My cat has a swollen lump. Should I be worried and see a vet?

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 be sure what this is from the photo. The most common lump that come up quickly in cats is an abscess, or pocket of infection. They develop from a puncture wound usually. If it’s an infection it will be sore, hot to the touch, and feel soft. Due to Sampson’s age though this could be a mass or tumor. Those lumps are firm, non painful and do not feel warm. I recommend a veterinary exam to determine what the lump is. They can take a needle and examine some cells from inside the lump and get a diagnosis. If it’s an infection this should heal with antibiotics. If it’s a growth, depending on the diagnosis they may just watch it for enlargement or recommend surgical removal. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Samson.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I wonder if Shadow is an outside cat. If he is and the swelling had a sudden onset it could be an abscess from fighting with another cat or animal. The fact you describe it as possibly liquidy could indicate puss. If her cat is older and indoors it could be a cystic mass. I would recommend that she have a Vet take a look at it today before the weekend in case it is an abscess before it possibly breaks open. If it is an abscess the Vet may open it for it to drain and provide antibiotics Good luck!.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Tombo and for providing a picture, it's very helpful. I suspect that she has an abscess. Typically outdoor cats fight with other cats, and cat bites frequently lead to abscesses. I do think you should take her into the vet to get this treated. I hope this helps!

I would recommend having this evaluated fairly soon. It could be a swollen lymph node or abscess or tumor of some sort. The vet can do a needle aspirate of the lump to look at cells and determine what it may be or if it's of concern. Because some tumors can grow quickly it's always better to have lumps evaluated fairly quickly to make sure it's not malignant.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Tummy! Possible causes for a lump are: an abscess, a skin mass, or an internal mass in his belly. If Tummy has lost weight or is having any other change either behaviorally or appetite wise I recommend having him evaluated by your Vet. If the mass and in the skin (not the belly), is soft it is likely an abscess or a cyst. Sine this is a new finding I recommend having him seen by your Vet to be safe. I hope this helps and feel free to post a picture if you think that would help us better. Have a great day!

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!