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Cats/lump in throat

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Expert: - 1/4/2010


Question

cat lump
I have a 1 yr black domestic cat who has had all of this recent shots. He most definately an obese cat weighing at approxiately 10-15 lbs or more. A couple days ago i noticed a large lump on his neck since than it has progressed... it is now completely bald... moving downward from chin to shoulders. there is a medium size lesion on the balding spot and he is scratching it causing it to become worse. i'm concerned... is it just a fatty tumor or something serious?

Answer
Hi Tish.  Fatty tumors generally don't rupture through the skin, so I think this is definitely something more serious.  I can't absolutely tell from the picture, but it looks consistent with an abscess.  Abscesses are pockets of infection that brew under the skin, usually caused by a puncture wound which heals over, sealing bacteria inside it.  As abscesses progress, the fur on the skin above the infection usually falls off, and eventually, pus often ruptures through the skin.  Abscesses are dangerous because the bacteria can enter the bloodstream, infecting other organs.  They may also cause a dangerously high fever.  It's important for kitties with abscesses to see a vet promptly.  When an abscess is found, the vet will drain all the pus from it, and then place the cat on antibiotics.  It will be important to keep the wound open to drain until the infection has cleared.  Your vet will show you how to apply warm compresses to soak off any scabs that may form over the wound.

There are certainly other possibilities.  One is a sebaceous cyst, which is a benign growth filled with a waxy substance called sebum.  These harmless cysts eventually rupture in most cases.  I'd be worried this is not a sebaceous cyst, though, because these are slow-growing cysts that don't get very large, and you probably would have noticed this long before it ruptured.

Sometimes cancerous tumors will ulcerate, as well.  This can be skin cancer or tumors that are lying below the skin.  Tumors have disorganized blood and lymph vessels, and these fluids can end up breaking through the skin rather than flowing back into the body.

So I think your kitty should see a vet right away.  I hope it's something very easily treatable!

Jessica  

Jessica

Expertise

The areas in which I have gained the most experience are cat health and feral cat management/rescue. I provide supportive care to chronically ill cats, hospice care to terminally ill cats and also am involved in trap-neuter-return efforts. My specialities lie in taming feral cats and in the allopathic treatment of cats with illnesses or special needs. I also have owned Siamese, Himalayans, Abyssinians, Russian Blues, Savannahs, Bengals, Peterbalds, Don Sphynx and Oriental Shorthairs and am well-versed in cat breeds as well as cat behavior and nutrition.

Experience

I have 15 years of extensive experience with cats ranging from breeding to medical care. My daily routine consists of caring for cats with diabetes, thyroid disease, kidney failure, feline leukemia, feline AIDS as well as feral cats. I have experience with liver patients, heart patients, feline infectious peritonitis, cancer, recovery from amputation and trauma, congenital deformities and most every disease in between. I have assisted cats giving birth and hand-nursed kittens who were neglected by their mother from 2 days old through weaning.

Education/Credentials
15 years' hands-on experience

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