FIV tortoiseshell cat with osteolytic lesions in BOTH front paws, weight loss, runny nose, limping — vet mentioned systemic disease vs cancer. Looking for experiences.
I’m posting because I’m really worried and wondering if anyone has gone through something similar with their cat.
My cat is a 7 year old tortoiseshell and already has FIV. For the past few months she’s had a chronic runny nose, has been losing weight, and recently started limping on one of her front paws.
The vet did imaging and found osteolytic lesions in BOTH front paws (areas where bone is being destroyed/breaking down). One thing they said was because the lesions are in both paws and not just one, they think it may point toward something more systemic rather than a single localized issue. Because of that, they said they’re currently not leaning as strongly toward one isolated bone cancer, but they still need more testing and a specialist to finalize things before ruling anything out.
Possibilities they mentioned included:
- FIV and another possible viral cause like FeLV (feline leukemia)
- Cancer, including bone cancer or cancer that may have spread
- Infection or inflammatory disease/systemic illness
Right now they prescribed gabapentin and we’re waiting to hear back from a specialist.
I’m trying not to panic, but with the weight loss + months of runny nose + limping + lesions in both paws, my mind is going everywhere. I’ve been reading online and terrifying myself.
Has anyone had a cat with osteolytic lesions, especially in multiple paws? Did it end up being cancer, FIV/FeLV related, infection, autoimmune, or something else? What tests finally gave you answers? Was your cat in pain?
The waiting has been really hard and I’m hoping to hear real experiences while we wait.