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My senior cat has a tumor by his eye and nose. Can it be treated?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Maine Coon | Male | neutered | 13 years and 9 months old | 12 lbs

My 14 year old cat(male) was taken to the vet and she said he has a tumor by his right eye and nose and said there was nothing we could do. He sneezes alot also. She didn't say it was cancer just that it was a tumor. Is there anything I can do to get rid of this tumor.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on September 18th, 2017

I would have Bailey seen by another vet for a second opinion. Without seeing him in person, there's no way I can say if this growth can be removed or not, or if it is cancerous or not. One way to diagnose a growth as cancerous is a test called a fine needle aspirate. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. This would be useful to have done as whether or not the growth is malignant will inform treatment options for Bailey. I'd recommend taking him to another vet sometime this week. I hope this helps!

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    Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

    Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

    Published on March 3rd, 2018

    Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

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