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Feline Lymphoma in Focus: Examining the Patterns and Types in Croatia’s Pathological Records
by
, , ,
Vida Eraghi
1, 
Iva Ciprić
1,
Nikola Serdar
1,
Anouk Jonker
1,
Lidija Medven Zagradišnik
1,*,
Dunja Vlahović
1,
Ivana Mihoković Buhin
1,
Ivan-Conrado Šoštarić-Zuckermann
1,
Branka Artuković
1,
Doroteja Huber
1,
Mavro Matasović
2,
Marko Hohšteter
3 and
Andrea Gudan Kurilj
1 1
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
2
Vet Point, Veterinary Practice, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
3
Bioinstitut d.o.o., 40000 Čakovec, Croatia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Vet. Sci. 2025, 12(10), 986; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12100986 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 4 September 2025
/
Revised: 6 October 2025
/
Accepted: 10 October 2025
/
Published: 13 October 2025
Simple Summary
Lymphoma is one of the most common cancers in cats and can appear in many different parts of the body. Because the reasons for its development are complex and may involve genetics, the immune system, environmental factors, and certain viruses, it is important to study how the disease looks in real cat populations. In this study, we reviewed fifteen years of lymphoma cases in cats examined at the University of Zagreb. We found that the disease occurred most often in cats that were either very young or older, and some breeds such as British and European Shorthairs were more often affected. The most frequent type involved several organs at the same time, while other common forms occurred in the digestive system and in the chest. Younger cats were more likely to develop lymphoma in the chest, while older cats more often had the digestive form. Male cats were more likely to have kidney involvement, and infections with feline leukemia or feline immunodeficiency viruses were closely linked with the chest form of the disease. These findings improve our understanding of lymphoma in cats and will help veterinarians provide better diagnosis.
Abstract
Feline lymphoma, a common neoplasm in cats, presents across diverse anatomical sites and is influenced by genetic, immune, environmental, and viral factors. This 15-year retrospective study analyzed feline lymphoma cases from the University of Zagreb’s Department of Veterinary Pathology, focusing on epidemiology, anatomical distribution, and immunophenotype. A bimodal age distribution was observed, with peaks at 2–3 and 10–12 years, and breed predispositions were noted in British and European Shorthairs after adjusting for referral frequency. Multicentric lymphoma was the most frequent type observed, followed by alimentary and mediastinal forms. Mediastinal lymphoma predominated in younger cats, whereas alimentary lymphoma was more common in older individuals. Male cats were overrepresented among renal lymphoma cases. Feline leukemia virus/feline immunodeficiency virus (FeLV/FIV) infection showed a strong correlation with mediastinal lymphoma. Overall, B-cell lymphomas were predominant; however, T-cell types were more frequently observed in European Shorthairs. In our study, mediastinal forms were uniformly T-cell, while alimentary and multicentric lymphomas were predominantly B-cell. Temporal trends showed surges in 2016–2017 and 2022–2023, and a decline during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings highlight the complexity of feline lymphoma and underscore the need for tailored diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
