Should I remove my cat's sebaceous cysts if they aren't bothering him?

HI there. If the cyst isn't bothering Fi, I would recommend just leaving it alone. Attempting to drain it yourself at home may be painful for her, and could introduce infection and create a problem where there isn't one right now. If it starts to bother her, I would suggest taking her back to the vet to have it rechecked, and see what he/she recommends.

I would recommend having a geriatric blood panel done first before deciding to sedate Sebastiancat to have the cyst removed. That will give you an idea of the anesthetic risk of sedating him, letting you know if it is dangerous or not to have it removed. You can also have it drained by the vet, but it may return. I would discuss these options with your vet.

Trust your vet. As long as the mass does not grow or cause a problem, it is better to leave it alone. Should it start to grow or burst or ooze or get infected, it can be surgically drained or removed.

Yes this is ok. You will now need to watch whether it heals. It is likely a sebaceous cyst that got impacted, collected lots of sebaceous secretions and when there was no more room, it opened up like an abscess. If the hole shows no intention of healing at all within the next two or three days, I would have a vet look at it. Sometimes these cysts need to be removed in order for the defect to heal.

You can apply a warm and damp washcloth to the area, which will help the area continue to drain. Gently trim back Hocus's fur, and clean the area with antiseptic soap. I would not put any antibiotic cream on it. Although quite safe on superficial wounds, cats groom and ingest most of the topical ointment you apply and therefore should be used only under direct veterinary supervision and if there are no other appropriate options. Many human ointments contain multiple other ingredients which are not necessarily safe to be swallowed. I would keep an Ecollar on Hocus to keep her from licking at it, and keep her indoors if she is allowed outside. Monitor the hole for signs of infection, which include redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, and pus. Should you see any of those signs, I would take her into the vet as she will need antibiotics to treat the infection.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Cezare. Yes, I would keep your appointment. If he does have a cyst, these can reoccur if the sac of the cyst isn't removed. I would have him seen by a vet to see if this really is a cyst and if the sac does need to be removed. Best of luck.

It's possible they are small cysts. You'll want to keep a close eye on them. If you notice any change at all, in color, size, or tenderness, you'll want to visit your local Veterinarian as soon as possible.