My cat's neck lump keeps swelling but has no pain. What should I do?

A huge lump on his neck could be an abscess, a blicked salivary duct, inflamed or infected salivary gland, a cyst, a tumor, or a swollen lymph node. This needs to be examined by your veterinarian who will likely want to take a bit of tissue or check if and what kind of fluid is in the lump. He will do this with a very thin needle (painless) to determine what kind of mass or lump there is. Not eating is dangerous for a cat as this can cause liver disease in cats in addition to the original cause. Please take your kitty to a veterinarian for an exam today.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Dexter. This lump may be an enlarged lymph node if it's right below his neck. That can indicate an infection or a dental problem. Other possibilities include a cyst, an abscess, a lipoma, or a benign growth. Given it's local, I do think it's important to have it checked out by a vet, and I would have him seen by one in the next few days. I hope this helps!

This suggests to me that Castiel has a dental problem causing this swelling and decrease of appetite such as a tooth root abscess. A decrease of appetite is extremely serious in a cat, as they will develop a fatty liver over time if they stop eating completely. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment, so that has to be avoided. Unfortunately there isn't a home remedy for a situation like this, he has to see a vet as soon as possible. I would take him into the closest vet. Best of luck.

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I cannot tell where the lump is on the photo but most if not all lumps needs to be evaluated by a vet. Especially in Simba's case since the lump has gotten swollen. Your vet will perform a full physical exam and determine if the lump needs to be aspirated. Lumps can be anything from an abscess, mass/growth, hernia etc. Your vet will determine after an exam what the next best steps and treatments are. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This may even be an abscess. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

Poor Little Bit! If it's his lymph nodes that are swollen, he could have an infection in that area causing the swelling. It could also be a virus, immune mediated disease, allergies, and even cancer though that would be rare in a cat his age. This is something that needs to be checked out by the vet, so give his vet a call now to make him an appointment. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

It sounds like Lil Man's lymph nodes are swelling up. This happens when there is an infection in that area of the body. I would take him into the vet tomorrow for an exam. The vet can do a physical exam, routine blood tests, and a urinalysis to diagnose what is causing his lymph nodes to swell, and can treat accordingly.