What are Wart Virus?
While the warts are not-life-threatening in their own right, the danger with leaving wart virus untreated in your cat is that the growths can evolve into cancerous tumors over time.
Wart growth in cats, or papillomatosis, is a condition in which raised growths of tissue occur in various areas on your cat. These growths are typically benign, or non-cancerous, and can occur in any bodily location on your pet. The most common locations you would find papillomatosis growths would be around the eyes, mouth and nose, due to the increased moisture and potential for transference of viral cells to these areas.
Symptoms of Wart Virus in Cats
Wart virus, or papillomavirus, in cats typically presents with raised growths and a variety of other related symptoms. Here are some of the items to watch for if you suspect wart virus, or papillomatosis in your cat:
- Raised bumps or warts focused around lips, mouth, eyelids, eyes and ears
- Bumps may be white, dark or skin colored
- Warts may bleed or cause your cat irritation
- Warts may become infected or inflamed
- Poor grooming or hygiene due to pain caused by warts
- Reduced appetite from pain or discomfort from warts
Causes of Wart Virus in Cats
As “wart virus” is a phrase used to describe numerous sporadic growths in cats, there is not a single identified cause. There are several viruses that cause the formation of warts and several known causes of infection with papillomavirus and spontaneous growth of warts.
- Spread of Infection from Other Cats: Wart viruses can be spread from one affected pet to another. Direct contact from outdoor cats with a variety of wild and domesticated animals can contribute to cross species or interspecies contamination with the virus.
- Weakened Immune System: Some commonly occurring viruses can cause warts when your cat’s immune system becomes suppressed due to underlying sickness or old age.
- Precancerous and Cancerous Conditions: Some types of cancer can originally manifest as warts in cats which will initially appear as benign growths. Over time, these growths can multiply and spread, becoming cancerous and life-threatening lesions.
Diagnosis of Wart Virus in Cats
As with many conditions, it will be important to provide your veterinarian with documentation regarding your cat’s warts or growths. Information such as date of first appearance of the wart, rate of growth of the wart and any resulting inflammation, infection, bleeding or other related conditions will be vital to eliminate similar conditions.
Your veterinarian may recommend a biopsy of all or a portion of the area affected by the wart virus. This will not only eliminate or identify the potential for cancer in your pet, but may also eliminate the growth and prevent future spread, infection or related conditions. This can be especially helpful for lesions or warts that are interfering with the daily life or your cat, such as those around the lips or mouth.
Treatment of Wart Virus in Cats
There are several courses of treatment that your veterinarian may choose to take in order to cure your cat of papillomatosis.
Medication
There are various types of anti-inflammatory, antiviral or antifungal medications that your vet may prescribe. The exact type of medication used will depend on the results of the biopsy or other tests conducted during the initial vet visit and subsequent diagnostic procedures.
Freezing
In the case of diagnosis of the wart virus as benign, your veterinarian may choose to freeze the warts in order to encourage the growth to reduce in size or fall off. Freezing the warts in sensitive areas on your cat will help alleviate symptoms such as loss of appetite, lethargy or general discomfort. Freezing may also be a viable alternative to surgical procedures which may cause significant damage to surrounding tissues.
Surgical Removal
In some cases, surgical removal of warts and surrounding tissues may provide the best course of treatment for your cat. Your vet may take this course of action in situations where the wart is suspected of being cancerous or will not respond well to freezing or medications. When removing via surgical methods, your vet may perform additional tests on the removed tissues to ensure clean margins, which would indicate that all infected or diseased tissue has been removed.
Recovery of Wart Virus in Cats
With property veterinary treatment, recovery of your cat after treatment from wart virus will be good. Warts that are eliminated via surgical methods or from medication will generally not return. On occasion, warts that have been frozen off have the potential for regrowth if the entirety of their structure was not impacted by the initial procedure.
Since most wart virus conditions are caused by a naturally occurring or otherwise contagious virus for which there is no cure, warts may recur in the same or different areas of your cat. Proper immune support for your cat will be important to reduce the possibility of recurrence. Overall, wart virus in cats is not a life threatening condition and, if treated properly, can still allow your cat to lead a long and healthy life.
Wart Virus Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Has Symptoms
My guy started out with a wart on top of his tail. Now he has another one next to it. I have discovered two more warts on his lower back over the past several years, so they’re appearing slowly. The warts are pink and the skin around them is very dry and oily at the same time. They bother me, not him. Here is the thing - he is absolutely terrified of leaving the house, strangers and loud noises. He’s a big guy, weighing in at 27 lbs.
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My 4 year old cat has had two warts suddenly appear, one on each ear. Bizarrely they are roughly in the same place on each ear. They don't seem to bother him unless I catch them whilst stroking him. He has a wart above one eyelid, which appeared when he was two. The vet at the time told me it was nothing to worry about.
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Our cat has had warts removed three times from her ears. This last time there was a large one filled with blood and pus, the rest were hard. The vet said they would come back and there is nothing that can cure them.
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My 4 year old Manx Cat has a diagnosed papilloma virus (wart) on his forehead, in front of his ear. It was surgically removed about 2 1/2 years ago to the tune of $2,500. Since then, it has come back. I tried freezing several times over about 4 months with liquid nitrogen purchased at the drug store in a spray can. It has gotten bigger. I have tried applying Grapefruit Seed Oil several times a day and using a cone on his head so he doesn't lick it off. To no avail. It is still about the size of a grape. I don't want to spend another $2,500 for it to come back. Would Compond W be effective in it's removal? How does that work for a cat?
