Sore on cats lip?

[Krienze]

Morning all. I've been pretty stressed all night.

Last night I noticed Sammy's bottom lip looked puffy, so I snapped some photos. At first I thought it was a bite, but if you look in the photos where he has a dark spot on the side, if I pull it down he has a sore there. It's the same color. I didn't notice at first because he does have some dark spots on his gums and lips naturally so I assumed it was just that. But the sore + the puffy bottom lip has me VERY confused.

He's not lethargic or anything, he's eating/drinking fine and using his litter box. Just ran through the house chasing the kitten. His behavior doesn't seem off.

I can't imagine he's had this long, I'm really hyper aware with my animals because of how paranoid I am so this would have to be pretty recent.

Sorry I can't get a better picture. He's never been the most agreeable cat when it comes to sitting still for me.

Today is sunday though and there is no way I can get him to the vet before at least monday. Do you guys think this is emergent? I stayed up with him for about 5 hours and it didn't appear to be getting any bigger.

This is my baby. I love all my cats but... this dude was born in my bathtub. I have such a connection with him, I'm so worried. >.<

 

[verna davies]

It could be a rodent ulcer, sometimes caused by allergies. They are easily cured but will need to see your vet.

 

[di and bob]

It still may be a spider/wasp bite. As long as he is acting normally, still eating/drinking/using the litter box it is not an emergency. it's too late now, but if you see him like this in the future and he is breathing very fast, and his skin is crawling, he may be having a bad reaction to any further stings. I keep capsules of Benadryl around just for this, my cat looked just like this, but he started having bad reactions after that with further bites. 1mg per pound of cat is used, make sure they are the 25mg capsules. 1/2capsule will do a 12.5 lb cat. Make sure you ask your vet about it. Benadryl makes them foam at the mouth because it is very bitter, so watch that. I syringed it in, just mix with a tiny bit of water. Try to use a small syringe and get it at the back of the throat, though that is hard with a cat.

 

[Krienze]

It could be a rodent ulcer, sometimes caused by allergies. They are easily cured but will need to see your vet.

Our vet is closed at the moment, because it's Sunday - is this something that is emergent or can he wait until Monday?

I'm so stressed - I feel like emergencies only ever pop up on days where I can't get them to the vet!

It still may be a spider/wasp bite. As long as he is acting normally, still eating/drinking/using the litter box it is not an emergency. it's too late now, but if you see him like this in the future and he is breathing very fast, and his skin is crawling, he may be having a bad reaction to any further stings. I keep capsules of Benadryl around just for this, my cat looked just like this, but he started having bad reactions after that with further bites. 1mg per pound of cat is used, make sure they are the 25mg capsules. 1/2capsule will do a 12.5 lb cat. Make sure you ask your vet about it. Benadryl makes them foam at the mouth because it is very bitter, so watch that. I syringed it in, just mix with a tiny bit of water. Try to use a small syringe and get it at the back of the throat, though that is hard with a cat.

He's breathing fine. He stays with me all the time so if he had started breathing heavily I would have noticed right away so I'm fairly sure I can safely say that never happened.

We do have a few little syringes I could use if I need to give him benedryl. We keep a mass amount of that because we like to be prepared for our dogs if a snake bite happens, or if our one dog gets stung by a wasp (he's allergic) but I've never had to give one to a cat before.

Did your cat have a sore too? If I pull Sammy's lip down, you can see the sore better but he won't let me do that+ take a picture. I don't think it's because he's hurt, but rather he just hates me poking at him in general and never likes to stay still.

 

[di and bob]

There can be, I really didn't check that close. It could be that whatever got him was inside his mouth at the time, even a rodent. Please breathe easy, a cat in trouble or in pain does not act normal.

 

[verna davies]

I agree with di and bob , if he was in pain, he would be hiding or acting different. Give the vet a call in the morning, please try not to stress.

 

[Krienze]

There can be, I really didn't check that close. It could be that whatever got him was inside his mouth at the time, even a rodent. Please breathe easy, a cat in trouble or in pain does not act normal.

I don't think it was a rodent. We have five cats and I'll be honest, in the 6 years we've been living in this specific house, I've never seen a rodent inside or outside. Our last house, our cats would catch them ALL the time, but here never. I never even see droppings.

Wasps and Spiders however... x.x Yeah. We've had several wasps get in so far this summer. It's possible he got stung, I suppose! Or bitten by a spider. He's normalish still this morning and there's no difference in his swelling. He slept with me as usual last night and seems to rest comfortably, not restless at all.

I agree with di and bob , if he was in pain, he would be hiding or acting different. Give the vet a call in the morning, please try not to stress.

