A vet issued a dire warning to pet owners after one woman's cat lost its ears to skin cancer. Applying sunscreen to outdoor pets is necessary to prevent skin damage
Cats love basking in the sun, but their playful habit might have a dangerous side effect. One particular cat owner issued a warning after her feline companion had to have its ears amputated after developing skin cancer.
Karen Evans, the loving owner of 4-year-old snow-white cat Bobble, retroactively attempted to fix the sun damage on her rescued cat's ears, having noticed the peeling when she adopted the “loving” pet.
But it was too late — the damage had already been done. Evans took the cat to the vet, where it had to have its ears amputated. She recounted the horrifying ordeal to the Times of London.
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“The skin was peeling off her ears and had no natural fur protection when we found her, so, whilst I have always put sun protection on her ears, I was also prepared for the day when the original sun damage might result in something more sinister,” she said.
Katie Wood, a veterinary surgeon at SeaDown Veterinary Hospital in Hythe, Hampshire, in England, is now also imploring cat owners to ensure that they're lathering sunscreen on their pets — with an SPF of at least 50.
The sunscreen application needs to start early, too, or what happened to Bobble could happen to other pets, too. Evans began applying sunscreen to Bobble as soon as she adopted her, but the damage had already been done from her days as a stray.
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Evans first spotted a cyst on Bobble's ear and rushed her to the vet, terrified of what it could be. Tests came back and confirmed to Evans that the cyst was cancerous.
The vet had to operate immediately to prevent the spread of the disease any further, so they amputated Bobble's ears. It was a traumatic surgery, but necessary to save Bobble's life.
Wood spoke out after the ordeal and warned that, just like humans, “cats with lighter skin and fur colors or less fur” are at most risk from sunburn, which she said can lead to cancer over time.
And the disease is much more common than most pet owners realize, Wood said. “The noses and ears are the most commonly affected areas in white or light-colored cats,” she said. “These parts of their bodies have little to no fur or pigmentation for protection, making them highly susceptible to sunburn.”
Evans confirmed that Bobble is on the mend after the surgery and is adapting very well. She's now “doing wonderfully,” Evans said. Pictures of Bobble show her playing in a garden around Evans' home.
Experts emphasized that early signs of skin damage can include redness, inflammation and hair loss or flaky or curly skin, particularly around the eyes and nose. If those are spotted, it's entirely possible skin damage resulted.
The temperatures are getting warmer, too, now that spring has finally sprung, and that can mean greater exposure to harmful rays of sun for pets and humans alike. Exercising caution is recommended.
