Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the most common oral tumor in cats, causing severe local tissue destruction, pain, and difficulty eating, with limited treatment options and guarded prognosis.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma causes severe and progressive welfare compromise. The invasive growth causes pain from tissue destruction, nerve involvement, and bone erosion that makes eating extremely painful. Affected cats show dysphagia, drooling, weight loss, and eventually complete inability to eat independently. The tumor causes visible facial disfigurement and sometimes pathological fracture of the jaw. The poor prognosis means most cats spend the final months of their life in significant pain without curative options. Early euthanasia when quality of life deteriorates beyond management is often the most humane choice, but the challenge is identifying the appropriate point for this decision.