My elderly cat has a facial growth. Is she too old for surgery?

Ouch! That definitely should be seen by your vet. They will need to take a sample, generally a fine-needle aspirate, to help determine what the growth is and if it needs to be removed, drained, or treated. If your kitty doesn't like going to the vet, you can call ahead to see if they can prescribe a sedative to give at home before bringing her in which can help make things less stressful (and easier for your vet to get a sample of the growth). Some veterinarians also provide home services, so if you feel kitty would be calmer at home, a housecall vet may be a good alternative.

This growth needs to be checked and analysed as there are many conditions and types of tumors that could look like that. take her to the vet, they will perform a fine needle aspiration on the growth and send it to the lab for analysis. when the result comes, the vet will advise what needs to be done according to the diagnosis.

In a senior cat, there is always a chance any lump could be cancer unfortunately. If it is cancer, the vet will likely want to do further tests to see if it's spread. There may be chance this is just a polyp, and removing it is curative. You need to be aware that any surgery carries risks due to anesthesia, but the vet wouldn't recommend the surgery if they didn't feel it was safe for him. I do recommend having the surgery done. I hope this helps!

Given that Marley is only seven years old, I would say it would be worth it to do surgery. It this helps cure her cancer, she could have a number of good years of life left with you. A cat can live up to 15-20 years, and while there are cats who pass away sooner than that, it would be worth trying to extend her life.

At her age and the fast pace of which it is growing, it may be a cancer. If surgery is not an option, then you are looking at keeping her comfortable which is very reasonable given her age. As long as she is happy and not in pain and has a good appetite, then just let her keep going as she is. When she no longer wants to eat or no longer seems to enjoy life or the tumor begins to limit her mobility, then it will be time to consider euthanasia.

This is a skin growth and is not going to go away without surgery. That being said, I’m not sure I would rush into surgery on an older cat for what is most likely a benign growth that is more of a nuisance than it is a health problem. I would monitor it, keep it clean and if it is really a constant bother to her, discuss the potential of surgery to remove it with your veterinarian.

You are right, there is always some risk with surgery. However, you may want to visit with your veterinarian about the anesthesia monitoring they do. It may surprise you how low the risk is and how much effort is put into safety. As far as the mass goes, I do get concerned anytime a mass is changing. I do recommend surgical removal any time there is a big change to an existing mass. However, there is always the possibility that it could remain quiet and never cause a problem. I would recommend visiting more with your veterinarian and making that decision together. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.