Feline Kidney Cancer

Cats are a part of the family, and finding out they have cancer can be difficult. If you notice changes in your cat's behavior or other symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately. Kidney cancer is just one type of cancer. Knowing the symptoms to watch for will help you know when to contact your veterinarian. The sooner your cat is diagnosed, the more opportunities for treatment.

  1. Identification

    • Cancer is when cells grow at a rapid, uncontrolled rate in the body. These cells can form a tumor, a mass you can see, or they may spread out in an area, detected by a biopsy. Kidney cancer may start in the kidney or stem from a cancer started elsewhere, then spread into the kidney.

    Symptoms

    • If your cat starts to lose weight, loses its appetite, or seems lethargic, contact your veterinarian. Other symptoms of kidney cancer are blood in the urine, a swollen abdominal area, and drinking and urinating excessively. When your veterinarian examines your cat, he may find your cat is anemic, which is another sign that points to kidney cancer.

    Diagnosis

    • Your veterinarian will do blood tests, X-rays, and possibly an ultrasound to determine the diagnosis. When kidney cancer is suspected, your veterinarian will need to do a biopsy to determine if cancer is present and, if it is, the type and extent of its growth. According to Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, veterinarians consider three things when diagnosing feline kidney cancer: What is best for the cancer, what is best for the pet and what is best for the family. These considerations help your veterinarian determine the best treatment for your cat and how and if the treatment will improve your cat's quality of life.

    Treatment

    • Once your veterinarian knows the extent of the cancer, he will know how to help your cat. Some cancer responds to chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of both treatments. If only one kidney is affected, it's possible that your veterinarian may recommend removing the affected kidney because your cat can live a normal life with one kidney. If treatment options don't work, or if the cancer is too extensive, your veterinarian may recommend euthanasia.

    Causes

    • There are no real causes of kidney cancer. There may be an unknown connection to kidney cancer and feline leukemia because about half of the cats diagnosed with kidney cancer have feline leukemia. Like most cancers, kidney cancer is typically seen in older cats.