This post is Part 2 of Callie's Cancer blog that was posted on Monday, 22 August 2016. Please see it here.
As a recap; our beloved 14-year-old feline friend and companion, Callie, began a health decline several years ago. As her health decline accelerated, we feared she was dying of cancer - as did two other feline loved-ones in the past. Lots of doctor visits were not helping. Finally, her symptoms declined to:
• Lethargic, very weak, unable to access even low-lying chairs, etc.
• Unable to groom herself.
• Bent back.
• Unable (too weak) to straighten her hind legs.
• Face and body drawn in obvious intense pain.
• Incontinence - total loss of bowel control.
• Diarrhea.
• Frequent vomiting.
• Blood in stools.
Symptoms suffered most of her life and probably not related to cancer, but cured nonetheless.
• Chronic joint pain.
• Skin allergies - requiring weekly high dose shots.
We took her to an internal specialist for an ultra-sound and endoscopy. Biopsies revealed that her stomach and intestines were infested with lymphoma cells.
Diagnosis: terminal cancer.
Prognosis: 6 months to possibly a year of life (with chemotherapy).
Prescription: chemotherapy and steroids.
This was devastating news, but we had a thought of hope. With the knowledge and inspiration gained from Colin Campbell's book, "The China Study", John Kelly's book, "Stop Feeding Your Cancer" and many individuals curing their cancers with a Whole Food Plant Based diet including Ruth Heidrich, Janette Murray and Patty Falo, to name just a few, we decided to decline the brutality of chemotherapy and try her on a vegan diet.
Feeding a cat vegan is a very unpopular idea as they are truly obligate carnivores, but we also know that may animals (including most humans) do not eat a diet ideal to their biology. So, we thought that since the cancer was terminal, it was worth a try. It was a hope. At least we did not want her to spend her last days suffering the tortures of chemotherapy. We were encouraged that a vegan diet should be at least survivable by the simple fact that commercial vegan cat food has been available for many years.
The six-month prognosis has now come and gone. At the time of diagnosis, Callie's condition was so bad it was hard to imagine her lasting through the month, much less the predicted 6 months. Since her first bite of vegan food on 6-Jun-2016, however, her health started a rapid ascent. As of the first Callie's Cancer post of August 2016, most, but not all, of her symptoms were gone. Remaining was incontinence and trace amounts of blood in her stools, but that was progressively improving.
As of 25-Jan-2017 we are, now, just astounded that her recovery is so far beyond our most extended hopes. Even her years of chronic skin allergies and joint pain (not associated with cancer) completely disappeared within the first week of being vegan. And, now, the entire list of symptoms is gone. She has retaken her role as alpha cat. She is now the fastest cat in the house - though not the youngest. We have had to add barricades to keep her from jumping on top of 6-foot-tall cabinets.
While a vegan diet is arguably not ideal for cats, it is better than dying of cancer. We don't know if Callie's cancer is actually gone or just dormant, but we are not inclined to put her through more biopsies for proof. At this point, her current health and vitality is proof enough.
Imagine; if a plant based diet can save the life of an obligate carnivore cat (not to mention curing chronic allergies and arthritis), just think what it can do for an animal (such as humans) that are actually biologically supposed to eat plants!
Please understand that I am not a medical professional in any capacity. This writing is only to share my experience and what I have learned from it.
Nothing in life is more inhibiting, failing or debilitating than the belief; "I Can't."
Nothing in life is more freeing, enabling or successful than the belief; "I Can."