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Question
hi my cat has a lump on the right side of his throat and i have no clue why. i don't know if this information will help you but he trys to eat plastic, and my sister has strep throat so i don't know if he could of gotten it from her.

Answer
Hi Gabrielle.  There's no evidence that cats get strep throat, so you can rule that out.  Lots of cats try to eat plastic.  Why remains a mystery, but some believe cats just enjoy the texture.  However, lumps can mean lots of things, and this is definitely a case for your vet.  There are some innocent lumps, like fluid-filled cysts and fatty deposits called lipomas ("fatty tumors").  These won't need any kind of treatment.  But it might also be a swollen gland, indicating infection.  The lump itself could be a pocket of infection under the skin, called an abscess.  Some lumps can be cancerous.  The cause of lumps can range very drastically, and so can the treatment.  Your cat may need anything from antibiotics to surgery to remove a tumor, OR, just a check up to confirm it's nothing serious.  But only a vet can do that for you.

Good luck with him!

Jessica  

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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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