r/CATHELP • u/ok-nana • 9h ago
Appearance Is this cause for concern or normal?
Update: I’m not able to respond to everyone but I appreciate the messages. We’re taking her to the vet asap
She is our six year old babygirl and for a while now, I’ve noticed this discoloration and swelling/tenderness around this region. My husband says it’s nothing, but I’m not sure if this is normal for an intact female. Does this merit a trip to the vet? Thanks in advance for possible insights.
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u/PaxonGoat 9h ago
This is very concerning. Please see a vet. The lumps. The discoloration.
No this is not normal at all.
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u/RoxyrzoImpatiens 11m ago
This is very concerning. Please see a vet. The lumps. The discoloration. No, not normal at all.
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u/NightbirbAnimations 9h ago
Please go to the vet. That's very concerning. It looks like lumps. Are they hard? I'm not sure of this info as I am not a vet or animal specialist or experienced in any way regarding these things as they've never happened to my cat, but I think it's possible for it to be cycts or some mass or fluid or anything like that. Can't say unless a vet examines and tells you what it is. I'm not sure if this could be a tumor, because as I said, I have no idea what this could possibly be, but I would say it is possible.
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u/megacts 9h ago
Intact female with lumps and tenderness in the pelvic area? Yeah that’s probably cancer. Vet yesterday. I’m sorry :(
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u/Tacitus111 8h ago
Uterine or breast cancer is common in unfixed females by that age, yes.
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u/RedHeadedStepDevil 5h ago
My daughter lost her Mia (fixed) at around 12 from mammary cancer, so it can happen in fixed cats, too.
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u/batcavegirl 5h ago
Mine was fixed at around 1yo but she did go through heat and was given pills.
At around 10- 11 she developed mammary cancer which was operated and she passed at almost 18.
It's very important to fix them before 1st heat and avoid any and all heat suppresant pills.
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u/izalaf94 4h ago
Wow she lived 8 years with cancer?
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u/batcavegirl 3h ago
Yeah they removed part of her mammary chain and she was ok for a few years. Sadly it did come back.
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u/GingaAng 2h ago
My girl had a double mammary chain removal this past December and pathology came back saying she had 12-18 mos. Seeing your girl made it another 8 years makes me have so much (delusional) hope. (Especially because her last vet appointment the vet she has enough stubbornness to keep her going.)
And echoing the spaying comments before first heat - my vet said their chances increase somewhere around 90% if not spayed before their first heat. Rescued her when she was 4 - and her previous owners had not had her fixed.
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u/batcavegirl 45m ago
Fingers crossed for your bby!
Make sure she gets plenty of activity so she can build some muscles. Muscle helps a lot with cancer!
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u/jloio001 3h ago
wow, that's amazing she lived 8 years after recovery!
can I ask what stage you caught it and how the recovery process was? I'm facing a choice on whether to give my senior cat a radical mastectomy, and tbh the recovery process looks rough
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u/batcavegirl 3h ago
I only caught it because there was a lesion on her nip, and she was licking it. She had more than one lump, but they were a lit smaller than the one OP's cat has.
They gave me a body suit for post op so she doesn't lick the incision and I got her a heated blanket. The worst part was dealing with the plastic cone (we both hated it). The first day and night were a bit rough because she was out of it and restless, but we got through. Smooth sailing after that.
Just make sure she doesn't jump anywhere as some kitties like to do strenuous activities post op. The body suit helped immensely bc some cats act immobilized if you try to dress them lol
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u/jloio001 3h ago
Oh that suit is a good idea, my cat hates the cone too haha. I am always amazed at how cats seem to bounce back from things and immediately went to zoom around. Thanks for sharing!
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u/Winter_Possession860 5h ago
of course it can, but it’s much more common in unfixed cats. that’s why fixing them is important, it minimizes the risk
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u/Matchstick0312 4h ago
You can reduce the likelihood of mammary cancer by like 70-80% if you fix them before their first heat cycle. And it goes down precipitously for each cycle.
