Hi readers,
This week we’re taking a look at a sobering (devastating) topic: feline cancer.
There is no clearer barometer of the cat care gap than systemic under-investment in feline oncology compared with canine cancer research.
As many as one in five cats will develop cancer in their lifetime. But despite this, thousands of cats face shortened lives every year due to limited treatment options.
“It just seems to me that cats have had a back seat for as long as I can remember - it's like cats are an afterthought,” Tricia Montgomery, founder of Moose’s March, told Feline Business Brief. Tricia is a prominent advocate for early cancer detection in pets.
There may be change on the horizon, however. While dogs dominate research dollars, a growing number of startups, foundations, and academic spin-outs are pushing for progress in feline oncology.
On a happier note, The Cat Show Live, the UK’s only non-competitive cat event, is returning for a second year. The show takes place in Birmingham (UK, not Alabama) on September 13.
Not only that: Feline Business Brief is excited to attend the annual Pets & Aquatics Trade Show (PATS) from September 28-30 (also in Birmingham). Let us know if you’re going, we’d love to meet you!
In the news
Feline oncology trails far behind dogs. Why?
It’s no secret that far less funding and attention is given to feline oncology compared to canine cancer research and treatment.
The numbers are stark.
An analysis of veterinary oncology literature shows dogs outnumber cats by more than four to one in published cancer studies.
A large Vet-OncoNet analysis of 16,272 veterinary cancer records found dogs accounted for approximately 80% of entries (13,006) while cats made up just 20% (3,266)1.
Similarly, the National Cancer Institute’s Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium has run dozens of canine clinical trials… but almost none for cats.
Meanwhile, cats demonstrate a much higher proportion of malignant tumours (78.7% v 46.2% in dogs)1.
And yet when it comes to research dollars and clinical trials, feline oncology lags behind canines by a wide margin.
Why is there such a big gap?
We delved into the reasons for this particular gap in feline care and found a few key drivers:
1. Comparative oncology favours dogs
A major reason for the gap: Canine cancer is often more similar to human cancer. Which means veterinary research into dogs has the potential to advance human medicine.
Dog cancers are the default comparative model: Dogs naturally develop several types of cancer similar to those in humans in terms of genetics, biology, and response to treatment. These include canine osteosarcoma, lymphoma, and melanoma.
For example, big translational programmes (such as the NCI’s Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium) are set up to use naturally occurring tumours in pet dogs to accelerate human cancer drug development. This in turn leads to more studies and greater pharma interest in canine oncology2.
Feline cancers are less feasible as direct models for human cancer research. For example, feline oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common oral cancer in cats. But while it shares some features with human head and neck cancers, the biological differences can be significant.
2. Cats are not “small dogs.”
Cats have unique metabolism and physiological processes: Cats’ unique biology affects how they tolerate drugs. A chemotherapy drug that is safe and effective in a dog may be highly toxic (or ineffective) in a cat. This means that therapies developed for dogs cannot simply be scaled down for cats. This adds to the cost and complexity of cat-specific research1.
Feline-specific cancers: Cats are also prone to specific types of cancers that are less common, or behave differently, than those in dogs. One example is mammary cancer. “This is a cancer in cats that is so different than dogs,” Dr. Sue Ettinger, Veterinary Cancer Specialist, said in a vlog.
These differences call for separate, feline-specific research.
Limited FDA-approved feline treatments: There are few FDA-approved chemotherapy or targeted agents specifically for cats. As a result, many oncologists have to rely on compounded drugs or "off-label" medications that were originally designed for human or canine use. This adds to the challenge of providing standardised and effective care.
There are some similarities [in mammary cancer in dogs and cats]. But in dogs, 50% are benign and 50% are malignant. And unfortunately, mammary cancer in cats is much more similar to women. So, it is much more malignant and much more aggressive. Early detection is going to be so important for a good outcome.
