Day of the Thought Markets, 13th of Childwinter, 526 M.E. (Aldebaran): Eliot and I visited the vet today. The prognosis isn't good. 

He's lost a lot of weight and his fur is extremely thin. Every day, I have to wipe away these crusty growths that keep accumulating around his eyes and on his nose. He drools a lot and and frankly, smells bed. He's stopped grooming and picks at his food. The vet pointed out that he's also underhydrated, even though I see him frequently drinking water.

The diagnosis is oral feline squamous-cell carcinoma, an aggressive cancer in cats indicated by all the symptoms he's exhibiting. We didn't do a biopsy but the vet recognized the illness as it's not uncommon in older cats (Eliot's almost 17, equivalent to 84 years for a human). 

The disease has a poor prognosis, and treatment usually extends a cat's life by only a few months. Palliative care to manage pain is generally the best course of action. 

My cat's dying and this year really, really sucks.