My cat has a red bump on his skin. When should I take him to the vet?

It could be an abscess or a bruise or seroma if Leo fell and hit his chin. I would just keep an eye on it over the next couple days to see what happens. If it gets bigger, breaks open, or seems to cause him pain then it should get checked out by a vet. Also, keep an eye on his appetite to make sure that he is still eating normally.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Simba and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. This may be a cyst, a benign growth, or even a small abscess. It should be checked out by a vet, but it's not an emergency. You can take him into the vet on Monday. The vet can diagnose what is causing it and can treat it. Best of luck.

It's hard to see what is going on from the photo. Bumps on the lips/chin can be a number of things, including feline acne, infections under the skin, allergies, etc. If Leo has trouble getting to the vet, I would definitely look into the sedative option, or see if there is a house call service near you that can come to you. Both of these options are a great way to make veterinary care a little easier. Since bumps on the chin may require having a sample taken of them to determine it's cause, sedatives may be needed regardless to ensure everyone is safe and calm during the procedure. Until you can get to the vet, I would continue to monitor the area for additional changes, keep it clean and dry, and if it is itchy or bothersome, place an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Leo to keep her from rubbing the spot which can lead to more irritation. If she's wary of the carrier, working on getting her used to it by leaving it out at all times and tossing treats in it/feeding her next to it may help make it a little easier if you do need to use it.

Thank you for providing a picture of the bump on your cat, it's very helpful! It could simply be a benign growth, as it looks like it could be one in your picture, but unfortunately I cannot make the determination for sure without seeing him in person and doing tests on it. It is a bit concerning that it has grown up to 4x in size and is bleeding. It could be bleeding because he is scratching at it, but again I don't know unless I see him in person. Due to the fact it has grown in size and is bleeding for some reason, then yes I do think this is concerning enough to see the vet. It would be good to get the exact diagnosis of the bump; in addition, your cat is 10, which means he's a senior cat, and there is always a risk that any bump in a senior cat could be malignant. I'd give your vet a call to make an appointment. I hope this helps!

Hello there, Thanks for the good photo. If it is a small minor wound like a pimple or scratch, it should be mostly healed within a week of forming. If its been present for longer than that or is worsening, I would be more concerned that it is the start of an infection or growth that would benefit from being seen by her veterinarian. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This is likely a small bug bite or an inflammatory reaction to some type of trauma (puncture, scratch, abrasion) to the skin. You can try cleaning it with a small amount of Betadine diluted 50:50with warm water, letting it air dry, and then applying a thin layer of Neosporin to the area twice a day to see if this can start to heal over the next few days.. Also an e-collar purchased from your local pet store can be placed on Simba to prevent her from scratching this area and causing more irritation as well as delaying the healing process. If this doesn't help then its best to see your vet to have this area investigated closely and in person. The vet may also want to shave the hair around it to get a better view and prescribe topical pet friendly antibiotics to help this heal. Best wishes with your kitty Simba and I hope this wound resolves soon. Take care.

Hello! That bump looks a little swollen and red, and it could simply be a wound. I would clean the area with warm water and antiseptic soap, and keep an eye on it. If the swelling gets larger, Chiky starts having trouble passing feces, she starts scooting on her behind, licking the area a lot, and/or you see pus, then I would take her into the vet. In that case, I would be concerned that the wound may be infected, or it could be something else causing the swelling such as infected and impacted anal sacs or intestinal worms. Best of luck, I hope this helps!