04/05/2026
Adventurous cat, Lily, has lived with her loving family for her entire 17 years and counting. When her owner, Ruth, noticed an unusual change in Lily’s ears, she became concerned.
Ruth explained: "Lily’s been very fortunate to have excellent health until the tips of her ears turned black. At first, we thought it was oil, because she spends a lot of time sprawled out underneath cars. When I tried cleaning her, I quickly realised it wasn’t that. Close-up, I could see little scabs forming, which bothered Lily; she’d scratch them and make them bleed."
Worried about what it could be, Ruth took Lily to Bournemouth PDSA Pet Hospital, where she’s registered for low-cost vet care. There, the vet team examined her ears and diagnosed Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) – a form of skin cancer.
PDSA Vet Emma Fisher said: "SCC is a type of skin cancer most commonly caused by sunlight (UV) exposure. White cats, like Lily, as well as hairless cats or those with light-coloured skin, are particularly vulnerable to sunburn and skin cancer. Symptoms include scabby, black, crusty skin, which can later turn red, raised, and weepy, in hairless areas such as the ear tips, nose, and eyelids."
On the day of surgery, Lily was admitted and placed on a drip (senior patients sometimes need extra support to maintain their blood pressure) before being given a general anaesthetic. The procedure to remove both ear flaps went well, and after two months indoors, she began to venture back outside again ❤️
[Visual description: Lily, a white cat, is recovering after surgery to remove her ear flaps. She is wearing a recovery cone.]