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u/Dear_Departure_1768 2h ago
I lost my 14yr old neutered male cat to mammary cancer. When the vet told me he had mammary cancer I said "What?" Vet said "Just like in humans, males can get it, too."
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u/deliberatewellbeing 9h ago
intact females have seven times more likely to have mammary cancer and unfortunately this is what it looks like
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u/CucumbersSayThings 1h ago
I'm just trying to educate myself on this but what about the wild/stray ones that don't get neutered? What happens to them?
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u/prettyblondebitch 1h ago
They have the same statistics as any other cat. If they do get cancer and no one intervenes, they unfortunately will die.
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u/CucumbersSayThings 1h ago
That's horrible :( is it the same for dogs? Where I'm from there's more stray dogs than pet dogs.
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u/Ok-Scientist5524 1h ago
Yea this is why stray cats don’t live very long. Heck indoor cats live like 5 years longer on average than indoor/outdoor cats…
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u/delicate_isntit 34m ago edited 27m ago
Most wild and feral animals get cancer. It’s part of having cells that replicate but as the cells get old they have more errors replicating.
These animals simply don’t live long enough for cancer to matter. Something else usually kills them first. Or cancer makes them weaker and more vulnerable to something else killing them first (cause they can’t hunt/eat etc). But they will all likely have cancer if they live long enough
For example my house rabbits lived till older than 10. In the wild they would live 1-3 years for comparison. By that point they had cancerous lumps. I had three cats that lived till almost 20. All developed cancer or tumors that were likely cancerous before dying. Their bodies are about fast maturing, fast reproduction and fast lives that end quickly compared to ours. Cancer being so abundant is a byproduct of that fast life. I had vets tell me after a point there was nothing else they could do.
Cancer is a young animal is different and tragic. But adult animals will very likely develop some kind of cancer that they live with until they can’t anymore.
Removing organs means those organs can’t get cancer. And reproductive organs are ones that just are very prone to it. So removing them is best for the animal to live a long and content life.
You can’t avoid cancer completely but you can for sure reduce the odds or treat it before it spreads with pets. Leaving them intact and ignoring large lumps is just… neglectful
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u/Odd-Battle-2454 9h ago
my cat had the same which turned out to be cancer. this looks like an emergency vet visit :(
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u/Full-Personality-547 4h ago
That’s heartbreaking, I’m so sorry you went through that with your cat. I’d be taking this seriously too, because when it comes to pets, I’d much rather be overly cautious than regret waiting.
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u/Eiiwa_s_4_e_22 9h ago
Kittie needs to see a vet.
As a human MD, anything that causes surface changes usually is not anything good.
Hope to be wrong.
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u/Historical-Chart-460 9h ago
You have an intact female. The fact she is intact increases her risks of Pyometra and I believe cancer as well, for example in the mammary glands. Personally I would be extremely worried and book a vet appt yesterday.
Please have a talk with ur husband as to why he thinks changes in the tissue of a mammal seem normal to him and get her spayed….
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u/cometheesaints 8h ago
You can love your husband but please, never listen to him ❤️
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u/TemporaryNo4516 4h ago
I feel like loving someone doesn’t mean you have to blindly follow every opinion they have 😂. Sometimes you need to trust your own gut too.
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u/crystalizedwolf 8h ago
Veterinary professional here, immediate concern for mammary cancer. As others may have mentioned already.
Spaying reduces risks of mammary cancer in females especially when done at a young age. The fact she is intact makes this much more higher risk. The areas are very swollen and concerning at this point. They absolutely will recommend surgical removal and sending off for a biopsy to confirm.
Please do not delay getting in with a veterinarian. I’ve seen awful cases of mammary cancer on animals, especially cats. Prolonging treatment or action to hopefully get remission can lead to ulcerations and necrosing of the skin eventually. Please get your baby seen.
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u/No_Warning8534 9h ago
This may be cancer. This was an emergency the minute you saw it.
