MetaChat - Is there such a thing as feline nose cancer?

MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.

09 May 2008

Is there such a thing as feline nose cancer? →[More:]

My little cat has a new spot on her nose. I thought it was dirt at first, but it's resisted all of my attempts to wipe it away.

The big cat has freckles all over his nose, but they're on the skin part. This one's on the bridge of her nose, where there's fur.

It's kind of cute, but it's also concerning me. Should I be worried? Should I be applying sunscreen to her cute little face? (She's an indoor cat, by the way.)

post by: mudpuppie at: 14:42 | 13 comments

yes. it's skin cancer. we lost a cat to it because we thought she'd just stuck her nose in something.

You can get it radiationed away- it's not time consuming except for the transporting aspect. (My mom's next cat got the same thing on the spot in front of his ears where the hair's sparse. This time we knew to pay attention to it.)

posted by small_ruminant 09 May | 14:46

By the way, the place to get animals' skin cancer zapped in Northern California is Davis, so the transportation might be less of an issue.

posted by small_ruminant 09 May | 14:47

Wow. I mostly thought I was joking.

posted by mudpuppie 09 May | 14:51

Zoe gets those from time to time. They tend to move around -- that is, they're there, they go away, they come up someplace else (though always on the bridge of her nose). I haven't noticed her having any problems with them, but I've never thought to ask a vet about them, so I don't feel like I have any authority on what else they may be.

posted by occhiblu 09 May | 14:55

Info on cat freckles.

posted by occhiblu 09 May | 14:57

Whew. Thanks, occhi.

I'm making a vet appointment just in case, but this will help me calm down in the meantime. Thank god she's orange.

And look, isn't she cute?

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by mudpuppie 09 May | 15:01

More cute!

≡ Click to see image ≡

This can now become a thread of cat pictures. They don't all have to be my cats.

posted by mudpuppie 09 May | 15:03

yeah- get 'em checked. Our cats in question were a calico and a orange tabby, too, and their spots were cancer. (But super easy to treat, if we'd just known.)

posted by small_ruminant 09 May | 15:03

We have a new guy, Ban Kitty Moon:
≡ Click to see image ≡

From PAWS, an awesome organization. He has an eye infection, but he's getting along just fine with Boutros Boutros-Kitty:

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by crush-onastick 09 May | 15:13

Heh. He has a lampshade on his head.

posted by mudpuppie 09 May | 15:16

Ha! pups, yes, yes he does. He's wacky that way.

posted by crush-onastick 09 May | 15:22

Awesome cat names, crush.

posted by matthewr 09 May | 15:24

Before scrolling down and seeing that it was an orange kitty, I was going to ask just that. I've had two pairs of orange kitties. The second set has yet to show any spots, but one kitty of the first pair did have spots on his lips. Like occhi's kitty, they disappeared and moved around a bit. I asked my vet what they were, but I don't remember what he said except not to worry (it was probably the same thing in occhi's freckle link).

However, it's not a bad idea to get them checked out. Due to the info in this thread, I'll keep a watch on my orange beasties and bring it up with the current vet if the spots start appearing.

posted by deborah 10 May | 12:08

← Grrr. || Summer jobs? →

HOME || REGISTER || LOGIN