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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Kitten with lump on head

55 replies

BehindTheScenesAtTheMumseum · 15/09/2013 22:27

So worried about my lovely little kitten, a lump appeared on his head early last week, which just looked like a little spot at first but it grew quickly and by the end of the week was about the size of a large pea and looked a bit sore. There was also a second growth appearing next to it. We took him in to the vet yesterday - she was flummoxed and said the only way to find out what it is is to do a biopsy, so tomorrow he is going in for a biopsy under ga.Sad I'm so shocked - I fully expected her to just brush it off as nothing, but she mentioned feline tuberculosis and cancer among other possibilities (she was really nice about it but I think she felt she had to mention all the possibilities as she said lumps like this are so unusual.) I've now convinced myself he has something horrible and feel so upset about it. We've only had him for 2 1/2 weeks but we all love him so much already, I can't bear to think of something being seriously wrong with him.

Does anyone have any experience of lumps like this? He is otherwise totally healthy, eating well and very active so hopefully that means it can't be anything too awful? I'm dreading tomorrow. Sad

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 15/09/2013 22:46

I've never had lumps in a kitten - older cats yes and, so far, they've all been fatty lumps/benign growths.

You've done all you can by getting him to the vet quickly and now, I fear, you just have to wait for the biopsy results. Stay strong for him and the best of luck.

Let us know how he gets on.

Original poster
BehindTheScenesAtTheMumseum · 15/09/2013 22:56

Thanks cozietozie. I'm guessing we will have to wait for a few days for the results. We have been through a sad time as a family recently and getting a kitten was supposed to be part of putting it behind us and helping the children so I think we would be VERY unlucky if it turned out to be something bad. Can't help imagining the worst though. Sad

He is such a sweet little chap - we'd gone to the rescue centre looking for an older, preferably female cat, but DS(5) spotted this boy and he did everything he could to sell himself to us!

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 15/09/2013 23:02

Wee soul. I should imagine it will be Wednesday or so before the vet phones with the results. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you all.

Original poster
BehindTheScenesAtTheMumseum · 15/09/2013 23:04

Thank you Smile. I will post when I have any updates.

OP posts:
fackinell · 15/09/2013 23:14

Nothing constructive to add but FX for the wee chap. Will be watching for a good result. Thanks

Original poster
BehindTheScenesAtTheMumseum · 15/09/2013 23:47

Thanks fackinell. I'm driving DH a bit mad by worrying about it (I know he is worried too but doing his best to play it cool for my sake!) so it really helps to talk about it on here!

I'll be back tomorrow no doubt. The house is going to seem very empty while the puss is at the vet's. It's funny how you can get so used to having them around so quickly.

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fackinell · 16/09/2013 00:27

It really is!! Just don't google anything, I always regret it. Wishing him lots of good luck.

Original poster
BehindTheScenesAtTheMumseum · 16/09/2013 10:53

Dropped him off at the vet this morning, saw a different vet today who said we could leave it for a week to see if it disappears but I think I'd rather get to the bottom of it than worry about it for another week! Hope I made the right decision. I'm working at home today and it feels very lonely without him following me around or throwing himself at the curtains!

OP posts:
fackinell · 16/09/2013 11:26

Well done. I hate leaving them Sad
You getting him home tonight?

cozietoesie · 16/09/2013 11:38

Well done. Vet practices can be so matter of fact can't they? (You feel as if there ought to be some Greek Chorus ushering you up the steps and in to the place!)

I imagine it will just be a quick procedure so he won't be under long and should be back with you, say, mid-afternoon. I guess they'll be excising the lumps while they're there?

timtam23 · 16/09/2013 16:23

Poor little soul and what a worry for you. I hope the op goes well.

Original poster
BehindTheScenesAtTheMumseum · 16/09/2013 16:50

Thanks so much for kind messages. Picked Caspar up half an hour ago and he really looks like he's been in the wars! They've removed the whole lump and sent it off for testing.

