Signs & Symptoms of Feline Liver Cancer

Feline liver cancer can be a stressful condition for the cat and the owner. To diagnose the condition, the veterinarian will take a blood sample, a biopsy of the liver, an X-ray and possibly other imaging tests, such as an MRI or CT scan. In some cases, the determination as to whether a tumor is cancerous is made after it has been surgically removed.

  1. Identification

    • Feline liver cancer is a form of cancer that typically originates outside the liver in another organ and then makes its way to the liver. By the time a cat starts showing the symptoms that are typical of liver cancer or any feline liver disease, the condition usually is very advanced. If the condition is identified in its early stages, there may be treatment options available.

    Effects

    • The initial stages of feline liver cancer offer symptoms that mimic those of urinary infections or other urinary conditions, including a loss of appetite that leads to a noticeable weight loss, intermittent bouts of constipation and diarrhea, a noticeable change in behavior that shows the cat preferring to stay at rest rather than play when they are normally a playful animal, a change in the color of the feces to a light gray and a change in the color of the urine to a shade of orange.

    Advanced Symptoms

    • The advanced symptoms of feline liver cancer can sometimes indicate that the condition has caused serious damage. One of the more common advanced symptoms of feline liver cancer is jaundice, which occurs when the liver is no longer able to properly process waste and that waste fluid starts to leak out into the cat's body. The most prominent symptom of jaundice is a yellow tint to the skin and whites of the eyes.

      Another advanced symptom of feline liver cancer is an inability for the cat to control its bowel movements. As the condition advances, it is possible for even the most well-trained cat to make a bowel movement on the floor or in some area other than the litter box.

    Treatment

    • The primary treatment for feline liver cancer is to remove the infected part of the liver and begin a series of medications designed to stop the spread of the cancerous cells. If the cancer has spread from another part of the body, that cancer will have to be dealt with as well, usually also with surgery and medications.

    Considerations

    • The symptoms for feline liver cancer closely mimic the symptoms for a benign liver tumor as well. It is possible that the veterinarian may find a tumor in the liver but determine that it is not cancerous. The symptoms would be caused primarily by the disruption of the liver by the tumor and the pressure the tumor puts on neighboring organs. However, jaundice can still be caused by a benign tumor and advanced stages of jaundice may not be treatable.