The Winn Feline Foundation reminds cat owners that female cats get malignant mammary cancer too. According to the Winn Feline Foundation 2012 study, Developing New Therapies for Feline Mammary Cancer Siamese, domestic short-haired kitties and tri-colored cats are at increased risk of developing the third most common feline cancer. While males can also get develop breast cancer, it’s rare. Typically tumors appear between 10 and 12 years.
Prognosis is usually poor because owners delay seeing a vet for an average of five months after discovering lumps.By the time kitties are often taken to the vet, the disease is quite advanced. Vets treat the cancer with a radical mastectomy on both sides. Even with a radical mastectomy average survival time is only a year after the detection.
The 2012 Winn study, reveals that spaying a kitty before she reaches six months reduces the chances of developing breast cancer. Please have female cats spayed by 5 months of age to avoid this problem.
Herman’s mother, Lyra, lost her fight with breast cancer when she was only four years old.
To catch any potential tumors early, perform a breast exam on your kitty every month. Pick a special day, the first of the month, the day you make your house payment, the day you put heartworm preventative on your dog and cat and cop a feel. Run your fingers up and down your cat’s underneath region. Better still, move your fingers in small circles, in the same way a woman performs a monthly breast exam. You’re looking for lumps, bumps, swelling, discoloration or areas of sensitivity.
Never ignore a new lump. Statistically, lumps in dogs are likely to be benign (but still shouldn’t be ignored), lumps in cats are likely to be malignant.
Great advice from a lady who is an expert on cats!! A loving Mom to her own and the many she has fostered over many years. Heed her advice!
Yet another reason to be a responsible pet parent! Thanks for the information. Excellent, as usual.