Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in animals, including humans and sadly cats as well. Eating a healthy and balanced diet, in addition to a happy life, can help a lot to delay its appearance, but we must never trust, otherwise we could not pay due attention to any small change that occurs in the furry's routine.
Felines are experts in hiding pain, so it is very important to observe them and take advantage of them while we brush and / or caress them to inspect them so that, if something appears that was not there before, we go to the vet as soon as possible. Therefore, I am going to tell you what are the symptoms of cancer in cats.
What is cancer?
Cancer is the disease caused by a tumor, which is a set of atypical cells in the body that grow and divide without control. As a consequence of this growth, masses or lumps appear which can be benign if they do not invade the surrounding tissues, or malignant when they do invade them and can also spread to other parts of the body.
There are several types of cancer, depending on the origin of the type of atypical cell they contain, which are:
- Carcinomas: they are solid tumors that grow from different tissues.
- Leukemias: are tumors that affect the bone marrow.
- Lymphomas: they are solid tumors that originate from the growth of abnormal lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are cells that are part of the immune system.
- Myelomas: are tumors that originate in the plasma cells of the bone marrow. Plasma cells produce antibodies that defend the body from infection.
How do I know if my cat has it?
A cat that has cancer can show any of these symptoms:
- Loss of appetite and weight- You can stop eating for no reason, and by doing so you will lose weight.
- Depression and / or apathy: if you look sad and you do not feel like anything, it is a symptom that you have to worry about.
- Respiratory problems: if he has trouble breathing and / or coughs, you should take him to the vet.
- Loss of interest in personal hygiene: when the disease is advanced, the cat may stop cleaning itself.
- Boss: If you see that you have lumps in any part of your body, it is important to examine it to find out what it really is.
- Wounds that won't heal: In a healthy cat, the wounds heal by themselves (except, of course, those that are deep). But if you are sick, weeks and even months can go by and not be cured, they can even get worse.
- Halitosis or bad smell: You may have bad breath or give off a very bad odor.
- Gastrointestinal disorders: vomiting, diarrhea, or difficulties in eliminating should make you suspicious.
If you see that your cat has some of these symptoms, do not hesitate to take him to the vet for an examination. It does not necessarily have to have cancer, but when a furry is bad, it should be seen by a professional.
We hope this article has been useful to you.