He's not at all happy about his plastic buster collar and has spent the whole time since he got back trying to wrestle it off. He keeps getting his lower jaw stuck putside it. Does anyone has any tips on how to get kittens to cope with these things? Do they tend to get used to them after a while? I have no idea how we are going to persuade him to keep it on for the next few days!

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 16/09/2013 17:10

My boys are hopeless with Elizabethan collars and I long ago gave up on them. These days, I keep them close by me and watch them carefully, gently moving their paws/mouths away from the affected spot if they look as if they're going to worry it and saying NO.

I've usually found that they're so pleased to get it off that they forget about whatever it was there for - and in any case, after a GA they tend to crash out at some time in the evening. I don't worry too much about the odd lick unless I think they're going to disturb stitches - and as a kitten, he'll heal so fast that he'll probably be pretty OK by tomorrow morning. (Most of his looking like he's been in the wars is likely fur disarrangement/moistening and not actual damage to skin.)

That's just my very personal view though. Others posters may disagree strongly.

Original poster
BehindTheScenesAtTheMumseum · 16/09/2013 17:40

Thanks cozie! He managed to whip it off so we are now going by your philosophy. He is currently only interested in playing and hasn't touched his stitches so I think he'll be fine as long as we are watching him. He's very hyper and playful at the moment, hopefully he'll crash out soon though so we can all relax, the DCs and I have been on tenterhooks since he got home!

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 16/09/2013 17:44

Well remember to keep a close eye on him to ensure he behaves!

I should add that none of mine have ever had to have a major op - I'd probably be talking differently in those circumstances.

fackinell · 16/09/2013 18:50

Awww Caspar's home Grin
I agree with Cozie though luckily mine have never had a lamp shade. Keep us posted.

timtam23 · 16/09/2013 23:16

Glad he got through the op ok and is back home

My adult cat had an Elizabethan collar when he overgroomed his chest, but he hated it so much that he ran backwards very fast trying to get away from it - when he tried this at the top of the stairs and fell down them backwards we decided to take the collar off, and instead dressed him in an old popper vest from the babies, to protect his chest Grin

DH then sat up most of the night with him to keep him calm and it worked well for us, so hopefully Casper will settle & not lick the op site.

cozietoesie · 16/09/2013 23:32

Like the idea of a Babygro in an overgrooming case - although I could wish you'd taken a video of you putting it on him!

cozietoesie · 17/09/2013 09:24

How is he this morning?

ZebraOwl · 17/09/2013 11:15

Everything crossed the lump turns out to be benign & that Caspar heals up well Flowers

Original poster
BehindTheScenesAtTheMumseum · 17/09/2013 13:52

Sorry, have been at work this morning but have just popped home to see Caspar and he is currently purring on my lap Smile. He was TOTALLY bonkers for hours last night - I think it must have been a reaction to the GA as I have never seen him act that crazy and he was a bit like an overtired toddler who didn't know how to calm himself down! He eventually wedged himself in to the first floor of DS's toy garage and zonked out, daft cat.

Letting him have the buster collar off seems to have been a success, he hasn't bothered at his stitches at all. His scar all looks quite neat and tidy and he has a slightly rogueish, piratical look to him now!

He's due back at the vet tomorrow for a check up and I will report back when we get the test results. I feel much better now that the lump has been removed and I am just hoping against hope that it turns out to have been nothing.

Thanks all for your messages, they've really helped. I've had cats growing up, but Caspar is my first cat that I've 'owned' as a grown up IYSWIM - I mostly thought we were getting him for the DCs' sakes and wasn't at all prepared for how much I'd love him after just a couple of weeks!

OP posts:
Original poster
BehindTheScenesAtTheMumseum · 17/09/2013 13:54

Ps I love the idea of a cat in a babygro!!

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 17/09/2013 14:38

That's good news, Behind. Let us know how tomorrow goes.

Smile
ZebraOwl · 18/09/2013 04:10

Caspar The Pirate Cat sounds like the title of a[n awesome] children's book...

Good luck at the vet's Smile

cozietoesie · 18/09/2013 20:58

How did it go at the vet's, Behind ?