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My 5 year old cat developed a small wart about 2 years ago and i took her to the vet and he said it's small and most likely not a big deal. However, 2 years down the line and the wart has increased in size and is right be her eye! I took her to another vet and they said the only thing we could do is surgically remove it however I'm afraid to do so because it is so close to her eye. I'm scared something will go wrong/it will hurt her vision. Has anyone had experience with their cat having a wart by their eye and what did you do?
My cat is nearly 14, and has had warts at the inner corner of one eye for many years. (More than a decade, maybe?) Occasionally they will get bigger, and last year one appeared by his other eye. They don't bother him at all, and vets have said they're warts, and nothing to be worried about. If they start to impinge on his eyesight, I'll get them removed. How big is the wart now? Is your cat bothered by it, or is it just about the aesthetics? Is the vet recommending surgery for a particular reason? Surgery is a big deal, and if the wart isn't bothering her (or cancerous, obviously), I would just let it be. **I am NOT a vet, and only offering an opinion based on my own experience.
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My cat is about 15 years old and has few warts. What can I do about it? He is scratching wart if he can reach - I presume it feels itchy. He is happy as he was before. Just I think more and more warts I can feel. Once only my cat was ill in 15 years at about 6-7 years age - bladder crystals which were treated successfully by wet.
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My cat has a bunch of growths on him they dont seem particularly painfull to him or bother him at all he is really old I just wanna ask of i should check a vet for a check up so i can see if I can get him help if its bad
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I just got out a fur mat from my cat. There was a tiny pimple like sore underneath it. Is this normal when fur is matted?
She is 6 and never had a mat like that on her back area.
I do brush/comb her often. After this will do so daily.
We moved a few months ago from all wood floor to a lot of carpet area.
She loves laying on her side and back.
Thank you in advance...
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My cat has a lump thing hanging from his ear it doesn’t bother him he’s eating fine putting constantly however today I have noticed it’s been bleeding what should I don
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Our 12 year old exotic shorthair has multiple dark small warts that originally started on his eyelid. We had the vet check and said not to worry about them. Since then they have multiplied and he cannot hear anymore due to having so, so many in his ears. He has just recently started to scratch at his ears. What can we do to make him more comfortable by stopping the itching.
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My cat is sneezing a lot and its like 10 sneezes at once when she sneezes . She also coughs like shes trying to get something out and she has a raised bump on her nose. I have no clue whats wrong with her.
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My cat is quite old and has a pretty bad liver and degestive track so i assume the 3 or 4 bump like things are normal for a cat thats 16 so should i still check a vet
Besides thats hes kinda active for being his age and still eats alot and he doesnt seem to feel pain from it just from some stitches he used to have
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Hi my kitten was born with a wart/mole type of growth on his cheek and mouth area. It’s got bigger in the last few weeks. Two vets have failed to diagnose this . It’s raised . The two “growths” are starting to connect making one . We love prince so much. He’s such a good kitten. So we want to help and find out what it could be. Best wishes , nav
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My 1 year old male cat has had a small round bump on his forehead directly in front of his left ear for a few months. It may have gotten slightly larger during this time period. It does not appear to cause any pain or discomfort when it is touched. It's colour is the same as his skin colour. I am wondering what it might be and if it requires veterinary attention?
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My cat has a strange tiny white ball by his mouth area. It is left of his nose and on his right side of his face. Right by his whiskers. His mouth area is white so that’s possibly why it’s been hidden.
We’re not sure how long it’s been there. He’s not acting different or throwing up. He’s able to eat and drink, which he does a lot but that’s been normal for him. We also have three other cats (who he knows and grew up with). They don’t have any problems
Besides from the wart, he’s normal.
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I found a wart like growth in the corner of my cats mouth. She loves to rub on everything with the side of her face. ( probably how she picked it up in the first place). We're gonna make a appointment with the vet but is the wart contagious to human's? I get warts very easily and we have children coming and going and they all love the cat. She licks Peaple and rubs her face on them. Kinda like rubs the wart right on everything
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My 10 year old cat appeared with his first wart. He has been healthy his whole life besides his overweight issue. It doesn’t seem to bother him and his lifestyle has not changed since it has appeared. Do you think I should worry and take him to a vet?
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My cat got out (in a bad neighborhood too) about 4 years ago for two months. She came back (Thank Heavens) but with what Appears to be a Wart on her upper lip by her Whiskers. I mentioned it to the Vet last year and it was really kind of Looked Over, Side Noted,Not an Issue. Shes been suddenly sneezing alot these last few weeks, with absolutely no other symptoms of any kind, perfectly healthy cat. I could just be freaking myself but the wart looks Slightly Bigger than it Did to Start With, its Right next to a Whisker. Is this making her Sneeze? Should I bring her in?
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I have a 32 lb cat and he is about 15. I had the same issue where it started on his tail and then had them spread
They were oily and one was bloodu. We had them removed about a year ago and vet confirmed they were not cancerous but once again I noticed he is getting them again