Mast Cell Disease in Cats

Mast cell disease is an affliction that affects many cats, though more usual in older ones. The disease creates tumors over the cat's body. The disease is not always fatal, though the visceral form of the disease has more risks than the cutaneous. The disease often requires surgery to remove the tumors from the cat so the disease won't spread to other parts of the body. Once symptoms are spotted, the cat owner should consult a veterinarian immediately.

  1. Function

    • Mast cells play a vital role in a cat's body, according to PetPlace.com. Healthy mast cells release inflammatory mediators that play a role in repairing damaged tissue. No one knows yet what causes the tumors to form, though some veterinarians think the disease has a viral origin. The disease most often affects Siamese cats, though the disease can affect all breeds, and it does not discriminate between male and female cats. In most cases of the disease, the tumors are benign. Sometimes the tumors become malignant, however, and spread to the lymph nodes, liver, spleen and bone marrow.

    Symptoms

    • The main symptom of the disease is the tumors that form on the cat's body, but other signs may also indicate the cat has the disease, according to PetPlace.com. Lack of appetite is common, and it can lead to weight loss. Another known occurrence is frequent vomiting. Abdominal pain is a common feature, as well. In some cases, the cat's stools take on a black, tarry nature, because of the blood that comes from the upper intestinal tract. The time when the veterinarian first sees the cat affects the prognosis in some cases, so owners should report any symptoms immediately to maximize the cat's chances of survival.

    Cutaneous Form

    • The cutaneous form of mast cell disease is the usually the least dangerous, according to the Mar Vista Animal Medical Center. The tumors most often appear somewhere around the cat's neck and head, though other areas can experience tumor growth as well. Sometimes, only a single tumor appears, but multiple ones are common in cases that are more serious.

    Visceral Form

    • The Mar Vista Animal Medical Center warns that the visceral form of the disease is the most deadly to cats. This is because the tumors form internally instead of on the outside of the skin, as in the cutaneous form. The liver, spleen and intestines are the most likely organs affected by the tumors.

    Treatment

    • In the cutaneous form of the disease, the Mar Vista Animal Medical Center states that surgery is the usual recommendation to remove the tumors from the cat's body. Sometimes, if the surgery does not remove all of the tumors, radiation therapy or chemotherapy is required to completely eradicate the remaining infected mast cells. In the visceral form of the disease, surgery is also the recommended treatment, though it carries risks, and no truly successful chemotherapy treatment can get rid of the remaining infected cells. Appetite plays a role in the ultimate prognosis in the visceral form. Cats that were eating well when their owners first brought them to the veterinarian have a median survival of 19 months, compared to only 8 weeks if the cat was not eating well.