Brain tumors in cats are more rare than brain tumors in dogs. Due to the growing use of MRI and CT scans, brain tumors are more often diagnosed now than they were in the past. The presence of a brain tumor, while very serious, is not necessary a deadly condition. There are different types and treatments.
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Types
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Brain tumors in cats can be divided into two general categories: primary and secondary. A primary tumor is a tumor isolated to the brain, while a secondary tumor is formed as an extension of cancer elsewhere in the cat's body.
Time Frame
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Brain tumors in cats can grow for years, slow enough that owners might not notice the onset of new symptoms.
Causes
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No one knows exactly what the causes are of primary brain tumors, but they tend to grow in younger cats, which leads some experts to believe that the cause may often be genetic.
General Symptoms
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Some of the symptoms of brain tumors in cats include disorientation, mood swings, reduced inclination to purr, loss of trained behaviors and general lethargy.
Symptoms According to Tumor Location
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Other symptoms of brain tumors in cats are more specific to the location of the tumor, such as partial or complete blindness (indicative of a brain tumor on the optic nerve), seizures (indicative of a tumor on the cat's cerebral cortex) and facial paralysis (tumor on the brain stem).
Malignant and Benign
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Some brain tumors are malignant while others are benign, but even benign brain tumors can be deadly because they create complications from extra cranial pressure.
Treatments and Cures
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Although there is no guaranteed cure for a brain tumor in a cat, treatments may include radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery, depending on the size, location and type of brain tumor and the general condition of the cat.
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