I'm trying. It's just crazy. I swear everytime something happens, it happens on a Sunday or on a day where weather is so bad places close early. I know rationally that my animals do not do this on purpose, but sometimes... just sometimes I wonder if they do, just for laughs at my expense.

He's laying with me right now in his little bed under my desk and he just let me lift his chin to look at him, so I don't think he's in pain.

He's a sweet cat but when he's in pain or annoyed he's VERY vocal and will smack/bite to let you know to back the heck off, so I think if he was in pain, I'd have gotten bit.

 

[verna davies]

Although it sounds like a bite from a rodent, a rodent ulcer is usually caused by a reaction to food, fleas or bacterial infection (no living rodents involved whatsoever) One of mine had two during her lifetime and a visit to the vet sorted her out in no time. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Krienze]

Although it sounds like a bite from a rodent, a rodent ulcer is usually caused by a reaction to food, fleas or bacterial infection (no living rodents involved whatsoever) One of mine had two during her lifetime and a visit to the vet sorted her out in no time. Let us know how you get on.

....Food?!

We had a few unexpected expenses this week and had to write a check to buy them food at the supermarket (normally they eat Tiki Cat/Nulo wet food and Merrick's dry food) but the last few days he's been eating Purina Beyond Would that cause a sore on his lip though???

 

[verna davies]

Maybe, there could be something in it that he has had a reaction to. Cats are strange!!

 

[Krienze]

Maybe, there could be something in it that he has had a reaction to. Cats are strange!!

Jasper, my tabby, has gotten allergic reactions on his leg to friskies treats before but never on his mouth. I'm going to keep an eyeon Sammy today and see if I can get a better picture/see if it gets worse etc. Will call vet tomorrow. If it's something as simple as the food that'd be a relief.

None of the other cats have had any reactions that I've seen at least, though I did notice Milo has been sneezing a bit (but that could be allergies, we have HIGH pollen atm)

 

[Krienze]

I believe it has gotten a little bigger. Should I give him a benedryl? I'm afraid to give him one if it's not an allergic reaction

EDIT: Do I need to worry about things like his throat swelling too?
SECOND EDIT: ...I put some coconut oil on the spots. He's licking it.

 

[ramscici]

I was also going to suggest rodent ulcers as a possibility. Obviously I’m not a vet and it should be properly evaluated by one, but my cat Celeste also had rodent ulcers on her lip and we found out it was an allergic reaction to gums in pates, usually guar gum. It was a long road of trial and error though.

Edit: I also feed Tiki Cat because they mostly have no gums or thickening agents in their wet food. Check and see if there are any weird things in the Purina Beyond. Especially as you’ve recently changed his food, he could be reacting to something in the new stuff.

 

[Krienze]

I was also going to suggest rodent ulcers as a possibility. Obviously I’m not a vet and it should be properly evaluated by one, but my cat Celeste also had rodent ulcers on her lip and we found out it was an allergic reaction to gums in pates, usually guar gum. It was a long road of trial and error though.

Edit: I also feed Tiki Cat because they mostly have no gums or thickening agents in their wet food. Check and see if there are any weird things in the Purina Beyond. Especially as you’ve recently changed his food, he could be reacting to something in the new stuff.

Yeah I didn't give him ANY of it today, just wet food we had.

I looked at his lip again and I think I was wrong, I don't think he has a sore after all. Just a swollen bottom lip

 

[verna davies]

Any update, did you manage to get the vet to look at the lip?

 

[Krienze]

Any update, did you manage to get the vet to look at the lip?

Unable to get to the vet today because of weather. We did call, but the vet said they'd have to see him to diagnose him.

I thought this morning that maybe the swelling had gone down but now looking at it, I'm not sure =/ Maybe there is no difference.

He's still eating/drinking and he's relaxing, so he doesn't seem distressed at all

 

[Krienze]

does anyone know how much would be safe to give Sammy if i give him benedryl? i wanna say he weighs prob more than 15 pounds

 

[Krienze]

So this was day 1:

This is day 2:

Can someone not insane like I am tell me if it looks bigger or the same? I honestly can't tell.

 

[verna davies]

The photos are taken at different angles but
I think it looks just slightly bigger on day two.

 

[Krienze]

Another of day 2.

He does not like me holding a camera in front of his face x.x

I tried to check his teeth to see if it was possibly an abscess, but he won't let me prod too much - which is pretty normal for him. Still, I rubbed some more coconut oil on it.

I still haven't given him a benedryl, because I have no idea how to. I've never had to give a cat some before =/