My cat has a swollen lip and is a picky eater. What should I do?

This is a common look for cats who are allergic to their food bowls -- if any of his bowls are plastic, I'd recommend switching them out for glass and washing daily (or at least every other day). It could be caused by other allergies or a bug bite as well, and often goes away on it's own. If switching bowls (if applicable) and giving it a week doesn't make it go away, I'd recommend a vet visit.

I am sorry to hear that! I do think going to the vet would be a good idea. Cats can get many types of lumps at their mouths. From your description one thing I would want to rule out is eosinophilic plaques. These can be caused by allergies so getting on a low allergen food (I would recommend prescription due to cross-contamination at the manufacturing level) and medications can be vital! Of course it is hard to tell without looking at her so your vet may want to rule tests or take a biopsy first! I hope this helps!

From the photos it looks like Xena has a "rodent ulcer" (aka: eosinophilic granuloma complex). It is best to have her checked out by your regular veterinarian to get a definitive diagnosis and treatment. ( https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951528 ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

She could have an eosinophilic granuloma which is common in cats and can be caused by an allergic response. The lesion may become ulcerated and is typically treated with a corticosteroid. If she has any fleas then she should be treated for fleas. You could also put her on a hypoallergenic diet and see if that helps. Try to find a low cost clinic or a vet that would take a payment plan so you can get her treated. If she just needs a corticosteroid then it shouldn't be very expensive. Hope she gets better soon!

Yes a spider bite can cause a swelling. the swelling does not look very extensive so likely was not caused by one of the "nasty" spiders such as a black widow or a brown recluse. If your kitty, however, starts getting abdominal pain (rigid belly) or the swelling starts to change color, then a visit at the emergency room is the next step. If Maisey eats, drinks, lets you touch the swelling and otherwise does not act ill, then I think you have nothing to worry about and the swelling should go away within a day or so.

Hello and thank you for taking such good care of Rosie. I really appreciate you taking the time to submit pictures of her lips and mouth. Cats can sometimes get the same kinds of mouth and lip diseases that people get. Perhaps she bumped it against something or scraped it on rough surface as she was being curious. Another reason for swollen lips are possible allergic reactions to insect bites or noxious substances. In addition, dental disease or improper teeth occlusion can can cause lip abrasions. My best advice is this: As long as she is eating, drinking, and playing normally, give the lip 3 days to improve and get smaller. If there is no improvement in that time, or if the lip gets bigger in the meantime, please have her seen by your veterinarian for a thorough oral examination. I hope this helps. Thanks for your question.

Max needs to be examined by the veterinarian today. Pets have to be in a lot of pain not to eat. There are a few different things that could cause a lesion like this including: A tooth root abscess https://www.petcoach.co/article/periodontal-disease-in-cats/ Chin acne that's infected https://www.petcoach.co/article/feline-acne-signs-diagnosis-and-treatment-of-chin-blackheads-in-c/ Indolent Ulcer https://www.petcoach.co/article/eosinophilic-disease-in-cats/ These conditions are all treated differently and an exam is the first step to figure out the cause. Max will also get medication which will help him to feel better and start eating and drinking. Remember that dehydration can set in quickly and will make Max feel even worse so it's important that he feels better quickly so that he will resume his normal drinking and eating. I hope this helps and that Max feel better quickly.