My cat has a red, swollen bottom lip

[pompster]

Last night when my 2 year old cat was looking up, I noticed her bottom lip was red and swollen, almost shiny in appearance, but it doesn't look ulcerated like a sore, just fat. She's eating and acting normally, still purring and loving her fuss. I've only had her for 3 months and don't know her full history as she came from a cat rescue centre who'd only had her a few days.

I've been Googling and it suggests a condition called Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex which can flare up due to allergic reaction to flea bites or something else. She was Frontlined last weekend but when stroking her neck last night I felt a slightly matted bit, and when I gently pulled at it (which didn't bother her at all, she slept through it!) a few strands of fur came out which had some black specks in it, so maybe she had had a few on her which have bitten.

She has her wet food in a ceramic bowl and dry in a plastic one, I also read that plastic bowls can cause allergic reaction so I've now swapped it for a different one.

I'm at work at the moment, if the lip hasn't gone down by tomorrow I'm going to go the vets to get it checked - just wondered if anyone else's cat has had this before, I'm sat here worrying! Will try and add a pic later.

[Kreeshsheesh]

My cat had exactly this a few years ago and it was an allergic reaction to flea bites. The vet simply treated her with frontline and she was absolutely fine. The way to check for fleas is to dab the black specks (flea poos!) with some damp cotton wool. There will be small reddish blood stains if it is indeed fleas. I hope it can be cleared up quickly.

[villainousbroodmare]

Dr Google is correct. You have a flea problem. You'll need to put some money and effort into tackling it in your home as well as on the cat. Just one of those things.

[pompster]

Thanks guys. Now looking into de-fleaing the house methods. Hoover and washing everything tonight I think and purchasing a house spray and/or flea bomb!

[villainousbroodmare]

Yep. Concentrate on woodwork, soft furnishings, skirting boards, and obviously the places where the cat likes to rest. Remove or cover any bird cage or aquarium if using environmental flea spray/ bomb/ whatever. Regular veterinary (not pet shop) flea treatment for the cat and any other dogs or cats at the same time. Not something to be worrying over anyway. Just a pain in the neck.

[thecatneuterer]

Yes I have a feral cat that gets this as an allergic reaction to flea bites. It is a bit of a problem catching her to but flea drops on.

What flea stuff do you use at the moment? As villainous said only the 'proper' vet type stuff works. Off the shelf does not only doesn't work but can also be dangerous to, and even kill, your cat.

So you need Advantage/Broadline/Advocat/Stronghold. And for a spray Indorex or Acclaim.

[pompster]

I've been using advantage she was last treated last weekend and I've been keeping her up to date since I adopted her but from what I've read it's still possible for them to be bitten. Going to get some indorex but it only seems to be available online?

[thecatneuterer]

That's strange then. It's unlikely you have fleas in your house if you've kept her up to date. You can buy Indorex from vets and chemists I believe.

[villainousbroodmare]

If the black specks bloom into little red marks when combed out onto wet cotton wool or tissue, then it is fleas. Though you've been doing your best with the Advantage. Were you able to get it right onto her skin? You do need to treat the environment if you have this sort of problem. Also remember that a bite or two from a free-ranging flea is enough to spark a hypersensitivity rxn in a susceptible animal.

[cosytoaster]

Mine had this a few years ago, the vet gave her antibiotics (I think) and said it was just something some cats were prone to and that it would probably happen again at some stage (it hasn't). He didn't mention fleas but she does get them occasionally and they're increasingly difficult to eliminate.

[pompster]

I think the treatment i gave last weekend was two weeks overdue, looking at my diary. So maybe she did get infested during that time, but if the Advantage last weekend worked it's odd she's possibly reacting to a bite now. Unless it was a free roaming flea like villain suggested.

The black specks were on the fur at side of her neck which she can't really reach when grooming herself so possibly left over from a previous infestation. Thanks for the advice on Indorex will try a pharmacy on my way home.

[Olinguito]

Mine cat gets this from time to time - I've mentioned it to the vet who thinks it's an allergic reaction, but as it goes away by itself he isn't too concerned. She also gets scabs on her neck from scratching over vigorously, so I think she gets an itchy neck when it occurs too.

It's really hard to pinpoint what causes it, but like you I've removed any plastic eating bowls and ensured she doesn't have fleas. I think that my cat reacts to fishy food (particularly Sheba) and I'm also pretty sure that scented cat litter triggers it.