Meningioma in cats: treatment and prognosis
13-year-old domestic shorthair with behavioural change, circling to the left and postural reaction deficits in the right limbs, slowly progressive over months. MRI shows a broad-based extra-axial mass over the left hemisphere, with homogeneous contrast enhancement and a dural tail.
Which statement about treatment is correct?
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A. Only palliative prednisolone is possible, because feline meningiomas are highly infiltrative
Corticosteroids reduce peritumoral oedema and improve signs temporarily, but feline meningioma is usually well demarcated and resectable.
B. Lomustine chemotherapy is the first choice
Chemotherapy has a limited role in meningioma; lomustine has mainly been used in gliomas and lymphoma, with modest benefit.
C. Radiotherapy is the only option because surgery is contraindicated in cats
Radiotherapy is useful for non-resectable tumours or as an adjunct, but craniotomy is not contraindicated: in cats it is the treatment of choice.
D. Surgical excision is the first choice and is associated with long survival times
Correct. Meningioma is the most common intracranial tumour in cats; it is usually well encapsulated and separates easily from the brain, so surgery offers median survival times of years in many cases.
lightbulb Key takeaway
In cats, meningioma is well demarcated and resectable; in dogs it tends to be more invasive and surgery alone is less curative. Cats may have multiple meningiomas and often hyperostosis of the adjacent skull. Signs are usually slow and subtle (behavioural change), so ask about them in older cats.
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Updated: October 31, 2026 · Educational content for veterinary professionals. It does not replace current clinical guidelines or the judgement of the attending veterinarian.