How to Protect a Cat From Mammary Cancer
Many people don't realize that cats can get get breast cancer, just like human females. Dogs also get mammary cancer, but unlike cats, mammary tumors in dogs are often benign. In contrast, ninety percent or more of mammary tumors in cats turn out to be malignant. If you have a pet cat, especially a female one, it's important to know how to prevent mammary cancer or how to detect and treat it early if your pet is unfortunate enough to develop a mammary tumor.
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Instructions
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Know what the risks are. The number one risk for your cat developing mammary cancer is, of course, being female. There are other risks, though, including the age of the cat and having Siamese heritage. Siamese cats or cats with one parent who is Siamese have a higher risk than cats who don't have this genetic background.
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Spay early. Cats who are spayed young, before they ever go through one heat cycle, have a very low rate of mammary cancer. Cats who are spayed after one or more heat cycles--but before their first birthday--have a reduced risk over cats who are not spayed or who are spayed later in life. Cats who are spayed after their second birthday have about the same risk as cats who are never spayed.
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Make a habit of looking at your cat's belly and feeling it periodically. You don't have to perform a thorough breast exam on your cat monthly, but you should be in the habit of gently touching the cat's belly on a regular basis to feel for anything unusual. When kitty is lying on her back, you can also visually inspect her belly for any changes in the size or color of her nipples. They will sometimes become enlarged or start to bleed if they've become cancerous.
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Check your cat more frequently as she gets older. The average age for developing a mammary tumor is around nine years old for a Siamese cat. Other cats are likely to develop these tumors between age 12 and 14. So, as your cat nears eight or nine years old, check more frequently for any unusual lumps on your cat's belly.
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Get any unusual lumps checked by your veterinarian earlier rather than later. If a cat has a small tumor less than an inch in diameter, she has a decent prognosis. A cat can live for many years after a small lump has been discovered and removed. However, cat mammary cancer can be very aggressive. The larger the tumor is when it's discovered, the worse the prognosis is for your cat.
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Tips & Warnings
Start touching your cat regularly soon after you get her, either petting or brushing. This will get the cat used to being touched and will make her less likely to fight or resist when you feel her belly for tumors.
