Cat tumors are one of those curses we all hope to never see. As with all living organisms, tumors can develop. Sometimes they are cancerous, sometimes they are simply run away growth which can easily be removed. You need to keep a close eye on your cat for the onset of a tumor, since the earlier the detection, the easier the treatment. Here are some of the telltale signs of a tumor developing.

For internal tumors, one of the noticeable signs may be a bulging stomach. It is always a good idea to be very observant about your cats shape, and to watch for rapid changes. Tumors affecting internal organs are one of the hardest to detect, and some of the most life threatening.

If your cat begins to lose weight for an unknown reason you will need to quickly visit your animal health care provider. The vet is required to determine the cause in this situation. What could be a tumor could just as easily be a worm infestation. Both conditions require quick treatment.

Does your cat have a cough which does not go away? This could be the signs of a tumor in the throat or in the lungs. It is not uncommon for a cat to develop a cough, but normally after a few days the cough clears up. When the cough will not go away, then you need to ask a professional.

When your cat develops skin ulcers, or sores, which do not heal normally, taking an abnormal length of time, it could be many different health issues. Your cat could be diabetic, it could be malnourished, or it could have developing cat tumors. As you are beginning to see, diagnosing cat tumors is not something you can do on your own. Your job in the process is to notice the symptoms and to bring them to the attention of your veterinarian.

One of the more common places to notice cat tumors beginning to develop is in the lymph node system. You may feel hard nodules starting to develop in various locations on your cat’s body. You will probably notice this while petting or bathing you cat. When these come to your attention, first take a closer look to make sure this is not a tick or other insect attached. If there are no visible causes, once again, it is a good idea to have your vet inspect your cat. The vet may need to take a small biopsy, or sample, of the growth to have it evaluated. Only after knowing the cause of the growth can the veterinarian make a diagnosis and recommend the proper treatment.

Cat tumors are treated in almost the same methods as human tumors. Surgical removal, chemotherapy, and radiation treatment are the common methods of treating the tumors. Your detecting the tumors early gives your cat their best chance for survival, and best chance for a lower cost solution. As cat owners it is always our jobs to keep a close eye on our pet’s health. They cannot tell us what is wrong, we must detect it on our own, your cat’s survival may be at stake.