Feline heroic! Cranky cat saves woman’s life after a bite from furious pet leads to medics spotting her cancer
Black cats are meant to be bad luck, but for one woman a bite from a furious feline may have just saved her life.
Animal-lover Emily Falk, 25, from Port Huron in the US, thought little of it after suffering a bite from her neighbour’s black cat Edgar in May while petting him.
But a week later she discovered a ‘golf ball-sized’ lump under her armpit.
She initially dismissed this as a potential case of cat scratch fever — a bacterial infection that can be triggered by a bite or scratch from a feline.
It was only after a course of antibiotics failed to clear the supposed infection that Ms Falk sought further medical advice.
Animal-lover Emily Falk, 25, from Port Huron in the US, thought little of it after suffering a bite from her neighbour’s black cat Edgar in May while petting him
But a week later she discovered a ‘golf ball-sized’ lump under her armpit. She initially dismissed this as a potential case of cat scratch fever — a bacterial infection that can be triggered by a bite or scratch from a feline. Pictured, black cat Edgar
It was only after a course of antibiotics failed to clear the supposed infection that Ms Falk sought further medical advice. A subsequent ultrasound and biopsy revealed the truth was far more serious. Pictured, Ms Falk during her first course of chemotherapy
A subsequent ultrasound and biopsy revealed the truth was far more serious.
Ms Falk had Hodgkin lymphoma — a rare cancer that starts in the white blood cells — and she began chemotherapy.
Recalling her ordeal, Ms Falk said: ‘I think the cat bite saved my life in a way.
‘I don’t think I would’ve ended up going to the doctors as soon so that definitely helped to figure out what was wrong with me.’
Ms Falk said she had no idea Edgar’s ‘assault’ would lead to such a discovery.
‘I love animals and actually saw an outdoor cat on my driveway, which was my next door neighbour’s cat.
‘I was petting him and he bit my left hand and drew a bit of blood.
‘I was a little nervous and told my doctor about that. He ended up giving me some antibiotics because he thought it could be cat scratch fever.
‘With cat scratch fever you can get bumps under your armpit so when I found the lump under my armpit about a week or so later, I thought it was from that.
‘But the lump didn’t go away after the antibiotics so we started looking at what else it could’ve been caused by.
‘I wasn’t that concerned, I thought it was some sort of infection.’
It was only after further testing that medics discovered the cancer was stage four, meaning it had spread to another part of her body.
They found it present in her lymph nodes and bone marrow.
Hodgkin lymphoma occurs when infection-fighting white blood cells called B-lymphocytes multiply in an abnormal way and collect in certain parts of the lymphatic system.
This can cause a painless swelling in a lymph node — usually in the neck, armpit or groin.
Other symptoms include a persistent cough, a fever, night sweats and weight loss.
Recalling her ordeal, Ms Falk said: ‘I think the cat bite saved my life in a way. I don’t think I would’ve ended up going to the doctors as soon so that definitely helped to figure out what was wrong with me’
Hodgkin lymphoma occurs when infection-fighting white blood cells called B-lymphocytes multiply in an abnormal way and collect in certain parts of the lymphatic system. Pictured, Ms Falk shaving her head during her first course of chemotherapy
Around 2,600 people in the UK are diagnosed each year, meaning it accounts for fewer than 1 per cent of cancers. In the US, 8,800 cases are spotted annually.
According to Cancer Research UK, almost 85 per cent of those with the cancer will survive for five years or more after diagnosis.
Ms Falk said: ‘I was really scared, I didn’t know what was going to happen or how long this road was going to be. I was thinking “am I going to die?”
‘My mum’s gasp was so loud when the doctor said “stage four”.
‘But the great thing about this type of cancer is stage four is based on the region of where it is. So it’s not as detrimental as stage four pancreatic cancer for example.
‘I still have a good prognosis, it’s very much curable, it’s not terminal. I’ve got an amazing support system around me.’
She has already completed her first round of chemotherapy, with a second course expected by the end of November.
Ms Falk added: ‘I feel strangely grateful to the cat. Next time I saw him I said “thank you buddy”.
‘I just thought it was a lump from cat scratch fever.
‘I would say to anyone else who finds a lump, always go to your doctors if you have any suspicions. Be proactive and take care of yourself.’
