My 8-year-old cat has a throat lump and can't swallow. What's wrong?

I would recommend seeing a vet if you think it is painful for Sadie to swallow or if you think there may be something stuck in her throat. If she has had an upper respiratory infection, you may be feeling an enlarged lymph node. Many upper respiratory infections are viral and it can take quite a while for them to clear. There are some medications that can help, as well as supplementing with a product called Lysine.

A huge lump on his neck could be an abscess, a blicked salivary duct, inflamed or infected salivary gland, a cyst, a tumor, or a swollen lymph node. This needs to be examined by your veterinarian who will likely want to take a bit of tissue or check if and what kind of fluid is in the lump. He will do this with a very thin needle (painless) to determine what kind of mass or lump there is. Not eating is dangerous for a cat as this can cause liver disease in cats in addition to the original cause. Please take your kitty to a veterinarian for an exam today.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I suspect this is either allergic reaction or developing abscess. Please, take Sweet to your local vets for an appointment as she will likely need treatment with either antibiotics (for abscess) or anti-allergic medication (steroids or antihistamine medicine).

Smok is a very handsome boy! See what you mean about this lump. It could be an abscess, it could be a cyst, it could be a lymph node swelling due to infection, or it could be related to a dental problem. It is concerning that is has kept on swelling for the past three days, and now is the time to take him into the vet. The vet is the best person to diagnose what is causing this swelling so it can be treated appropriately. I would take Smok into the vet first thing in the morning. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Pillu. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian for an examination and a procedure known as a fine needle aspirate. The veterinarian will use a small needle to collect a sample of cells to evaluate under the microscope. This will help to diagnose the mass. He could have an infection under the skin, a benign growth or even skin cancer. Based on these results, treatment can be started if needed. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 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!

This suggests to me that Castiel has a dental problem causing this swelling and decrease of appetite such as a tooth root abscess. A decrease of appetite is extremely serious in a cat, as they will develop a fatty liver over time if they stop eating completely. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment, so that has to be avoided. Unfortunately there isn't a home remedy for a situation like this, he has to see a vet as soon as possible. I would take him into the closest vet. Best of luck.