My senior cat has a fast-growing lump. What's best without surgery?

Without knowing the nature of the lump it is impossible to advise - some masses are abscesses and respond to antibiotics but with many tumors surgery or chemotherapy would be recommended. A full check up and possibly a needle biopsy would be recommended

That's a good size growth on Mowe's face. No, she may not be too old for surgery. There are plenty of cats who are older who successfully have surgery. She does need to see a vet to discuss having this removed, and the vet can do a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, and urinalysis to assess her anesthetic risk for surgery. Those tests will let you know if it's ok or not to proceed with surgery. Give her vet a call now to make her an appointment. I hope this helps!

I'm sorry to hear that your cat isn't doing terribly well. There are several different possibilities here. One is that his weight loss is completely unrelated to the masses. As cats get older, they're more likely to develop conditions like hyperthyroidism or kidney disease, which can lead to weight loss. While neither of these conditions can be "cured," both can be managed to some degree with certain medications or diet. The other possibility is, as you mentioned, that these masses could be cancerous. I completely understand not wanting to pursue extensive treatment for cancer, but before making the assumption that it is cancer, I'd try to get some more information. For starters, I think it's perfectly reasonable to take your cat to the vet for an exam and some bloodwork to check his organ function. There's a chance that your vet may find something that's not terribly difficult to manage, but you don't know unless you look. I would expect that your vet would recommend trying to diagnose the masses in order to be thorough, but if you are clear that you don't want to look into them further, it shouldn't be an issue. At the end of the day, you own your cat and are responsible for making choices for him. Your vet's job is to present those choices to you and help you to find the approach that works best for you and your cat. I hope this helps and that everything goes well.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would agree with your veterinarian that surgery is likely the best option at this point. Another option is to continue draining it on an as needed basis but that may get uncomfortable with time if you have to do it consistently. Anesthesia can be very safe if done appropriately. Unfortunately there is rarely any medical therapy for cysts. Good luck and have a good night!

First off, I'm very sorry that Mama Kitty has mammary tumors! Unfortunately, 90% of mammary tumors in cats are malignant. I think your best option in this case is to enjoy the time you have left with her. Spoil her, give her lots of love and attention, feed her favorite foods (but not ones that are toxic!). Spend as much time with her as you can. Monitor her in regards to her quality of life, and if that starts to decline (i.e. she stops eating, stops drinking, loses more weight, becomes very lethargic, appears to be pain), then it's time to discuss with your vet humane euthanasia. It's a hard thing to do, but it will allow her to go peacefully and without any further pain. You can keep in touch with your vet to discuss her quality of life which will help you make an informed and objective decision. I work for a home euthanasia service and help owners with these decisions all the time, so if you'd like to talk with me further, you can request a consult with me. Just click the consult online button under my answer. Otherwise, again I'm sorry and I hope this helps somewhat.

I'm sorry to hear Ozzy has a lump on his leg. I do recommend all growths be evaluated by a veterinarian to determine what type of growth it is, and whether or not it is concerning to possibly be cancerous. As it is on his leg and with its size, even if it is benign (non-cancerous), it may need a surgery to be removed to ensure it doesn't become a problem for him. Good luck!

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.