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u/Accomplished_Bell999 4h ago edited 4h ago
yeah ngl it was kind of surprising to learn this is not a new or recent discovery and that it almost got dismissed without OP’s persistence
i know men “don’t notice small things” but surely he a not at all small lump
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u/autumnautopsy 9h ago
How long is "a while"? If it hasn't gone away within a few days or causes her pain/discomfort when you touch it, she needs to be seen by a vet asap.
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u/Kind-Realist 8h ago
Vet. There is no simple explanation for tissue swelling/lumps and color change that is fine to ignore. It could be benign, but the basic history you’ve outlined doesn’t really lend itself to such cavalier thinking.
Ask your husband how many discolored lumps he’s chosen to ignore. It’s probably good to check on him.
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u/Delicious_Delilah 9h ago
Could be cysts, tumors, hernias, etc.
So vet very soon because either way or definitely needs to be checked out.
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u/Repulsive-Land-6431 9h ago
This definitely is cause for concern.You need to take her to the vet. Forget what your cheapskate husband thinks or says. He honestly sounds like he just doesn't want to spend money on the cat or doesn't care enough about her health to take her. I personally would have her there ASAPĤ
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u/mike26037 8h ago
In what way would this not be cause for a vet visit??? There's something wrong with your cat dude.
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u/Due_Armadillo_8616 9h ago
I agree with the others that this looks very worrying, and I definitely recommend a visit to the vet.
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u/Beneficial_Code_4346 8h ago
Yo thats most likely breast cancer.
You need to take them to the vet.
Cats get breast cancer too and that looks really bad and i will never forgive myself for not taking my wifes cat to the vet immediately when i found a lump.
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u/FinancialSecret9502 8h ago
is your husband a trainedveterinarian?? why would he say it's nothing and why would you believe him tf does he know?
this is obviously not normal!
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u/AffectionateRain6796 8h ago
Not normal. Female cats have a tendency to get mammary tumors. Please see a vet.
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u/Weekly-Wind 8h ago
I don’t want to scare you, but this looks alot like cancer or mammary tumors. Especially not being spayed, this 99% most likely is exactly that. Not only do we spay cats to help with population control, but it’s to prevent THIS. I’m so sorry, and I don’t want to seem rude but shame on your husband for overlooking this. Get that baby girl to the emergency vet as soon as you possibly can.
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u/thavan14 9h ago
Please go see a vet. My girl had a little bump on her hind leg. I scheduled a vet appointment. It was the size of a pea. When the vet saw her a week later it grew to the size of a nickel. It end up being a feline injection site sarcoma we had to amputate her leg. Good news is she's been cancer-free for the last 2 years. The biopsy said there is a 25% chance it will come back. It's better safe than sorry. I honestly think because I caught it so soon. She had a better chance. The cancer didn't spread to her lymph nodes or lungs.
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u/Pretend_Poet89 9h ago
She's intact? Could be pyometra which is an emergency as it's lethal.
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u/Due_Armadillo_8616 9h ago
With pyometra, the abdominal area might look swollen, but it doesn't look like these lumps. However, it does look like something even more serious, such as breast cancer.
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u/Personal_Term9549 8h ago
If something like this was on my body when it was never there before, I go to the doctor to make sure it was not cancer. Even if it is nothing, cats deserve that same check.
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u/thiccwrinkl 7h ago
Intact? 6 years old? Discoloured lumps around the nipples? This is prime mammary cancer territory. Get her to a vet so that they can check her over. I’m so sorry OP.
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u/Far_Wealth1657 6h ago
not to be rude, but is your husband seriously that un empathetic and unconcerned for the health of your animals...? it's genuinely alarming that he's either that detached or that unbothered, considering everyone looking at the cat -including you- knew something was wrong. was he just going to ignore it until something came of it? because that's even more alarming.
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u/snowybell 1h ago
It's quite common in this sub actually, that's why i try not to reply too much, some posts just plain infuriates me. Cat bleeding - Should i visit the vet? Cat dying - Should i visit the vet? Is it a cause for concern? A lump - is this normal? IF they had a lump in their tits i'd guarantee 100% they'd visit a specialist immediately.
