Feline oral squamous cell carcinoma (FOSCC) is a cancer of the oral cavity that causes significant morbidity in pet cats. Current treatments are generally unrewarding, and many cats are euthanized within a few months of diagnosis due to progressive clinical signs such as pain and anorexia. The goal of this research is to improve outcomes for FOSCC through the identification of novel medical therapies and the development of pre-clinical research models that can be used to test therapeutic regimens and investigate disease biology. Our preliminary work in an FOSCC cell line has identified kinases WEE1 and uPAR (urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor) as promising therapeutic targets. We will test these inhibitors alone and in combination with chemotherapy in additional FOSCC cell lines, choosing the best performing inhibitor to test in vivo in a cell-derived xenograft model. In parallel, we will develop patient-derived xenograft models that can be used in future research to increase scientific rigor and broaden our depth of understanding of disease biology and therapeutic efficacy prior to clinical studies in pet cats.