Feline lymphoma is the most common cancer in cats. Treatment options range from curative to palliative, and quality of life assessment guides decisions that prioritise cat welfare.
The welfare profile of feline lymphoma treatment varies dramatically by type. Low-grade gastrointestinal lymphoma treated with oral prednisolone and chlorambucil offers genuine long-term remission with minimal treatment burden — a welfare-positive treatment that many cats tolerate extremely well. High-grade lymphoma carries a poor prognosis, and aggressive multi-drug chemotherapy may extend life by months at the cost of treatment-related side effects that compromise quality of life. The welfare-focused conversation with owners centres on what the cat experiences rather than what treatment achieves statistically. A cat in good-quality remission for 18 months on low-burden treatment has better welfare than a cat on aggressive protocols achieving 5 months of marginal extension.