Bumps/sacks on neck?

I felt some bumps on my cat, Maggie's, neck yesterday and finally got a good look at them today. They are the size/color/feel of a raisin protruding from her neck. I'm thinking they might be ticks but I have no idea? All our cats are strictly indoors. However, Maggie got outside briefly two weeks ago when a screen fell out of a window. Could it be possible that she got ticks then and we are just now noticing them?

I am calling the vet first thing in the morning, but just curious if you guy's might have any ideas what they might be? Thanks!

If you touch it do they move?

Sometimes the big ticks like that don't really move. Can you take a picture and post it? My dogs used to get them on occassion when I lived in east Texas. They do kind of look and feel like raisins, except the ones my dogs would get were kind of gray in color.

They don't move much once they're on and engorged....but they do have little legs sticking out their sides. Do you see any legs?

2 weeks is a long time to still see ticks. They usually only stay on for a few days, then once they're engorged they drop off and go lay their eggs somewhere. They're usually brown before they eat, then turn gray when they're full of blood. If they're not ticks I don't know what it could possibly be.

Ugh. I hate ticks.

Ew, I did not know that is why they turn gray...

Originally Posted by Britt0285

Ew, I did not know that is why they turn gray...

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I think they turn gray because they're stretched out and when something is stretched it turns a lighter color, like a balloon. But yeah, at that point they are full of blood....ewww. I really hate ticks.

What about cysts? My mothers cat had a protruding mass on her neck just about the size you describe.

The vet removed and she never had another.

Thanks for your replies! Took her to the vet this morning and it turned out to indeed be ticks. Yuck!

Two weeks? Exactly? That's a little long. I think you or the cat may have brought them in and they'd been hiding in the house for a few days before they attached. Did the vet have you treat Maggie with Revolution or Advantage Multi? If not, I'd call them and ask if you can go pick some up tomorrow in case there are any ticks in the house or any that might hitch hike in on you.

Eww! Can you say Lyme Disease? I would also treat any other animals and be mindful of you and other humans in the house. Ticks are nothing to fool with re: disease.

Originally Posted by AddieBee

Eww! Can you say Lyme Disease? I would also treat any other animals and be mindful of you and other humans in the house. Ticks are nothing to fool with re: disease.

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The main carrier of Lyme is the tick nymphs due to them feeding on rodents at that stage, you'll never see them because they're so tiny. Other tick born diseases can be carried by the adults and nymphs.

At first I misread that as suggesting to treat the humans, too.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

The main carrier of Lyme is the tick nymphs due to them feeding on rodents at that stage, you'll never see them because they're so tiny. Other tick born diseases can be carried by the adults and nymphs.

At first I misread that as suggesting to treat the humans, too.

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Of course... put some Revolution or whatever on the back of your neck!!! LOL!

Ugh, I WISH we could use Revolution on ourselves! Every time I walk the dogs in the country I find at least one tick on me. Eww, ick, ack.

Did I mention I really hate ticks?

Glad to hear that it wasn't something serious. We don't have Lyme Disease in this area so I've never had to consider it, but I do understand that it's not the big ticks that carry it. There are other tick-borne diseases, though, so keep an eye out for weird symptoms.