Amputate older cat's tail?

On 2006-05-27, The Other Mike wrote:

Well, I don't know about this particular case and yes, we are still
waiting on the biopsy report but I actually had a cyst in my
arm...started about 4 years ago. Well, about 3 months ago it was big
enough where it started to hurt so I went to have it drained. A week
later I was under anesthesia on an operating table and wound up with
stiches and a 4 inch scar on my arm where they removed it. Needless
to say it wasn't drainable. I guess it depends on what kind of cyst
it is.

If it were a bone cyst you could get to the point where there
wasn't enough bone left after you removed the cyst and the
only thing to do is remove the tail beyond the cyst.

So back to the original question...assuming it has to be
amputated...will a 16 year old (otherwise very vibrant) cat be ok with
an amputated tail or since he's older have a tougher time recovering
from something like that? I just don't know how traumatic that kind
of surgery is...isn't the tail an extension of the spine?

On 2006-05-27, The Other Mike wrote:
So back to the original question...assuming it has to be
amputated...will a 16 year old (otherwise very vibrant) cat be ok with
an amputated tail or since he's older have a tougher time recovering
from something like that? I just don't know how traumatic that kind
of surgery is...isn't the tail an extension of the spine?

About 20 years ago I had a cat that needed about two inches of tail
removed because of an injury. He seemed to recover OK, but every
once in a while he would snap at the air where the end of his tail
used to be. I suppose it was phantom tail pain. Sixteen is fairly
old and anything could happen with anesthesia and surgery. If the
condition is painful it ought to be treated.

On Sat, 27 May 2006 16:58:22 -0400, The Other Mike
wrote:

So back to the original question...assuming it has to be
amputated...will a 16 year old (otherwise very vibrant) cat be ok with
an amputated tail or since he's older have a tougher time recovering
from something like that? I just don't know how traumatic that kind
of surgery is...isn't the tail an extension of the spine?

Well, they bob tails on puppies, not that it's a good practice or that
I approve, mind you... but if it's a medical necessity, I'll be the
cat will be fine. I don't think a hard cyst, whether or not benign,
is necessarily a painless affliction for the animal.

Charlie