Thank you for letting us know. I've been concerned about her. I hope that it
is not lymphoma and maybe it is still IBD. If it is the former, treatments
are available which can put her in remission. I'm glad you insisted upon
further testing. Also if it is lymphoma, I would see a veterinary
oncologist. I am not trusting of your vets, sorry to say.
Gail

...

My cat (Nico the Wonder Cat) died from that back in June of this year
around age 17. IBD > Lymphoma. I don't think they called it intestinal
lymphoma. They called it (if I remember this right)  Chronic
Lymphosarcoma. He had been throwing up for years but my vet said that
he was just getting old and all tests were negative. I should have
pursued it more but figured he was ok. After he stopped eating I took
him to the emergency hospital (Long Island Veterinary Specialists if
you're around NYC).

After he recovered from four days in the hospital finding out what he
had, he came home. For three weeks I fed him through a feeding tube
(peg tube) and then he was eating on his own. I pilled him for the
rest of his life (about 4 months) alternating Prednisone and Leukeran
(look it up) daily. For two months he got progressively better and was
somewhat back to his old self, but never really. He developed
diarreaha after the hospital visit (never had it before) and it never
went away. He also never climbed the cat tree after he got sick. But a
week before he went to the hospital I got him a kitten to play with to
replace another cat who had died a few weeks before so maybe that
contributed to his changed behavior.

He started losing weight around the third month and wouldn't eat much
and was throwing up again. During the fourth month (June) he spent a
few days under the bed and stopped eating. Back to his regular vet who
turned back his ear, which was jaundiced which meant his liver was
failing and he was just going to start having seizures. So I put him
to sleep while I held him. Not a good day.

If I had known what was going to happen when I brought him into the
hospital I might never have done it. I might just have let him die
then as he was about to do. That cat meant a lot to me. Sixteen years
is a long time to me and was his whole life. I didn't want him to go.

He suffered those first few weeks I think, and clearly was losing it
toward the end. Maybe he was just supposed to go earlier. I'm not
saying to put Pumpkin to sleep now since all these things work out a
bit differently. But you're either going to have to pill her everyday,
wearing gloves for the Leukeran because you sure don't want it getting
into you (assuming you end up with Leukeran). And if she responds well
and has a good life, go for it. If not, well, we're all going to die.

Or you're going to have to take her for weeky Chemo injections, which
is probably no picnic either. No good choices I'm afraid. By the way,
I was told that median survival time was 18 months. Well, maybe it is,
but not for Nico. That's mostly why I did it. Perhaps that 18 month
estimate is for younger cats. Find out.

I wish you and Pumpkin the best.

FWIW, this was a possible diagnosis for my cat Peewee who has been
pretty sick recently.  The vet said that it is very treatable in most
cases and that the chemo is something you can give at home.  So, don't
freak out too much yet - talk to you vet further about a treatment
plan.

Best of luck to you and Pumpkin!

-L.