Cornell University’s Feline Health Center have a page on their website where they list projects they are currently involved in and which requires the help of cat caretakers in the USA whose cats are suffering from a certain condition. Or the project may simply require a blood sample.
If people want to help other cats in the future this seems a very good idea to find something positive out of an illness.
For example, at present, the center is investigating a new class of anti-cancer drug for mammary cancer in cats. What they are require from cat caretakers are samples of normal and cancerous feline mammary gland tissue from female cats.
If you want and can help (and if you cat approves 😉 ) you fill in a donations form and if the sample is what they are looking for they make arrangements for it to be collected.
This may appeal to some people because if a sick cat is at the vet already then it shouldn’t take much effort or trouble to obtain a sample.
Just a thought. It may help a cat caretaker to feel better at a distressing time as their cat is able to assist other cats in the future, all being well.
Source (go to Cornell’s webpage): Participate in Our Studies
If it was terminal, I’d be in too much distress to think about this kind of thing. I can pretty much predict my behavior in this regard. It would be great to hear from readers on this topic.
I realize that future actions are difficult to predict, but in this case, I’m almost certain that I would be too distressed to even think of anything but losing my precious companion.
It could be done following euthanasia, with no concern for pain. I just know I wouldn’t do it because of my own emotional state at the time.
This seem like a well meaning project. I do wonder if my cat were at the vet’s, would I have the presence of mind to do something like this? I can honestly say that I probably wouldn’t, in view of the stress from recent vet visits. My entire focus would be on my cat, and not scientific gains for others.
I would imagine that if vets were notified about this study, they might suggest it to their clients. But, this doesn’t seem practical either, considering the overwhelming busyness of most practitioners.
For me it would depend on how serious the situation was with respect to my cat’s health. It the illness was terminal, I’d probably do it if it caused no extra distress for him/her.