass that can be surgically removed. It occupies a region connected to his mouth, ear canal, and surrounding tissue — it is not operable. And because this is plasma cell cancer, there is always a risk that what is currently localized could spread systemically over time, potentially developing into multiple myeloma. We don’t currently suspect that has happened — but multiple myeloma is notoriously difficult to fully rule out in cats, and we were only able to do the diagnostic testing we could financially manage. We are monitoring him closely because that risk is real and ongoing.
The Financial Reality
I want to be transparent about why my financial situation is as strained as it is, because the oncology treatment is only part of the picture. Before we ever had a cancer diagnosis, Rufus had been showing symptoms that led to months of consultations — with his primary care vet, a veterinary surgeon, and eventually a veterinary dermatologist — around what appeared to be inflammatory masses in his left ear. No one suspected cancer at the time because the growth wasn’t fully visible. When the masses were surgically removed, pathology revealed plasma cell cancer in the tissue. What we thought were ear polyps were cancer invading the surrounding area. By the time we had a diagnosis, I had already spent close to $5,000 on the workup and surgery that ultimately uncovered it.
I’m a single-income earner in a high cost of living area, and I’ve been doing everything I can to keep up with Rufus’s care. Rufus does not have pet insurance — pet insurance was not something I could fit into my budget, and by the time he got sick, it was too late to obtain it. Every dollar of his care has come fully out of pocket. I’ve relied on CareCredit, personal credit cards, and personal loans to cover diagnostics and staging, ongoing oncology visits, bloodwork, and medications over the past several months. I’m approaching my financial ceiling — realistically, within the next month or two, I’ll have maxed out the resources I’ve been relying on.
How You Can Help
I’m not asking for help because I want to. I’m asking because I’ve been showing up for him every step of the way in all the ways I know how and am running out of ideas to gather more funds; I don’t want his treatment options to be limited by what I can afford. He is a special boy who deserves a chance at a longer life.
I’ve been navigating this alone, without much community around me, while working full time. It's been hard. But Rufus has shown me every day that he’s still fighting. So I have to keep fighting too. If you’re able to give — or even just share this page — it means we can keep going. I know there are so many people and causes that need help, so if you can't give, please just share. :) Every dollar buys us more time, more options, and a better shot at remission. Thank you for being part of his fight.
How Funds Will Be Used
The most immediate need is genomic profiling ($2,700) — to find out whether there are new therapies that could help us attack the cancer in a more targeted way. Beyond that, his ongoing care requires monthly follow-up visits with oncology ($450) and bloodwork ($200-250) to make sure he continue to tolerate treatment. His meds cost me about $350 per month and covers chemo, steroids, and support meds (zofran for nausea, buprenorphine for pain, mirtazapene for appetite, and Yunnan baiyao to control tumor bleeding). I will provide receipts for every expense.