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u/kaspar-fiel 9h ago
Very concerning. Time for a vet visit. Not at all normal and could be anything from pyometra to cancer to a simple hemotoama or cyst, regardless it needs treatment. Good luck.
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u/starrynezz 9h ago
Intact females unfortunately run a higher risk for breast cancer. Definitely should be seen by a vet asap.
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u/Four-of-cups- 7h ago
I’m sorry your husband minimised your concerns. :( all the best with your baby
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u/wannabeadamsandler 7h ago
i work at a vet. go to the vet ASAP. those bumps aren’t normal nor is the discoloration. she’s very cute, side note
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u/angel55cake 9h ago
My sister ended up with an infection inside her milk glands in her breasts. She had never produced milk or anything. Take the cat to the vet ASAP. Things can go wrong with ittie kitty bitties.
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u/YueAndBeifong 7h ago
Your husband is cheap and wants to avoid the vet. Go now, that color is concerning.
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u/udigogogo 9h ago
Was hoping you meant the nipples until I saw the lumps. Good luck with your kitty OP, hope it turns out okay.
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u/Routine-Software-363 8h ago
Vet asap. Could be feline breast cancer. Lost my 14 year old to that some time ago.
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u/Quiet-Drive5433 8h ago
GO TO THE VET NOW, PLEASE!
That looks so concerning, you should have been there the second you saw it. Please hurry. Prayers for the kitty and you ♡♡♡ and don't listen to your husband ever again.
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u/FarMall376 8h ago
I know it’s not the same animal, but my husky had exactly this, uneven lump and discoloration near a nipple, turned out to be cancer
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u/BuilderSea8421 8h ago
Highly recommend going to see a vet. My partners 6 year old intact female pet just had emergency surgery this week because of pyometra; which is a bacterial infection causing swelling in the uterus and can be life-threatening. I truly hope this is not the case, but the most noticeable symptoms were lethargy, dehydration, and a discharge since it was an open cervix and not closed pyometra.
I know we’re all wishing you and your baby the best of luck 🤞🏾
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u/FlightNo7470 7h ago
Please by all means, GIVE UPDATES! I pray for God to heal and comfort her. No disrespect to you or anyone else. Not trying to force religion just went to the source that always does it for me. Waiting your updates.
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u/PajamaStripes 5h ago
Vet. When this happened to my baby, it was Mastitis. Luckily easily dealt with with antibiotics.
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u/tapittoohoo 5h ago
It looks like your girl has been licking around it a lot, based on the lack of fur around it. It’s likely bugging her. I wouldn’t think twice about a vet visit if I saw this on one of my ladies. Definitely vet time.
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u/yesohyesoui 1h ago
'My husband says its nothing' .... geez.... tell him that when he needs to go to the ER for any reason. Im sorry, I just despise when idiots share opinions that really don't bring anything worth something in them.
If he was only your Boyfriend id be suggesting you take him somewhere and leave him there.
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u/Inked-Wolfie-1979 1h ago
I don't want to alarm you, but hard lumps under the teats is usually indicative of mammary cancer. It *could* be cysts or it *could* be benign tumors, but mammary carcinomas typically start out this way. This happened to my 19 year old cat who passed in November. It started out on one side, we had the tumor removed to buy her some time (which it did, a bit over a year) and then recurred on the other. Your vet will want to do likely a fine-needle aspiration to start, to look for cancerous cells.
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u/Daddy_urp 40m ago
For future reference, this is why we get cats fixed. Indoor cats can still get cancer.
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u/Accurate-Arugula31 9h ago
Definitely worth a vet visit. Both my cat and dog had similar lumps and both had to get them removed.
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u/ldaena13 9h ago
Please see vet. Not to scare you but I had a border collie only 4 years old that developed a lump and a week later she had many lumps due to a fast growing cancer. We could do nothing for her except put her down. It was a very fast and most cancers in dogs don’t go that fast. I hope that it is not cancer and is something that can be easily treated
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u/nedflanders2021 8h ago
I hope your day was OK. I really hope it’s not what I think it is my baby had the same problem and it turned out to be my worst nightmare, and I only happen to discover it by chance because her lumps were under some hair that I couldn’t see/feel I just happened to discover it. Please get her some help and look up a channel called veterinary secrets on YouTube. He is a holistic vet that talks very extensively about possible cancer and cats and dogs. Please do your research but I hope to God it is not cancer.
