Cat Tail Cancer: Our Vet Explains the Signs, Causes & Care

A cat’s tail is often a feline owner’s favorite part about their pet. It can conveniently curl around them when they’re sleeping, brush against your leg in passing, or even twitch to show their mood. Even though you may love your cat’s tail, it’s likely not something that you often think about when it comes to the overall health of your kitty.

So, here, we discuss the possible types of cancer that can affect a cat’s tail, what it can look like, and what to do about it.

What Is Tail Cancer in Cats?

A cat’s tail is made up of bone, connective tissue, and skin, so any type of cancer that can occur in those body parts can theoretically affect the tail. Fortunately, cancer in a cat’s tail is fairly rare, and there’s no cancer that specifically singles out the tail (besides one possible exception, injection-site sarcoma). In general, cat tail cancer can also affect the legs, face, ears, or trunk of the body.

Whether it’s a type of skin, bone, or connective tissue cancer, the signs will be similar on the tail as to what they would be in the rest of the body. This means whenever you notice anything different about your cat, including changes in their tail, it’s important to see your vet.

What Are the Signs of Tail Cancer in Cats?

Cancer comes in many different forms, so depending on the type, you may see lumps, bumps, spots, or discomfort. Skin cancers usually show up as discolorations, lumps, or hair loss. Bone cancers can also present as swelling, pain, or the cat not wanting to use their tail. Connective tissue tumors may be seen as bumps under the skin.

Overall, a kitty may show discomfort when moving their tail or when you touch it. They may also have a decreased appetite, may not be as playful, or may even be lethargic. You may or may not notice any signs, but your vet may pick up on it during a routine checkup. This is why regular veterinary care is so important.

Is your cat presenting any of these signs? We suggest you speak with a vet online.

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What Are the Causes of Tail Cancer in Cats?

There isn’t a type of cancer that targets the tail specifically. Instead, types of cancer that can affect other parts of the body are the most common forms that also affect the tail. Unlike the face and ears, which may be more prone to certain types of cancer due to sun exposure, the tail isn’t an area of a cat’s body that’s overly affected by cancer. Recent studies and potential changes in vaccine injections may change that, which we’ll get to further down the list.

The types of cancer that can attack the tail (and other parts of the body) are as follows.

Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Squamous cells make up the outer layer of the skin, which as you can imagine, is subject to significant wear, tear, and damage. It’s this damage that is thought to lead to malignant growth of these cells. While squamous cell carcinomas are more likely to be found on the lighter-haired parts of the body, like the ears and face, they could also show up on the tail.

Fibrosarcomas

Fibrosarcomas are types of cancer that affect the soft tissues like the tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. They can pop up anywhere on a cat’s body, including the tail.

Basal Cell Tumors

These are tumors of the hair follicles and glands of the skin. Fortunately, most are benign, but these little bumps can (rarely) be malignant.

Mast Cell Tumors

Mast cell tumors can present on the skin or in the internal organs. They are made up of mast cells, which are normal cells in the skin that usually respond to allergens.

Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is bone cancer, and while it more commonly affects the long bones of the legs, it can also occur in the ribs, skull, pelvis, and even the vertebrae of the tail. It tends to be painful, so your kitty will likely not want you touching their tail.

Melanomas

While common in humans, melanomas tend to be rare in cats. They may develop as dark, irregular spots on a cat’s skin, usually on the lighter-haired parts like the ears and face. But that doesn’t mean they can’t also show up on the tail.

Injection-Site Sarcomas

Injection-site sarcomas are tumors that show up at vaccine-injection sites, possibly because of an overly active inflammatory response to a portion of the vaccine. While dogs can get them, cats get them more often. In fact, vaccination best practices have changed from giving vaccine injections in the back of the neck to the lower part of the leg, a place more easily removed if a cat has to combat one of these tumors. The tail has been proposed as a new area to give vaccines, but it is still in the research phase, so it’s likely that most vets haven’t adopted this practice just yet, but if they do, sarcomas of the tail may show up more often in cats.

Other Types of Cell Cancer

The skin is made up of so many different types of cells, each with its own type of cancer, so this is by no means an exhaustive list. Basically, what we’re saying here is that anything abnormal about your cat’s tail warrants a veterinary visit for further diagnosis.

How Do I Care For a Cat With Tail Cancer?

Whenever you notice any weird bumps, discolorations, or anything out of the norm on your kitty, see your vet as soon as possible. Any type of cancer, on the tail or otherwise, is best treated when caught early, so don’t wait for that tiny bump at the base of their tail to grow before you get your vet involved.

Your vet’s first step will be a thorough exam to check for any other abnormalities across the cat’s body. They will then likely take a small sample of the bump or snap an X-ray if the problem seems to be below the skin. Looking at the sample under the microscope will often tell them what cells are involved and how rapidly they may be multiplying. Sometimes, this may take an outside lab’s opinion, so a sample may need to be sent off.

If cancer is diagnosed, your vet will want to check to see if it has spread, which may involve X-rays or other imaging of the chest. Then they will decide how to treat it, but most of the time, it involves removing the lump along with a wide margin to make sure the whole thing is taken care of. Since the tail is so skinny and whip-like, this will likely mean removing a chunk of it or all of it.

Fortunately, a cat can still do well without a tail or with a shortened version of one. They will make necessary adjustments to maintain their balance, though this may take a bit of time. Also, you should know that removing certain types of cat tail cancer may not be completely curative, but it can help your kitty live a better life for as long as they can.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What Does a Cancerous Tumor on a Cat Look Like?

Lumps and bumps on your cat can be cancerous or non-cancerous. The problem is it can be nearly impossible to determine which is which just by looking at them. Instead, your vet will need to take a sample to tell for sure. That said, cancerous bumps tend to grow more quickly, be irregularly shaped, and change color. Your vet will be the only one to tell for sure, though.

Is Sarcoma in Cats Painful?

Soft tissue tumors tend to not be painful in cats, but they can cause discomfort depending on where they are at and how big they get.

Conclusion

A kitty’s tail is an expressive part of their body that unfortunately, isn’t immune from developing cancer. Tumors of the skin, connective tissue, or bone can all show up in the tail, as well as other parts of the body. Just be sure to see your vet if you notice anything abnormal about your cat or their tail so the best treatment can be provided as soon as possible.

• See Also: Cat Tail Cancer: Our Vet Explains the Signs, Causes & Care

Featured Image Credit: olivier.laurent.photo, Shutterstock