Inflammatory bowel disease and low-grade alimentary lymphoma can be difficult to distinguish in cats. Accurate diagnosis guides treatment that significantly affects quality of life.
Cats with either IBD or low-grade lymphoma experience chronic vomiting, weight loss, diarrhoea and reduced appetite. The welfare impact is ongoing and progressive without treatment. Many cats improve substantially with appropriate medical management once a diagnosis is established. Endoscopic or surgical biopsy carries procedural risk but provides the diagnostic certainty needed to guide treatment choice. Regular monitoring including body weight, clinical signs and blood tests tracks treatment response and allows dose adjustment to maintain wellbeing long-term.