3. Funding
Large non-profits, investors and corporate partners have historically channelled more money into canine projects. That creates a self-reinforcing cycle: more data leads to more investment, which leads to more trials for dogs.3,4
4. Case finding
Cats tend to hide signs of illness and, as a result, are often diagnosed when the disease is already advanced. Cats also see the vet much less frequently than dogs, limiting opportunities for early diagnosis and trial enrollment.
The highest-impact cat cancers
Researchers consistently single out three high-impact indications for felines:
Lymphoma is one of the most common feline cancers, often linked to feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)1,5. Diagnosis requires bloodwork, imaging, and sometimes biopsy. While chemo can extend quality of life, outcomes for cats remain unpredictable.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common (and deadliest) oral cancer in cats. Outcomes are poor: most cats survive only 1-3 months after diagnosis and treatment options are currently limited6. Despite this, OSCC research in cats is severely underfunded compared to canine cancers. OSCC tumours don’t align as closely with human cancers, and so attract far less funding.
Mammary cancer: Mammary tumours in cats are highly malignant and among the most aggressive across species (around 80-90% malignant). Once tumours appear, prognosis is generally poor. Research into feline mammary cancer is extremely thin despite clear clinical need.
Are things starting to change?
The feline oncology gap is still wide, but science, startups, and shifting owner behaviour are starting to narrow it somewhat.
Lack of industry attention leaves room for new players
Large-scale feline cancer trials remain rare. Big players such as Zoetis, Elanco and Merck Animal Health remain focused on canine oncology.
This vacuum allows smaller, more agile startups like Epipaws to step in with less competition. If they succeed, they’ll set the benchmarks that corporates later scramble to follow.
Academic centres running feline-first trials
Smaller foundations are funding feline-focused R&D, where big (animal) pharma has not yet stepped in:
CSU Flint Animal Cancer Center has launched a dedicated Feline Cancer Research Initiative, with a focus on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
UC Davis and the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) are testing novel therapeutics, some with dual potential for cats and humans.
EveryCat Health Foundation is co-funding studies into OSCC and lymphoma, filling a void where pharma has been reluctant to invest.
Diagnostics startups moving into cats
Biomarker work (molecular profiling, liquid biopsy, methylation/epigenetic markers) is moving fast; early detection tools developed in human oncology are filterable down to the feline setting with investment6,7.
Volition Veterinary is developing Nu.Q Vet Cancer Test. Initially designed for dogs, the tech (nucleosome quantification) is now being studied in cats too.
Epipaws is going further. Company founder Andria Beal told Feline Business Brief that it plans to launch the first-ever biological age test for cats this November. Their DNA methylation panel detects age-related changes linked to disease (kidney disease, diabetes, arthritis, and oral cancers) before symptoms appear.
PetDx: raised US$450M to develop OncoK9 (dog liquid biopsy). They shut down in 2024, but their collapse left a vacuum, meaning no one dominates feline liquid biopsy.
Cultural shifts in favour of cats
Dogs dominate today, but the numbers of cats are rising. In the US, cats already outnumber dogs in households. Millennials and Gen Z, in particular, see cats as children and are more willing to spend on advanced veterinary care.
Cat advocates are also pushing back against the narrative that cats are somehow less deserving of advanced care.
Gen X and Millennials are having fewer children, and instead they’re investing more and more in their animals. For many, their cat is their best friend, their love, their family. Cat owners have raised their claws and said: we’ve been in the backseat long enough.
A recent bright spot
A groundbreaking clinical trial out of UC Davis and UCSF brings hope for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), one of the deadliest feline cancers. This trial marks the first successful therapeutic strategy to inhibit STAT3 in companion animals.
STAT3 is a hard-to-target protein that drives cancer cell growth across many tumour types. Researchers tested a novel STAT3 inhibitor in 20 pet cats diagnosed with OSCC, a cancer that typically offers cats only 2-3 months to live.
In the trial, 35% of cats saw their disease stabilise or shrink, with an average additional survival of 161 days, with minimal side effects.
One participant, Jak, defied the odds. Diagnosed with just a few weeks to live, he celebrated a third Christmas with his family thanks to the treatment.
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Thanks for reading! Here's a cheerful cat face for you. 😺
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