Just as many people are met with a cancer diagnosis at some point in their lives, cats face cancer too.
While a very high percentage of diagnosed cancer patients go on to fight the disease and survive for many years in remission, cancer tends to be more fatal for our feline friends, especially those that are considered to be elderly cats.
Still, the amount of research that has been dedicated to cat cancer research has skyrocketed over the years, and now, there are many treatment options available for cats with cancer. Though a cure for all types of cancer has yet to be discovered, there are plenty of ways to improve the quality of life of your cats while they undergo tests and treatment for their cancer.
Cat cancer can cause pet owners a great deal of stress, but the key to productively handling a cat cancer diagnosis is to look into information surrounding the disease in cats. There is a lot to consider, including the literal nature of the treatment options you decide to go with because some treatment options are all natural whereas others are more so based on artificial factors.
But before we talk about the treatment options for feline cancer, it’s important to go over the various types of cat cancer out there. We’ll follow the discussion of cat cancer types with information regarding the symptoms of feline cancer.
After talking about the treatment options for feline cancer, allow us to give you insight and advice regarding which cat cancer treatment option is most suitable for your cat!
Types of Cancers in Cats
Though cancer is debilitating and terrifying no matter the type of cancer being discussed, it is still important to have a firm understanding of the type your cat has. Cats are susceptible to more than one type of cancer, and narrowing down the type of cancer your cat has is a job for the professionals.
Even so, pet owners should familiarize themselves with every type of cancer cats are prone to getting, just for the sake of being well informed. Soft-tissue sarcoma, lymphoma, and squamous cell carcinoma are the three types of cancers most seen in cats. That being said, they are not the only three types of cancer that threaten the lives of our furry feline friends.
The types of cancer in cats include:
- Lymphoma
- Oral squamous cell carcinoma
- Fibrosarcoma
- Soft-tissue sarcoma
- Leukemia
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Bone cancer
- Mast cell tumors
- Skin cancer
Soft-Tissue Sarcoma
Soft-tissue sarcoma is cancer of the internal tissues that sit between the joints and bones of your cat’s body. This type of cancer makes it difficult for your cats to move around as usual because it directly impacts the joints, bones, tissues, tendons, and nerve endings of your feline friends.
Lymphoma and Leukemia
Lymphoma is one of two main blood cancers that cats face, the other type being leukemia. Both lymphoma and leukemia are caused by a retrovirus by the name of the feline leukemia virus.
Called FeLV for short, the feline leukemia virus is the cause of both lymphoma and leukemia. The two blood cancers are transmitted very easily from one cat to the next, which makes the virus very easy to transmit among large groups of cats.
Skin Cancer
Squamous cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer in cats. Squamous cell carcinoma is caused by overexposure to heat, sunlight, or radiation in general. This type of cat cancer is usually spotted in parts of the body that receive extensive exposure to light.
Mast cell tumors are another example of skin cancer in cats. They typically present as one main tumor rather than a few smaller ones, and mast cell tumors can also appear internally within the walls of various organs.
Symptoms and Signs of Cancer in Cats
There are many warning signs of cancer, and if you know how to spot them, you’ll be quicker to seek out a diagnosis for your cat. The sooner, the better!
The symptoms of cat cancer include:
