Cat biting herself (bleeding) on a nodular mass - refusing medication - photo

@feralvr, you are right. I have been thinking about the same thing all afternoon.
I thought maybe I put a bandage around the wound to cover it for a couple of hours while eats and drinks and grooms herself and then put the collar back. I called the vet and asked him and he siad NO NO sure not! I said just for an hour everyday and he insisted it's a No!

I also thought that I actually puy a collar for the wound instead of her neck but it is not "doable" because of the location of the wound close to the legs.

What if I put the collar backward? She will still be able to turn back and reach the wound I am assuming....


She is turning her face to food..... the vet says all that is ok and normal but I don't feel it's right for her!!!

You just have to leave the collar on, :-(. I know it is very hard on both of you, but you must follow what the vet says. They see people all the time who cannot do "tough love" for their pets. The fact that your kitty has already licked the wound and bitten at it, makes it clear that she will not leave the wound alone. Once it is healed you can ask the vet about switching your cat to wearing an undershirt. I used that for my kitty Lulu when she was recovering from surgery. Her fur got matted but she did not mind the shirt. Here is her picture. It is actually a kind of tube bandage used in animal hospitals and they just cut the front legs out and put it over her incision. There is also a bandage underneath the tube. This is a different case than with your kitty but maybe at some point you can switch to that later. 

hhi everyone I have great news!!!

I found lucy trying to eat and drink this morning. I think she is starting to adapt. And she allowed me to cuddle her neck.

As for the medicine, we have a local saying "need is the mother of invention". I crashed the medicine into one drop of nutrigel and wiped it on her lips (forcefully of course(. And she has no option but to growl and lick it!!!

I know this means not a 100% of the medicine is there but at least most of it!

I also added a drop of water to some of her dry food to make it fluffy and squeeze d the other meds into it. I will see if she will eat it. If not ill wipe it with gel.


I will ask the doc for the shirt... if the gel trick works then we should go on Tuesday. ..

I can't wait to hear what he says about the nodule ... I will let you all know what he says. I am sure your advice will be of great support

A hiss from my angry princess lucy

I am glad she is adjusting to the cone.  All cats hate them and it takes time for them to figure out the eating and to resign themselves to it.

Glad to hear Lucy is trying to eat!

Continued vibes....

Great to hear that she adjusting to wearing the e-collar!! You must be so relieved that she is eating and drinking. It can only get better from here! that her wound continues to heal up completely. :cross:

I just came back from the vet's. I left Lucy there.
The vet advised that he operates and removes the tumour. We did the same operation last year but here it is coming up again! Knowing that the biopsy last year didn't show any cancer.

He said that if she had not bit herself and opened the tumour we would just leave it but now she will continue opening the wound. ..


Everybody here in the family is telling me I am putting her through a lot of suffering by operating and that I should just let it be and let her live in peace.

I am so confused. I don't know what to do.

We did a blood test and it seems all her organs are fine so there is less anaesthesia danger...

But then what? It will grow again? And we keep cutting through her?

I'm surprised your vet didn't help more. If this was me, my vet would come to my house daily if necessary instead of causing Lucy such trauma. Let's hope all will be well now.
I read in another thread that one cat owner that also had trouble with the collar used a cardboard picnic plate and cut a hole in it. The cat could eat with no problem and couldn't get to the sore! I thought that was very ingenious. I hope Lucy will be okay.

I think now just leaving it be isn't really a good option.  Maybe it wasn't all removed the first time.  I know in people skin related cysts have a nasty habit of coming back in the same spot.  I have had one come back in the same spot as did my father.  I have read that there is a genetic component to the type of cysts that my father and I have had.

I hope this is indeed a cyst!!! But the vet kept talking cancer cancer cancer he even said he wants to startss chimio after the surgery which I ofc refused. I would refuse it on myself as well!let alone the poor furr ball!

She must be so stressed this is the first time she stays out at night. She must be so scared thinking I abandoned her or smth. ...

What is making me most confused is that last year's biopsy confirmed it was non cancer tumour - details in my first post.

I feel so guilty leaving her there

Poor Lucy.    I know I've mentioned this already, but if it were my cat, I'd probably get a second opinion. 

I'm asking the vet to do a biopsy for the mass he will remove tomorrow.... it is midnight over here. I hope lucy is not too stressed and sad.

So were they going to operate on her right away, or what?  Will she be able to come home tomorrow? 

that it is NOT cancerous, that it does NOT return, and that everything soon gets back to normal. 

He first checked her last week and he started antibiotics and anti inflammatory medicine + the cone.
We were hoping not to operate but he saw that there is high risk of infection so he advised to operate. He will remove it tomorrow noon.

@goholistic. This vet is my second opinion. The first one said just leave it...I left it, a few weeks and she started licking, I thought it is normal but then she started biting it until we had the wound and here we are.

she hissed and fought so hard today... I am so sorry Lucy. I hope she knows that...

Oh, okay.....thanks for clarifying. I was trying to read through the thread again.

that everything goes okay tomorrow and that this darn mass doesn't return! 

It will be alright and you are doing the right thing for Lucy. :nod: Hopefully the vet will get good margins so that in fact will help reduce the chances of the tumor/cyst coming back again. :cross: One step at a time here! Let's just wait to see what the biopsy report shows. If it was not cancer last year, then I doubt it is cancer once again. It is common for benign tumors to return, unfortunately. Lucy knows you love her and are doing what it best for her. The cyst needs to removed once again or she may never leave it alone enough to heal. I would be doing the same thing if Lucy were mine and hope that helps. It is very hard on us when they have a medical problem or issue in trying to know what to do and to what extent. Try not to listen to the nay-sayers and do what you think is in the best interest of Lucy. I think it is good that you are trying another new vet. :nod: Always a good idea to get a second opinion. Hopefully this new vet is a really, really good vet and one you can trust to give you support, good medical advice, and good options without making decisions for you on this particular issue. Keep us posted on the surgery.

I also think it is a good idea to just remove it especially since she will not leave it alone and so the infection risk is high.

Some cats that are nervous just bite at themselves even if they do not have a cyst. So it is good that you are removing it.

This would be a good time to ask the vet about using a bandage with the tube shirt to cover it at least for the first few days.

However, your cat does seem to be obsessive about that spot, so if they send you home with the cone, I would just go with that.

Also, maybe you could ask the vet about additionally applying some bad tasting stuff on the wound- some kind of acrid stuff- so that she will not enjoy licking it. And explain that she seems to be obsessed with that area. I believe there are products like that.

Thank you all for your thoughts and support....
I took note of your suggestions and will be discussing them with the vet tomorrow.

She is a tough girl.

Will be posting an update when we get back tomorrow.

Checking in on Lucy this morning. :cross: :cross:

Hi Feralvr and all,
Thanks for checking!
Lucy had a 4 hours operation!!! It was a bit tough because it was right on the muscle.
The vet sent the mass for biopsy and he preferred keeping her in tonight to stay under surveillance and he put serum for her...
He had other operations after hers so he asked me to discuss it tomorrow when I take her...
I am so anxious I can't wait to see her and to hear what he has to say!!

TThanks a lot for being there!
Puurrs from lucy