Lump on cat's jaw? Please help -- very distressed :(

Hello all, I am new to this forum because I am seeking some advice.

My kitty, Whiskers, is about 15 years old. She was diagnosed with CKD in March a year ago. So far she has been doing very well. She gets subcutaneous fluid, medication, and all the works. We recently discovered her chin had changed. There is a lump on it that is quite hard. She has started drooling too. She was never a drooler. She behaves normally, eats normally, and doesn't appear to have lost any weight. She purrs like an engine when petted and loves her treats. We're very concerned and have no idea what this could be. We got a call from our specialist veterinarian and they suggested she see an oncologist, which worries the heck out of me. 

If anyone has experience with this type of situation, please let me know what happened. Some reassurance would be appreciated.

The only kind I've run into are abscesses. Despite the pus and fluid inside they can be very hard at the surface ( and sometimes underneath). But they are generally caused by something like a claw puncture. I've had to open a few and it's pretty messy ( and smelly). Not recommended unless you are sure that's what it is and you know what you're doing. Is the area warm to the touch? Is it anywhere near her teeth ( especially where it'd be below the gumline. You should take a look inside her mouth and see if anything's visible. If her gums are pale I'd make that appointment pretty quickly. With older cats almost anything could be going on. Don't panic yet. If you could get her temp. You'd have a better idea if there's an infection ( abscess) going on, or even a rotting tooth.

There are just too many things it COULD be, a spider bite, an abscessed tooth,and I hate to say it, but a tumor. Since it hasn't been a long time, most everything can be removed or taken care of, you just have to find out what it is. My Burt used to look like that, and still does, every summer when he messes with the wasps and gets stung. I'll definitely say a prayer for your precious Whiskers. What a beautiful calico! Good luck and keep us posted!

Di and Bob said:

 
There are just too many things it COULD be, a spider bite, an abscessed tooth,and I hate to say it, but a tumor. Since it hasn't been a long time, most everything can be removed or taken care of, you just have to find out what it is. My Burt used to look like that, and still does, every summer when he messes with the wasps and gets stung. I'll definitely say a prayer for your precious Whiskers. What a beautiful calico! Good luck and keep us posted!

Click to expand...

Thank you for responding. I honestly hope so. My family does not have the money to go through expensive procedures. I am hoping and praying it's not a tumor, and if it is I'm hoping it's benign. Thank you.

UPDATE: My brother is a medical student who spent time volunteering at an animal hospital. He felt her lump and said it's likely a tumor. I have no idea where to go now. I am against euthanization because I believe it's not in my hands to decide. So far she is eating, drinking, acting normal. She has CKD, and surgery seems out of the question. Can anyone offer up some advice or anything I can do?

First you have to get her diagnosed, it could be benign. I had a cat that had advanced mouth cancer (someone dumped him, I suspect because of the drooling) but we gave him a warm bed and love and he lived for over a year. Prednisone was a Godsend. It reduced his swelling and he even quit drooling. He ran like a kitten again. Don't let anyone tell you to not give it long term, they worry about long term side effects,but a cat with cancer HAS no long term so we thought it was worth the chance and it was.It can cause kidney  or liver issues but to see him so happy again it was right to take the chance. I think your next step is to see a vet and get an opinion, even if it is cancer, you might have caught it soon enough to operate. Good luck, I'll pray for a recovery.

My cat had a very very similar lump & also started drooling & bleeding a bit. It turned out to be jaw cancer. It was diagnosed with an x ray. You could see that the bone in that area looked broken up & not solid and bright white like the rest. Sadly, she passed a few weeks later. There was really nothing we could do other than give her pain meds & antibiotics to prevent infection. 

You can see here how her lip was pulling down because the lump was growing. Hopefully it's something totally different for your sweet kitty. Just thought I'd include a photo for reference or for anyone in the future who reads this.

Thank you everyone for replying. We're trying to make an appointment with an oncologist and hopefully we can do something for her. I think it's worth it to try to prolong her life. We are going to start a GoFundMe fundraiser for her so we can get some help in paying her bills...we've spent more money than we can afford on her medication and vet visits. If anyone is interested in donating, that would be great. I will link it (if this is allowed) and any help is appreciated. Your thoughts and prayers for Whiskers are also well-appreciated. Hopefully my sweet girl has a solution to her issue.