Why is my cat's cheek swollen, eye closed, not eating, and breathing hard?

This is an emergency. Your kitty could have a severe allergic reaction, or a snake bite or serious injury (maybe because of a collision with a car). He needs to be seen by a veterinarian right away. Please take him to a PetEr right now as this sounds life-threatening.

Hello, it looks like an abscess, probably a tooth abscess, it's an emergency as he is not eating, take him to the emergency vet as soon as you can today, the abscess will need to be drained under anesthesia first, then a course of antibiotics will be given.

A sudden swelling under the jaw could be an abscess. Typically these need to be seen by a vet; as they often need to be lanced/drained to get the pus and infection out; then started on antibiotics. Pain medication may be given as well. If he isn't eating, if he's acting lethargic or otherwise not feeling well (vomiting, diarrhea, any change in breathing) seek emergency care. If your vet's office is closed, they likely have a message with who to call or where to seek after hours care in the case of an emergency. If he's still eating and acting ok, you can call and make an appointment at the first possible time. I hope that helps you! Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Smokey. Poor boy! I agree, it does sounds like he has a dental problem, and it could be an abscess. It's pretty serious that he's not eating much, and he is likely in a lot of pain. I think it's best you take him into a vet now. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear Arpy is having facial swelling. Swelling like you are describing can be due to a variety of reasons, including infection (such as an abscess), a problem with a tooth, a growth, or an allergic reaction, among others. I would recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian, as medications (such as an antibiotic or an anti-inflammatory) or even a dental procedure may be necessary to help resolve it. Good luck!

Your vet is going to have to sedate/anesthetize him so they can get a good look inside his mouth. He may need x-rays of his skull/mouth. There is only so much the vet tell by looking at the mouth/teeth of an awake cat. That would be the next step. This is not normal.

This may be the start of an upper respiratory disease. They usually do have a fever and swollen lymph nodes (possibly causing the face to swell) early in the infection, which will make them feel bad. They also tend to avoid eating and drinking early in the infection. It appears that both sides of Blue's face are swollen, but if it happens that only one side is swollen, then this can indicate a local infection/abscess. This can happen with bite wounds, other puncture wounds, or dental disease. I wouldn't be too concerned about this being an emergency, but it's best if you can get Blue to a vet within the next day or two. While these infections are often mild, they can become complicated, which will make things much worse. The vet would be able to narrow-down the cause of this and prescribe the necessary treatment to make him feel better and keep the infection from getting worse. I hope this helps and Blue feels better soon.