My cat has a red, smelly, draining ear bump. Does she need a vet?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to see well in the pictures. This could be a benign or malignant growth. 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!

Hello. Sounds like Petunia sustained a cat bite that got infected. Your veterinarian will prescribe an antibiotic for Petunia to take for a few days to a week & she should be fine. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. Because of this lesions' change in size & color, I would recommend just having it removed. It looks like a melanoma, but would need histopathology to definitively diagnose it. It is small so removal should be pretty easy. This would be a good time to have your veterinarian take a good look deep into Moka's ears. You may not see any infection, but there could be inflammation or even a foreign body like a grass awn down near the ear drum. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Ouch! That unfortunately should be checked out by a vet in person, especially if it's growing in size and looking more inflamed than usual, as this could indicate something such as an infection or growth that requires treatment. Typically, a vet will be able to take a sample of the area to determine the exact cells present and what treatment is needed. Until you can get to the vet, placing an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Sebastian may help keep him from rubbing or pawing at it to help it heal. Keeping the area clean and dry may also help. If you're having trouble affording veterinary care, these resources may also help so that you can get Sebastian in to see a vet: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/are-you-having-trouble-affording-your-pet , https://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Judging from your description and the fact that she is an outdoor cat, I would suspect what you are seeing is an abscess. I would recommend getting her to a vet if possible to have the lump examined so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. If you know who the owners are, I would try to discuss this with them before taking their cat to the vet for treatment. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for sending there photo of Isha. From the photo the bump looks like a cyst but I think new lumps and bumps should always be investigated by a veterinarian. They can examine her and her ear and potentially take a small aspirated sample of the bump to look at it under a microscope or send to a pathologist. This is the way to rule out whether it is a tumor or not.

Please understand that it's impossible to say what this lesion is with 100% certainty without examining cells from this lesion microscopically. With that said, Tigra's lesion looks as though it could be a cyst. Most cysts are benign lesions. Many rupture and some refill at a later date, but they won't go away completely on their own. It would be best to have Tigra examined by her vet within the next month or so, or sooner if it's changing dramatically or bothering her. Until her appointment, keep a close eye on it for changes, but don't worry about applying any topical medications.