Anyone know what this is inside my cat’s ear? Picture

[Jhust]

I have a 15 year old moggie. She was at the vet about 2 months ago following an altercation with a tom and had antibiotics and painkillers for a bite on her leg and they did a check up but she was ok and they didn’t spot this.

She’s started to go to the toilet in the bathroom following the Tom cat incident and won’t go outside much now as he’s permanently In her garden.

I’m wondering if anyone knows what the lump is and if her new toileting behaviour might be related? Obv I’m thinking it’s a tumour 🙈 but equally it could be from a fight with the Tom.

Best photo I could get I’m afraid.

Thank you

The toileting inside is completely new btw, she previously had no litter tray and always went out to do her business. even if we kept her in at halloween with a litter box she would hold onto it for a full 12 plus hours to go outside

Can't really see. It's not a tick is it?

abscess is most likely.

I was going to say a tick too OP. Looks very round, google ticks and compare it. Ticks can make animals very sick, take puss back to the vet. Hope she’s ok

Oh it might be a tick I’ve just googled.

I think the vet might have to deal with this one, I don’t fancy losing an arm!

I'm a vet and then definitely looks like a growth (tumour) rather than a tick or abscess. Can't say from appearance whether it is benign or malignant - take her to your vet and they will likely recommend a fine needle aspirate to see what it is and what the prognosis is.

The toileting sounds behavioural and due to the Tom cat. But your vet will want to test a urine sample to rule out other issues. Does she have an indoor litter tray?

Yeah we had one for her and resurrected that in the bathroom which she uses on and off but mostly the floor, there’s one downstairs for her too.

Thanks littlecabbage, I’ll make an appointment tomorrow.

If she does have a litter tray but is using the floor etc instead, definitely get a urine sample checked. There is a possibility of infection, bladder stones, etc.

If all clear, you could try Feliway to reduce the stress (due to the Tom cat).

Thanks littlecabbage, will do

What was it after? How is she?

Oh hi, thanks for asking

They took a sample and it could be up to a fortnight before the results are back. Vet said it was moveable and therefore prob a polyp or similar but they’d have no way of knowing if it was benign without the sample.

So none the wiser right now.

She’s ok (apart from a baldy ear where they shaved it!) still randomly using the bathroom floor and we both had to suffer the indignity of her using her litter tray while I was In the shower yesterdAy.

They couldn’t find any cancerous cells 🤞👍

My cats usually toilet outside but aren't keen on the weather at the moment! They're using the bath which actually is pretty sensible and easy to clean up afterwards.
Glad that the biopsy hasn't come back with bad news.

The bath would be handy but she’s actually perfected the litter tray (95% of the time) so that’s progress