Meet Kitty Sonya, a feline who’s been dealt a tough hand in life with her various illnesses. But despite her health conditions, she remains blissfully unaware of her diagnosis as she passes the time watching birds outside her window or playfully swiping her paws while lounging on her bed. Sadly, her daily routine includes regular medical procedures and taking unappetizing pills which Sonya finds disagreeable. She longs for the day when this unpleasant cycle ends, hoping for a much brighter tomorrow. Nevertheless, Sonya is still a happy-go-lucky cat who loves life regardless of her challenges.
For Sonya’s caregiver, Alexandra, life has been turned upside down… Everything was turned upside down when Alexandra learned about Sonya’s complex cancer diagnosis – oral cavity mesenchymal cancer – and realized the path they had to take. Currently, Sonya has undergone two surgeries in the lower jaw and has completed a round of radiation therapy.
In May, Sonya underwent another complex surgery called “lower jaw resection with oral cavity reconstruction using plastic”. Don’t worry, fortunately, everything went smoothly. The only downside is the long recovery time and high costs ahead.
The essence of the current activity involves plastic reconstruction, removal of protruding bones in the mouth that hinder eating, and removing some soft tissue in the area of recurrence. The child has shown remarkable progress and continues to do well, with dedicated caregivers and doctors providing a positive outlook. This time, the tumor has been completely removed, and surrounding tissues have also been eliminated for safety. Additionally, we have some acquaintances with similar diagnoses who have experienced significant reduction for over a year and are feeling great.
The story of Sonya begins in the city of Ryazan. She was a small, scrawny, and aloof cat with pus-filled eyes and worst of all – inflamed kidneys. The prolonged treatment had affected her personality, making her slightly sensitive and melancholic.
After some time, Sonya moved to a private shelter near Moscow in hopes of finding a home and a family. Unfortunately, no one had chosen Sonya for the past two years. Different people came, viewed, played, but every time, other cats went home instead.
The disease began with a small dribble of saliva, which Alexandra noticed. This could occur when teeth and gums are inflamed – a common issue in cats. Therefore, this case did not cause any particular concern. The vet prescribed treatment, but unfortunately, it did not help. Instead, the problem became worse, and Sonya became very sad. With increasing worry, Alexandra took Sonya back to the vet.
We will not go into all the details of the clinic visits. X-rays, CT scans, and cell studies were done.
The exams revealed that Sonya’s left mandibular branch was disconnected, or in simpler terms – her jawbone seemed to be melting away. Cell studies confirmed cancerous tissue. Some surgical and cancer specialists examined Sonya. All agreed that she needed hemimandibulectomy surgery as soon as possible.
Finally, the surgery was performed, but not everything went smoothly, so an adjustment had to be made. As soon as Sonya recovered a bit, the doctors took her for radiation therapy and said, “The tumor is very uncomfortable, we should not delay, the sooner we start, the more chances we have to save the cat.”
During the entire recovery period, Sonya had to be fitted with a feeding tube, but she didn’t seem too bothered by it. Some might argue that the money spent on her could save many other cats, but how could we betray Sonya? She is a living creature who feels, breathes, cuddles, and begs for kindness…and she can’t do anything for herself. That’s why we urge you to show your support for Sonya and Alexandra, who have selflessly provided shelter and care for numerous animals. Without us, it would be extremely challenging for them to cover the costs of surgery, two days of intensive treatment, blood tests, visits to the oncologist, and medication, which have already exceeded 70,000 rubles.
Regrettably, Sonya the feline has passed away and crossed over the rainbow bridge. It was a challenging and arduous road for both Sonya and her loving caregiver, Alexandra. Despite Alexandra’s valiant efforts to nurse Sonya back to health, fate had a different plan in store. We take comfort in knowing that Sonya is now resting on cushy clouds. We extend our gratitude to all who have offered their assistance and encouragement during this trying time.
