Fortunately cancer is not a common condition in cats. When it does occur, it strikes more often in older cats, or in cats that have not been spayed or neutered. The only exception to this rule is in cats which have been infected with the feline leukemia virus (FeLV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). These cats are at a highly increased risk for developing cancer.
Cats can develop a lot of harmful medical conditions that people have as well. Sadly cancer is one of these conditions, and cancer is one of the leading causes of death in cats. Cats can develop any number of types of cancer, but there are two cancers that cats are most often diagnosed with: lymphoma and skin tumors.
Despite the often negative outlook for a cancer diagnosis, with timely detection and action many types of cancer in cats can have effective treatments. Surgery is the treatment of choice for some cancers in cats. In cases where a tumor is inoperable, radiation, biological, or chemical therapies may be a recommended alternative for treating cancer in cats.