Cats Help Researchers Develop Treatment for Breast Cancer

A couple of years after my breast cancer diagnosis, a friend called and told me her cat, Abby, had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Abby was fairly young, about 6 (the cat, not the friend) and she felt lumps on her stomach when picking her up. She took her to the vet and was told the not so good diagnosis.

For cats, there is no chemo or radiation. They basically can  have a surgery that can best be thought of as a kitty mastectomy and that's about it. For Abby, even after the surgery, she lasted less than a  year before it became obvious that the cancer had spread and was causing her lots of pain and very difficult decision was made.

That was my first knowledge of feline breast cancer. And then I did some research and found out it is a fairly common killer of female cats.

But now, cats are being used to help find a breast cancer treatment. Cats are more closely related to humans than mice. I don't even know if mice get breast cancer. Usually for clinical trials they are bred to have certain conditions so they are more appropriate for the potential trials.


The cats get an injection before surgery and then again a month later. They are then monitored to see if there is a recurrence - which is usually what kills them now. The hope is they will live longer, healthier lives.

So in my (tiny, non-medical, chemo impaired, fibro fogged) mind, it would make sense to do research for breast cancer on animals that actually get the disease in hopes of curing them as well as humans. I am not in favor of animal testing as a rule but in this case, they are hoping to cure the cats from something for which there is no current cure.

I am a cat lover and am typing this while being supervised by my 20 year old cat. I would hope this would be a treatment for them and us.

Cats Help Researchers Develop Treatment for Breast Cancer

A couple of years after my breast cancer diagnosis, a friend called and told me her cat, Abby, had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Abby was fairly young, about 6 (the cat, not the friend) and she felt lumps on her stomach when picking her up. She took her to the vet and was told the not so good diagnosis.

For cats, there is no chemo or radiation. They basically can  have a surgery that can best be thought of as a kitty mastectomy and that's about it. For Abby, even after the surgery, she lasted less than a  year before it became obvious that the cancer had spread and was causing her lots of pain and very difficult decision was made.

That was my first knowledge of feline breast cancer. And then I did some research and found out it is a fairly common killer of female cats.

But now, cats are being used to help find a breast cancer treatment. Cats are more closely related to humans than mice. I don't even know if mice get breast cancer. Usually for clinical trials they are bred to have certain conditions so they are more appropriate for the potential trials.


The cats get an injection before surgery and then again a month later. They are then monitored to see if there is a recurrence - which is usually what kills them now. The hope is they will live longer, healthier lives.

So in my (tiny, non-medical, chemo impaired, fibro fogged) mind, it would make sense to do research for breast cancer on animals that actually get the disease in hopes of curing them as well as humans. I am not in favor of animal testing as a rule but in this case, they are hoping to cure the cats from something for which there is no current cure.

I am a cat lover and am typing this while being supervised by my 20 year old cat. I would hope this would be a treatment for them and us.

My cat doesn't understand me.

Many people may say 'my spouse doesn't understand me' or 'my family doesn't understand me'. I am an exception - well I always was a rule breaker so I'll always be the exception, never mind all my health crap.

First I need to state the cat was in no way harmed by the writing of this post. I was pestered to nearly to death from my point of view. The vet just said his blood work is very good and he should be good for another 19 years. Yes, 19 years. My husband does understand me pretty darn well (sometimes its scary). Its just the cat.

You say, train the cat. Have you ever tried to train a cat? They are above that. Have you ever tried to train a deaf cat? A deaf, mostly blind cat? A deaf, mostly blind, cat who is 19 and can't smell either? Its not possible.

There are two human beings who live in this house. The other human, my husband, owned the cat before I cam along and he proved he is capable of feeding the cat. Now, the cat insists I be the one to feed him. If I want to sleep in, the cat wants breakfast around 7am - I should feel privileged - in his younger years the preferred dining time was 5 am.

Once my husband heads downstairs, he waits about thirty seconds before he tries to figure out if I am awake. He will come over and look at my face. He will walk across me. He will settle down on top of me.When the cat wants, he sleeps for hours on end. When he wants something he has no problem waking me up.


The problem is my cat doesn't understand me. Here are the issues.

I need sleep in my life. Uninterrupted sleep. Uninterrupted sleep without being poked, prodded, or walked on by the delicate 15 lb pointy paws of the cat.

I have multiple ailments which cause things like fatigue, insomnia, and require sleep for healthy healing. He disagrees. I am supposed to live my life the way he wants.

Right now he is standing on my right shoulder with his front paws and his back paws on the pillows behind me. This is slightly better than when he stands on my left shoulder which has more pain issues. I can stand this for a few minutes before I shove him off.

He likes to sleep on my knees which I keep elevated by a pillow so my back is more relaxed when I sleep so I have less pain. He squishes my knees down making my knees compress and makes my back hurt. So I wake up in pain. Without enough sleep. That makes me cranky.

He just doesn't understand me and will continue to stand on my shoulder until I get up and go feed him.