Why can I feel my cat's shoulder blades near its neck? Is it normal?

You might be feeling the manubrium, which is the top of the sternum, in this area. A little higher up are the bones of the larynx and hyoid apparatus. https://www.k-state.edu/organismic/cat_skeleton.htm

Hello. Feeling Gideon's backbone is not normal for a healthy young cat. There may be some issues going on with him that go beyond just feeding him more. Underlying disease or parasites or some type of maldigestion syndrome may be occurring. It may also just be his body type, but I would encourage you to have Gideon seen by your veterinarian to make sure all is well. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is very hard to assess that from just pictures. In one of the pictures that you can see her right side she looks ok though it really takes an examination and palpation to be able to say it accurately. You want to be able to feel the ribs easily though they should not be prominent. That is one of the things we evaluate when assessing body condition score. Your veterinarian could easily tell you with an examination. Good luck!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry for your concerns about Rocky. This appears to be a small cystic nodule, probably not cancerous, but all lumps & bumps should be evaluated by your veterinarian. A small sample taken with a very small needle can be examined under a microscope to see if there is anything to be worried about. You can watch this for a while, but if it suddenly should enlarge, please have it looked at. Take care.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. It is difficult to say if her weight is appropriate without seeing her. It is best for her to see her veterinarian to have her weighed and a body condition score determined. From there, recommendations can be made regarding her weight. Ideally, the spine should be able to be felt, but should not be prominent. I hope this information helps!

Hi there. You're correct that being able to feel the backbone or hip bones more easily than normal when petting your cat is a common early sign of weight loss. This could be caused by a number of different things - she may have some type of infection, a systemic illness like liver or kidney disease, or a GI problem like inflammatory bowel disease or chronic pancreatitis (weight loss can be the only symptom of these issues, in some cats). I would recommend taking Narla back to the vet for another exam to discuss your concerns and see if she has lost weight since last time. Your veterinarian may recommend blood work, x-rays, or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly normal. However, it is too difficult to know that just based on this picture as it is a bit blurry. I would recommend you consider sending another picture so that this can be looked at more closely. We are looking forward to hearing from you again. Best of luck!