My cat has a hard, unmoving lump and is crying. What's wrong?

Yes, the mass should be cause for concern, especially since Pip has other symptoms. Have him examined by your veterinarian. A fine needle aspirate can be done in the clinic to collect samples for pathology. This may diagnose infection, a benign mass or a malignancy. Treatment may depend on the results of the aspirate. If an aspirate is inconclusive, an excisional biopsy or complete resection under anesthesia may be indicated.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Squishy. Not sure if he goes outside but if he does I would suspect that he has been in a fight with another cat or wild animal and now has developed an infection/abscess. I would advise taking him to your vet immediately to get him evaluated. Not sure if he has a rabies shot either. Your vet can evaluate him after gathering a history and can advise you on what to do. If it's from a fight or bite wounds, he may have to be sedated to explore the injuries further. Treatment may include antibiotics, pain meds, etc. If a bone injury is suspected, x-rays may be needed. If a fight is suspected a rabies shot or booster may be advised also. Good luck with Squishy.

If she is otherwise acting normal, then you could monitor it for a little bit and see if it goes away. If the lump persists, then she should be examined by your vet to determine the cause. Your vet can do a fine needle aspirate and cytology to help diagnose the type of mass. If the cells look concerning, then your vet may recommend removal with biopsy.

Unfortunately, it's impossible to tell what is going on with a skin problem by just looking at the skin since most skin problems look very similar. My best recommendation would be to have your veterinarian perform some simple skin tests to get a sample of the area to examine under the microscope. They will be able to evaluate for bacteria, yeast, mites, fungus and abnormal cells. Hopefully that will determine what is causing the problem and how to treat it. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

In a cat this young, the lump is likely to be something like a cyst or a benign tumor. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. I'd call Baby's vet to make her an appointment to get this checked out. Best of luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Creamy. Any new bump, especially if it is painful, should be evaluated by a veterinarian. He will be examined and typically a procedure known as a fine needle aspirate is performed. The doctor will use a small needle to collect a sample of cells to evaluate under the microscope. This helps to diagnose the bump and guide treatment. I hope this information helps!

You didn't include a picture so I cannot say for sure but the most common cause of leaking bumps on a cat would be an abscess, which is a pocket of bacteria, fluid, and inflammatory cells that is often caused by a wound (sometimes from a bite or scratch from another animal). I cannot rule out something like a cyst or a tumor that has grown too large and the skin has gotten stretched and broken open, or even a self inflicted injury from overgrooming, but the most likely answer is that this is an abscess. Pebbles should definitely be seen by her veterinarian, who will probably clean and flush the area and may recommend a culture of the area. They may also prescribe an antibiotic and maybe a pain medication, however in the meantime you can use warm compresses over the area to help it drain and to keep it clean if she allows you to. If you have an e-collar you can place that to prevent her from licking at the area and causing more bacteria (from her mouth) to enter the area. Good luck, I hope I could be helpful!