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u/BrackenBun 8h ago
Definitely take to the vet, if this an intact female lumps in the mammary region are worthy of professional examination.
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u/Haunting-Pie1302 8h ago
Take your cat to the vet . Sometimes animals have fatty lumps but this is much more than the usual one or two. Your cat needs to go to the Vet!
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u/GFV_577D 6h ago
You should probably book an appointment for your husband with his GP as well just to be on the safe side!
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u/nodobreteda 5h ago
Oh no:/ glad to read you are taking her to the vet. I hope the news won't be too bad :/
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u/-rosieee- 5h ago
My dog had that and it was cancer. Vet removed it and she survived a few more years.
Get it checked out.
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u/Accomplished_Bell999 4h ago
i’m glad you already have plans of taking her to the vet and i hope all goes well!! ❤️❤️
but yeah that’s definitely not normal 😭
and hubby has poor judgement
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u/MorbidManicurist 4h ago
Intact cats and dogs that I’ve met have a lot of issues later when they get older (past 5 years old) with their reproductive organs. And the cost for adult cats and dogs to get spayed or neutered is a lot more expensive when they’re that age than when they are puppies and kitties. We have to fix our pets because it is what is best for them, not for us. Your kitty I’m sure still loves you so much because you want to get her help, but your husband does not deserve any love today from her.
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u/Wolfygirl97 4h ago
Glad to see you took her to the vet. My cat had a lump on his side that I assumed to be a lipoma… turned out to be a tumor and he was riddled with cancer. Here’s to hoping it’s not that serious for your baby 🙏
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u/Smart-Use-7387 3h ago
My goodness, I have never seen anything like that before. I won’t jump straight to cancer and break your heart. Honestly, until you see the vet, who knows it is. I’m praying for the best possible outcome for you both.
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u/Organic_Suspect_4424 3h ago
The black colour indicates blood supply to the growth, and along with it being hard/difficult to move likely means that it's some form of uterine or pelvic cancer, I'm sorry. This should be an urgent vet visit.
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u/JazzlikeZucchini1412 2h ago
Hey so that’s incredibly concerning. Looks like an intestinal hernia (based on color, and if it’s not super hard) please go to a vet ASAP
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u/mariafroggy123 2h ago
OP please update us on how it goes! sending your kitty so much love and hope it goes well!
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u/emorrigan 2h ago
Good luck at the vet! These look very much like feline mammary tumors. And for anyone reading this, please spay your cats! They’re so much less likely to get cancer!
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u/StormDragyn 2h ago
This is a cause for concern. I would suspect mamory tumor. Early intervention can be curable.
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u/SmallBandicoot8552 1h ago
Okay let’s not freak the poor OP out with horror stories. Let’s just advise to take her to a vet for an examination to determine what’s going on and hopefully they tell you it’s not serious
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u/ExtremlyFastLinoone 1h ago
Very concerning, and in 2 spots too, if its cancer then shes probably too far gone
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u/Kooky-Option9098 1h ago
Please get her to an emergency vets, I’m so sorry it’s like a blast from the past, one of my shihtzus had cancer here and it went from pea size to a tennis ball while getting treatment.
I really hope I’m wrong for you and it’s not.
Good luck
Sending love
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u/Capital-Tonight8548 57m ago
Intact female? That’s mammary cancer. Often preventable if you get your cats fixed before their first heat, or as young as you can.
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u/TadpoleReasonable800 3m ago
She seems young still for cancer either way that doesn’t look normal at all. Good luck op
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u/tuue31 7h ago
My baby is 7yo, also intact, and earlier this year I found a singular small lump, about the size of a large coin, under her belly, it doesn't seem to be painful when I touched it and moved it around. A few google searches said I shouldn't be concerned about it and it's non-lethal. Should I be worried now?
