lump on chest - anyone had this

[tina23]

My Tucker is a snuggler that loves his belly rubbed.  I noticed the other day that he has a lump sort of under his front armpit towards his chest.  It is about the size of a small peanut.  It doesn't hurt him and he seems fine (other than he has FHS and is on meds for it).  Anyway - I'm not too worried about this, was just wondering if anyone else had ever noticed this on their cats? 

 

[otto]

Is it near or where a nipple would be? Male cats can get breast cancer too, though it is rare.

I recommend a trip to the vet. Lumps should always been investigated.

(my experience with lumps: My Ootay had a small lump on her hip. It was under the skin and didn't move around. Vet took measurements and said we'd watch it, if I noticed any growth, to bring her right in. It stayed the same size (about a half inch long) for about six months, then suddenly got bigger.

I brought her right in, it was removed and biopsied, and it was a malignant lymphoma. She never had a recurrence.)

 

[tina23]

Thanks Otto - I can always count on you for a response

It is up higher than the nipples, about even with his front legs (an armpit, if cats had them).  It's actually in a spot that if he wasn't such a snuggler, I probably never would have even noticed it.  Oh, and it does move around - stays in one spot but isn't connected to any bone or anything.

He just went to the vet for his check up to get his meds refilled about 2 weeks before I noticed this.  I don't really want to traumatize him with another vet visit unless I really need to.  I was going to keep an eye on it for a while.  I almost wonder if it is a swollen lymph node or just a benign cyst.   Just thought I would see if anyone else has seen this kind of thing. 
 

 

[otto]

I wondered about swollen lymph nodes too, not knowing where they are in cats but....a swollen lymph node is definitely something that should be checked out.

Hopefully it's just a fatty deposit, but if the vet didn't notice it two weeks ago, it must have come up fast. I know what you mean about not wanting to put him through more stress...some cats have such a hard time going to the vet. Mazy is like that. I mean, none of my cats like it of course, but for Mazy cat....it's really rough on her.

If you have a tape measure, you can take a measurement and then check it once a week for growth but...I dunno, I'd feel better having it looked at by the vet.

 

[tina23]

The vet didn't really do a thorough exam so she wouldn't have noticed it.  Supposedly she can't refill a prescription without seeing the cat at least once a year, so I took him in, she asked how he was doing and refilled the meds.  $35 and a wasted 45 minutes. 

I hadn't noticed it before, but like I said it is in a spot you wouldn't really notice so it could be new or he could have had it for years???
 

He does NOT travel well.  3 years ago we moved from Kansas to coastal Alabama (15 hours).  I gave him a sedative and put him in a cat carrier and I was right next to him in the car - he cried like a banshee.  I put a sheet over the carrier thinking if he couldn't see maybe he would calm down - ha. Within one hour in to the drive he had tried to claw the sheet into the carrier trying to get out and to me that he literally pulled out 5 of his claws. Blood everywhere.  When I noticed this I took him out of the carrier and held him in my lap in a towel (luckily my hubby was driving)  and he was perfectly happy the rest of the trip (such a momma's boy).  So now if we take him to the vet we both have to go because I can't put him in a carrier.  He cries bloody murder the whole way.  In Kansas we had a wonderful vet that would come to our house - so much easier!