What is this and why was it in my cat?
May 12, 2009 10:01 AM Subscribe
What is this and why was it in my cat?
Okay, simple question.
I was petting my cat today and felt a spongy lump under her armpit. When I looked, I saw something protruding from her skin that had a yellow-ish head. After squeezing the area around it, the object seemed to push out a bit. I deduced it was a foreign object.
I got my trusty tweezers and set upon the gross thing. It easily pulled out (kitty purring the whole time and not struggling).
http://i42.tinypic.com/339j41d.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/22cd49.jpg
I've had some people tell me it is/was puss from an abscess, but I'm not entirely sure. I can't afford a vet at the moment, so the Q for the doc will have to wait.
I'm not sure how old she is, but seems to be under a year.
Okay, simple question.
I was petting my cat today and felt a spongy lump under her armpit. When I looked, I saw something protruding from her skin that had a yellow-ish head. After squeezing the area around it, the object seemed to push out a bit. I deduced it was a foreign object.
I got my trusty tweezers and set upon the gross thing. It easily pulled out (kitty purring the whole time and not struggling).
http://i42.tinypic.com/339j41d.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/22cd49.jpg
I've had some people tell me it is/was puss from an abscess, but I'm not entirely sure. I can't afford a vet at the moment, so the Q for the doc will have to wait.
I'm not sure how old she is, but seems to be under a year.
Best answer: Not a vet, but I'm guessing it's a sebaceous cyst.
posted by ottereroticist at 10:04 AM on May 12, 2009
posted by ottereroticist at 10:04 AM on May 12, 2009
How big is the foreign object? I can't tell from the photos...
posted by Petrot at 10:05 AM on May 12, 2009
posted by Petrot at 10:05 AM on May 12, 2009
Definitely looks like pus from an abscess or zit.
Does she go outside? Could she have gotten into a little scuffle? She might have gotten a scratch or bite that got a bit infected...
posted by tastybrains at 10:31 AM on May 12, 2009
Does she go outside? Could she have gotten into a little scuffle? She might have gotten a scratch or bite that got a bit infected...
posted by tastybrains at 10:31 AM on May 12, 2009
1 cm long? God, how gross.
Our dog gets little doggy pimples that work the same way, and are seriously gross. I would guess that's what it is.
I'm so totally skeeved out right now. (Like I couldn't have seen how this was going to go from the title. )
posted by A Terrible Llama at 10:33 AM on May 12, 2009
Our dog gets little doggy pimples that work the same way, and are seriously gross. I would guess that's what it is.
I'm so totally skeeved out right now. (Like I couldn't have seen how this was going to go from the title. )
posted by A Terrible Llama at 10:33 AM on May 12, 2009
Response by poster: Tastybrains: She's an indoor cat. Before I got her, she had been found wandering outside by her previous owners. I've had her for about 2 months. I guess it could've come from that.
Llama: Sorry for misrepresentation. Didn't mean to gross you out.
posted by DonSlice at 10:35 AM on May 12, 2009
Llama: Sorry for misrepresentation. Didn't mean to gross you out.
posted by DonSlice at 10:35 AM on May 12, 2009
Cats get zits. My own cat had a persistant one under his chin, which a vet once told me was being exacerbated by the fact that he had a plastic water dish. I'm not sure how the two are related, but I switched and it went away. (Which is odd, because I've just gotten another one and it hasn't seemed to come back. Who knows.)
but I'd guess that this was a zit.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:40 AM on May 12, 2009
but I'd guess that this was a zit.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:40 AM on May 12, 2009
Best answer: Here is a sebaceous cyst which was surgically excised from someone; you can judge for yourself how similar it is. They are related to zits; as usual wikipedia has more info.
posted by TedW at 10:45 AM on May 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by TedW at 10:45 AM on May 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'm sure you're doing this already, but anyway, please keep the area disinfected until it heals. Use a non-stinging liquid like "Cure-Chrome" (Duane Reade TM), which penetrates better than creams like Bacitracin. Please watch the area for future signs of infection.
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:49 AM on May 12, 2009
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:49 AM on May 12, 2009
My own cat had a persistent one under his chin, which a vet once told me was being exacerbated by the fact that he had a plastic water dish. I'm not sure how the two are related, but I switched and it went away.
My vet once told me this as well, but went on to explain that plastic can harbor more bacteria than ceramic or stainless steel. That cat's zits presented as a lot of little black spots on his chin (I thought it was dirt or flea poo initially), and changing to ceramic did end the zit problem.
I'm now going to spend the next hour trying not to visualize the scene described in this question. Eeek.
posted by tyrantkitty at 10:59 AM on May 12, 2009
My vet once told me this as well, but went on to explain that plastic can harbor more bacteria than ceramic or stainless steel. That cat's zits presented as a lot of little black spots on his chin (I thought it was dirt or flea poo initially), and changing to ceramic did end the zit problem.
I'm now going to spend the next hour trying not to visualize the scene described in this question. Eeek.
posted by tyrantkitty at 10:59 AM on May 12, 2009
I have no idea how these people got a cyst wedged into their cat, or why.
posted by escabeche at 11:38 AM on May 12, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by escabeche at 11:38 AM on May 12, 2009 [3 favorites]
TedW, I keep telling myself that it's my own damn fault for clicking on your link. I'm still in shock.
Agreeing with guesses that it was a cyst, and suggestions to keep the area clean while it heals up. Also, one of my cats has a problem with over-licking any tiny little cut, which then makes them worse. Not that your kitty will have that problem, but just something to keep in mind.
posted by lillygog at 12:48 PM on May 12, 2009
Agreeing with guesses that it was a cyst, and suggestions to keep the area clean while it heals up. Also, one of my cats has a problem with over-licking any tiny little cut, which then makes them worse. Not that your kitty will have that problem, but just something to keep in mind.
posted by lillygog at 12:48 PM on May 12, 2009
Huh. I think this may be what I found on my kitty over the weekend.
And, TedW - that picture is unbelievably awesome!
/grosslove
posted by zerokey at 1:55 PM on May 12, 2009
And, TedW - that picture is unbelievably awesome!
/grosslove
posted by zerokey at 1:55 PM on May 12, 2009
Wow. No idea what it is but I am more shocked that your cat let you take it out of her.
And also, the flicker link? awesomely gross gross gross.
posted by mokeydraws at 2:20 PM on May 12, 2009
And also, the flicker link? awesomely gross gross gross.
posted by mokeydraws at 2:20 PM on May 12, 2009
boohoo...that flickr flesh bullet had that hair...............yuckyuckyuckyuck
posted by beccaj at 5:02 PM on May 12, 2009
posted by beccaj at 5:02 PM on May 12, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by DonSlice at 10:01 AM on May 12, 2009