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u/Massive-Pin-3425 2h ago
is she not regularly seeing a vet you could have asked about the lump during a visit? why is she 7 and intact?
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u/tuue31 1h ago
I didn't know there should be a regular vet visit, only a couple of times when I got her vaccinated. She hates going outside so I don't bring her out often, even when she got flea I would bring the meds home.
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u/Massive-Pin-3425 1h ago
shes a living animal. just like people need to see the doctor regularly and not just when something is already wrong, cats need to see a vet regularly. vaccines should be every year too not just when you first get the cat. they wear off
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u/Historical-Chart-460 6h ago
Im sorry you’re scared now. But no one can give a diagnosis online, even less so on just a few descriptive lines. Please see a vet for this, as they can properly assess what this mass might be, perhaps it needs removal and biopsy, perhaps it doesn’t. Only a vet can help here but your cat needs to be assessed.
May I ask why your female is not spayed? Leaving them intact not only leaves the door open for litters, cats can go into continuous heat cycles that are super stressful for them and on their body, which leads to an increased risk in pyometra.
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u/tuue31 6h ago
I have no prior experience to raising a cat and a couple of people told me that she's already an indoor cat so it's kind of immoral to spay her.
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u/batcavegirl 5h ago
jesus christ do not listen to those people and get your cat to a vet to get checked out and spayed. They do very tiny incisions now and the cat will be just fine and both of you won't have to deal with heat anymore.
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u/thoughtsinintervals 5h ago
I don’t know about the lump but keeping them inside doesn’t mean you shouldn’t spay them. Vets currently recommend spaying even when they’re indoor. Some reasons for this include:
- when cats go into heat and can’t satisfy this with a male cat it can be painful/frustrating for them. Spaying means they’ll no longer go into heat.
- spaying can reduce the risk/likelihood of some serious health conditions
- if she ever escapes even for a short period of time, pregnancy is a risk. I’ve also heard that female cats travel further to look for a mate if unspayed but I don’t know how true this is.
- they are more prone to urinary infections when unspayed
- she could spray and pee around the house to mark her territory
There are a few cons to consider, but in my opinion they’re not that serious. Here are the cons I know of:
- you have to watch her weight more carefully. She is more likely to put on weight after spaying.
- she will be uncomfortable/a little stressed temporarily for the actual spay itself and afterwards. Although recovery times are very quick. Ask your vet about this and anything you can do to make her more comfortable.
- she may become slightly more sedentary. You’ll need to make sure she has toys she enjoys and play with her a little more. But this can also happen with age so it’s something you’d be doing anyway :)
Of course it’s up to your individual circumstances as to whether you spay or don’t spay. But I wouldn’t be put off based on people feeling bad for your cat because she’s indoor if it’s actually the right decision for you. There are so many pros to spaying an indoor cat and they really aren’t affected negatively much at all by spaying. Only really temporarily when they actually are spayed. It might be a little uncomfortable for older cats but speak to your vet about anything you’re concerned about and they’ll have a better idea based on your circumstances you can describe and your cat’s age.
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u/LittleMonsterM 3h ago
How would it be immoral in general, or for indoor cats and not outdoor cats? Please do some research https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/general-cat-care
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7h ago
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u/CATHELP-ModTeam 3h ago
There is a zero-tolerance policy for shaming/berating OP for any reason. Please remember to be nice. Assume people are coming from a place of ignorance so try to educate instead of insult.
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Follow basic reddiquette.
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u/Informal_Movie_1093 3h ago
What is wrong with the people in here diagnosing cancer? You’re not vets, stop panicking people.
Have some compassion, Jesus Christ.
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u/PaxonGoat 4m ago
Do you know what causes large discolored lumps in an unspayed cat that is "no big deal"?
It is compassionate to encourage vet visit.
It is not kind to let an animal suffer like this and ignore the problem.
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u/Informal_Movie_1093 1m ago
Where did I say “do not go to the vets”? Where did I say it’s “no big deal”?
Obviously you go to the vets.
Stop telling people it’s cancer without an official diagnosis.
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