Expert: Jessica - 4/25/2011

Question
I have an 11 month old male cat. He is an outdoor cat, and one day I found him in the garage curled up sleeping and he had a bleeding nose. I brought him in and cleaned his nose up and then he started sneezing and sneezing and then he sneezed out a big blood clot. 2 or 3 days later I noticed the glands in his neck were swelling up. Then i noticed he had a raw patch with no fur on the back of his neck like in between his shoulders and one behind his ear. I have another cat and i don't know if that was just from him licking him, because i know when my one dog had an ear infection my 2 little dogs would constantly want to lick around his ear and that left a raw patch, almost asif they knew there was an infection and thought they were helping in some way. What do you think would cause his nose to bleed and his glands to swell? I apprieciate any advice you can give me. Thank you !

Answer
Hi Holly,

Swollen glands usually indicate that an infection or inflammation of some kind is taking place. It suggests the immune system is reacting to something. If your kitty is having a bloody nose, it might mean he has an upper respiratory infection or that there is a foreign body or mass in his nasal passages. Allergies are also possible this time of year and would explain his skin sores, as well. The body's reaction to all of these can cause swollen glands.

You should get him to the vet to sort out what the most likely culprit is. The treatment can vary from antibiotics to steroid injections to surgical removal of the mass or foreign body in his nose if one is found.

I wouldn't necessarily suspect your other cat caused the fur loss. Cats will lick things off one another, but they typically won't groom each other obsessively if there is nothing to lick off.

Best wishes!

Jessica