Mary Allen
Cats can get cysts on a variety of organs. In this article, we explain what cysts are, why cats develop cysts, and how to recognize them.
What Is A Cyst?
A cyst is a fluid-filled cavity surrounded by a sheath. Such cavities can form in or on various organs, e.g. B. on the ovaries, the kidneys, or muscles. You don’t necessarily have to be a nuisance or make yourself noticed. Cysts are often an incidental finding in cats, e.g. B. in ultrasound examinations. However, it is also possible that cysts take on a hormonal function or cause mechanical problems (from a certain size or where there is simply little space, e.g. salivary gland cysts in the mouth).
The cyst fills with tissue fluid. It can change, then hair and skin cells are added. If it becomes inflamed, it becomes an abscess (purulent growth) and fills with pus. However, abscesses can also develop without a cyst, e.g. B. after an injury. (By the way, pus is a mixture of immune cells, dead body cells, and infectious agents or their remains.)
Other knots, lumps, or bumps, referred to in medicine as “circumference increases”, can e.g. B. tumors (cancer), which consist of degenerated cells, or grit bags (changed sebaceous glands). The latter are harmless but often annoying. Differentiating cysts from other mass growths in cats is important for assessing a potential hazard and for treatment.
Where Are Cysts Found In Cats?
There are many different cysts in cats. Here is a selection:
- Skin cysts: You discover e.g. B. a bump on your cat’s back or somewhere else. This is usually not painful, so you can touch it without protest. From small lumps to bumps of astonishing proportions, everything is included. Sometimes the cyst will drain itself through a small opening and then be imperceptible for a while before filling up enough for you to see and feel.
- Kidney cysts: Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a cystic change in kidney tissue. It occurs both hereditarily (particularly in Persian cats) and (rarely) independently. Appropriate breeding measures were able to significantly reduce the occurrence of the hereditary variant in Persian cats and crossbreeds.
- Ovarian cysts: Due to circumstances that have not yet been fully clarified, cats develop cysts on the ovaries (ovaries). These arise z. B. from follicles, i.e. egg sacs, from which the egg cells are normally released into the fallopian tubes. Part of it seems to have a hormonal malfunction in any case. Ovarian cysts often occur together with diseases of the uterus such as B. Pyometra (suppuration of the womb) or endometritis (inflammation of the lining of the womb).
- Glandular cystic hyperplasia: This is a disease of the uterus. The inner layer, the so-called endometrium, changes, and cysts form. As a result, other problems such as B. accumulation of fluid in the uterus, which u. reduces fertility.
- Ranula: A ranula (frog lump) is a salivary gland cyst in the mouth, usually under the tongue. As the cat grows, the cyst significantly interferes with eating.
cyst-forming parasites: To z. B. tapeworm fins (echinococcosis) or toxoplasma form cysts. This happens with Toxoplasma z. B. in muscle tissue. An infestation with tapeworm fins in cats has become very rare, but can be found in the abdomen, for example. They destroy organs and mechanically damage other organs by displacement since the cysts surrounding them can become very large. - Cysts on the eye: The cat can also have cysts on the eye. Affected are e.g. B. the eyelids, the conjunctiva, or neighboring sweat glands.
Other organs such as B. Thyroid, spleen, or lungs can show cysts in cats. However, these are sometimes only noticed by chance when the animal is examined with ultrasound for another disease. Liver cysts are often associated with PKD disease.
How Do I Know If My Cat Has Cysts?
Of course, cysts in cats can cause symptoms. Depending on the type of cyst your cat has, you may not notice it at all.
Superficial cysts, e.g. B. on the eye or in the skin, you will discover when you cuddle with your cat every day. Maybe she scratches and rubs at the affected areas, grooms herself there more often, or doesn’t want to be touched on the spot. However, this is usually only the case when the cyst is bulging or causes mechanical problems (e.g. in the eye). In and of themselves, cysts do not initially hurt the cat, which distinguishes them from an abscess.
A kidney cyst in cats often causes problems late in life. Symptoms of chronic renal insufficiency are typical of kidney cysts in cats: vomiting, loss of appetite and increased drinking and urination are among them. Read more about chronic kidney disease in cats here.
Ovarian cysts make z. B. noticeable over a long-term heat. The cats are restless and always ready to cover; over time they lose weight and get shaggy fur. A look under the cock may reveal a swollen vulva (labia) and vaginal discharge.
As a rule, you will not notice infection with toxoplasma, the cats usually go through this without symptoms. Only very young cats or animals that are already weak can show various signs of illness that are difficult to classify.
As you can see, the possible signs of a cat’s cyst are very variable, making it impossible to provide an exhaustive list. If you notice unusual behavior or visible illnesses in your cat, please go to the vet as soon as possible!
Cat Cyst: Diagnosis
The vet will give your cat a thorough physical exam. Depending on the location of the problem, further investigations may be added, e.g. B. Ultrasound and X-ray. Especially in the case of superficial cysts, this is often punctured as a test, i.e. pierced with a fine needle, to check the content. This can also be examined for bacteria if necessary. If your cat shows symptoms that indicate an internal problem, a blood or urine test can also be useful.
By the way: In female cats, cysts on the ovaries are often an incidental finding during treatment of pyometra (suppuration of the uterus) or other diseases of the reproductive system.
Cyst Cat Treatment
The treatment of cysts in cats is of course based on their location:
- Superficial cysts in the skin or on the eye are usually surgically removed. Merely draining the fluid usually only provides temporary relief, after which the bladder often fills up again quickly. Therefore, they are either removed completely or a permanent opening is created so that the liquid can permanently drain.
- The cystic kidney in cats is treated to the extent that the symptoms that occur are alleviated. She is not curable.
- Ovarian cysts and the hormonal disorders that sometimes accompany them are removed by castration in cats that are not intended for breeding. As a rule, not only the ovaries but also the uterus are removed in this procedure, as these often already show pathological changes due to the cysts. If, on the other hand, it is a breeding cat, hormone therapy can be used to treat the cysts. However, the prospect of success is quite variable, and the cysts do not always react as desired. If only one ovary is affected, an attempt can be made to remove just that and leave the healthy one in place.
Conclusion
Cysts can form in many places in the body. From unnoticed to disease-causing, many gradations are possible in their effect.