Tiny Tim, Houston's beloved fat cat, has cancer

Dr. Jessica Reyna pets Tiny Tim at the Southside Place Animal Hospital, Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012, in Houston. A year ago, Tiny Tim weighed 35 pounds. After a year, he's down to 27.6 pounds. Clinic owner Dr. Alice Frei decided earlier this year to keep him as a permanent clinic resident. less Dr. Jessica Reyna pets Tiny Tim at the Southside Place Animal Hospital, Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012, in Houston. A year ago, Tiny Tim weighed 35 pounds. After a year, he's down to 27.6 pounds. Clinic owner Dr. ... more Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Tiny Tim, Houston's beloved fat cat, has cancer 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

Tiny Tim, the overweight Houston cat with a Facebook following who has drawn national news coverage of his diet and exercise routine, has been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer in his right front leg.

"This thing is so aggressive that the pathologist can't define it," said Dr. Alice Frei, who has been overseeing the formerly 35-pound cat's care at Southside Place Animal Hospital. "It went from a small lump in his elbow a week ago to wrapping around the elbow."

On Wednesday, Frei took the cat now known as Tiny to Texas A&M's veterinary school for treatment. He's scheduled for a CT scan on Thursday, which will tell whether the cancer has spread to his chest.

"If the tumor has spread to his chest, his treatment options are basically zero," Frei wrote on the cat's Facebook page, Tiny Tim at SPAH.

The cat came to the southwest Houston clinic in late December 2011 after workers from the city's animal shelter picked him up on the street. Through controlled diet and exercise, he has lost about 8 pounds.

If the cancer hasn't spread to his lungs, the plan is to amputate the leg, which Frei said was a difficult decision.

"With it, he may die. Without it, he will die," she said.

While at A&M, Tiny has been his usual personable self, Frei said.

"He's in this huge cage with a mattress underneath him and a good-sized litter box," Frei said. "They said he was purring the whole time during the exam, except when they got a needle aspirate of the lump on his elbow."

Frei said she thought the cancer was not due to his obesity. She asked the same question of the A&M staff, who concurred with her opinion, she said.

If it turns out that surgery is not an option, Tiny will come back to the southwest Houston clinic that has been his home since late December 2011. The staff will make him as comfortable as possible, Frei said.

"One thing that's really wonderful about Tiny is he lives in the moment," she said. "He has kids who come in here and pet him. He has a fan club base that makes him happy."