This was wrote when i found out my cat had mammary cancer - she had come to me as a 14 year old stray with numerous health issues and had never been spayed.
In loving memory of Blackie, who sadly died due to this terrible disease and whose death may have been prevented by being spayed.
This is for anyone who thinks their female cat doesnt need spaying as she is going to be indoor only.
Most people (until recently, me included) will think of the benefits of being spayed as population control. Some may also know of some of the health benefits such as less likely to become infected with FIV, FeLV, and injuries. Less known are pyometria (womb infections) and mammary (or breast) cancer.
Mammary cancer is normally common in older, unspayed females, although Siamese cats are prone to it at a young age. It is thought that cats get it due to the high levels of hormones associated with coming into season so many times, and is more common in cats that either arent allowed to get pregnant or have only a couple of litters over their entire life.
If cats are spayed before their first season, they are 200 times less likely to get mammary cancer. This benefit reduces with each heat until the cat reaches 2 1/2 years of age, when the benefit stops.
If caught early, tumours can be removed. There is a risk of them coming back, but this can take months, or even years.
Unfortunately by the time most cats are examined it is in advanced stages. Due to the aggressiveness of this cancer, the high incidence of recurrence (prob as cats have 8 mammary glands), and the fact that it spreads quickly, the prognosis is poor, the single most important factor being the size of the tumour.
So please, spay your cats but also do a regular breast exam on them, it is as easy as running your hands down both strips to notice any abnormalities, and if you do find any get them to the vets asap, you could buy them years.
In loving memory of Blackie, who sadly died due to this terrible disease and whose death may have been prevented by being spayed.
This is for anyone who thinks their female cat doesnt need spaying as she is going to be indoor only.
Most people (until recently, me included) will think of the benefits of being spayed as population control. Some may also know of some of the health benefits such as less likely to become infected with FIV, FeLV, and injuries. Less known are pyometria (womb infections) and mammary (or breast) cancer.
Mammary cancer is normally common in older, unspayed females, although Siamese cats are prone to it at a young age. It is thought that cats get it due to the high levels of hormones associated with coming into season so many times, and is more common in cats that either arent allowed to get pregnant or have only a couple of litters over their entire life.
If cats are spayed before their first season, they are 200 times less likely to get mammary cancer. This benefit reduces with each heat until the cat reaches 2 1/2 years of age, when the benefit stops.
If caught early, tumours can be removed. There is a risk of them coming back, but this can take months, or even years.
Unfortunately by the time most cats are examined it is in advanced stages. Due to the aggressiveness of this cancer, the high incidence of recurrence (prob as cats have 8 mammary glands), and the fact that it spreads quickly, the prognosis is poor, the single most important factor being the size of the tumour.
So please, spay your cats but also do a regular breast exam on them, it is as easy as running your hands down both strips to notice any abnormalities, and if you do find any get them to the vets asap, you could buy them years.
