Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties:
My female cat is 13 years old and has had a “cyst” on her neck for the past 2 years. I have taken her to our vet and she drained it. When it continued to come back within days, Dr. Lisa taught me to drain it at home. I don’t like doing this and am concerned as this means I must puncture her skin and squeeze, which I know hurts her. Surely there must be other ideas. She said that we could remove the area of skin, but it may come back anyways. I’ve also noticed that her fur along her spine is not as soft as the rest of her body and I just found a back tooth she lost. It was very yellow and I am worried that her immune system may be low, but Dr. Lisa doesn’t show concern. Any suggestions for an economically strapped Mommy? I’ve already spent hundreds of dollars just on her “cyst” alone.
~Bunne
Siouxsie: Bunne, we certainly understand your concern about the fact that your cat has had this cyst for two years now. And we share your concern. We think we can give you a few tips and questions to ask your vet, though.
Thomas: Sebaceous cysts, also called epidermal inclusion cysts, are benign tumors that arise from glands beneath the skin. Although they’re not as common in cats as they are in dogs (or people, who refer to them as zits), they’re still the most common skin tumor found in cats.
Dahlia: The material that comes out of a cyst when it’s drained is called sebum. Sebum is usually yellow, grayish white, or brown in color and has a cheesy consistency because it’s made up of fats and glycerides.
Siouxsie: If the material coming out of your cat’s cyst is a different color such as reddish purple or green, or if it has blood in it, you may be seeing pus, which is a sign of infection. If you’re seeing pus, your cat may have an abscess, not a sebaceous cyst. Or if it was a cyst at first, it may have become infected.
Thomas: The authors of the Cat Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook say that most cysts should be removed. The reason for this is that eventually the cyst will rupture and become infected.
Dahlia: Most vets remove cysts with electrocautery (burning it off) or cryotherapy (freezing it). Cats are obviously sedated or anesthetized for these procedures!
Siouxsie: Another reason to have the cyst removed is that chronic cases of feline cysts can develop into other tumors, including cancer.
Thomas: We’re concerned that if you’re repeatedly draining your cat’s cyst, you may be driving bacteria into that cyst. This may be causing ongoing irritation and certainly increases the risk of infection.
Dahlia: You didn’t say where on your neck your cat’s cyst is located, but if it’s near her cheek or her jaw it may be related to irritation or infection from her teeth. It’s not normal for cats’ teeth to fall out …
Siouxsie: It certainly isn’t! I’m 14, and I still have all my teeth!
Thomas: As Dahlia was saying, cats’ teeth don’t fall out unless there’s some underlying dental problem. Gingivitis is very common in cats, and some cats have a tendency to develop resorptive lesions, a type of cavity that happens just above the root of the tooth. Cats can get abscesses from dental infections, just like people.
Dahlia: Open your cat’s mouth and take a look inside. Are her gums red and inflamed, or are they healthy and pink? Are her teeth caked with tartar or are they pretty clean? Even if your cat’s cyst isn’t a result of dental problems, ongoing infections like gingivitis can compromise your cat’s overall health.
Siouxsie: There are some holistic treatments that may be effective for reducing your cat’s irritation and boosting her immune system. However, we’d recommend that you start by having a conversation with your vet about removing the cyst–after all, it hasn’t gone away in two years–and have her check your cat’s teeth, too.
Thomas: Once you’ve done that, consider giving her the highest quality food you can afford–grain-free if at all possible. Some cats have a sensitivity to grains, particularly corn, and to the chemicals and other additives in cheap cat foods.
Dahlia: Our friends at CatFaeries sell “Skin and Itch” and “Skin and Seborrhea,” two homeopathic remedies that can help with skin issues.
Siouxsie: There are other natural remedies available, and nutritional supplements for skin and coat health may also be helpful.
Thomas: To learn more about cysts in cats, visit the Feline Cyst page at the Cat Health Guide.
Dahlia: Good luck, Bunne. Please let us know how things turn out!
JaneA Kelley is a punk rock cat mom and award-winning blogger. She is a regular columnist for Catster Magazine, and she and the Paws and Effect Gang share a home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
It sounds like it might be time for this letter-writer to find a different vet. Why wouldn’t the vet be concerned about bacteria if this cyst is being repeatedly drained? And most importantly, why isn’t this vet concerned that this cat is losing teeth? It should NOT take two years for this to be resolved, and Bunne’s vet shouldn’t be dismissing her legitimate concerns. I know how it is when cash is tight, but I would take this cat to another vet for a second opinion.
I have a similar problem with my 18 year old cat, he has a cyst on his cheek it is over an inch wide now, frst appeared about 2 years ago. My vet hasnt wanted to operate because of his age and he has a slight heart problem (not on medication for it) He has now scratched and burst it. I am bathing it with salt water and getting some synulox down him. Have booked to take him to the vets as the empty sac is a bit hard. But if he isnt well enough to have an operation what are my options?? I am so worried and don’t know what to do
Hi, I was wondering what you ever decided to do about your cat’s cyst. My cat who is also older (16 yrs), has had a cyst on about the middle of his tail for the past 1 1/2. I have had it drained numerous times, and it always comes back, the vet suggested an amputation, but I refuse to do this to my beloved ragdoll…anyway, let me know your thoughts.
Judy
I just noticed a cyst at my kitties throught…it moves around,can I heal it own my own? Lucy is 8 years old, I rescued her..just do not have finances..retired..want to save my best friend..is there anything thing I can do with holistic results?
hello,
I have a female cat that is about 17-18 years old, and she has a few cysts on her body. one in particular on her face for about 7 years, that’s about the size of a golf ball. she occasionally pops it herself, but it continues to go back to the same size. We’ve taken her to our vet and he refuses to do surgery because of her age. We notice that she is in pain sometimes when she eats because it’s on the side of her face. I was wondering if there was anything we can do or give her at home that will help her, or at least help the cyst come down in size.
Hello – My cat is 14 years old. He has two cysts (one near the ear and one on the side of the face) since a year ago. Vet also does not recommend surgical removal due to heart problem and age. The cysts ruptured from time to time and you can imagine the mess it created. I first brought him to the vet to have the cysts drained but they got filled up within a week. I then started to drain them myself and put anti-biotic on it as recommended by the vet. Also we have seen three different vets with the same advice. He’s been on grain free diet for 2 years now. Wondering if there’s anything else (including holistic approach) that I can try?
My cat is 19 to 20 years old (She wandered into my house in 2001). Has a cyst on her neck that makes it look like she has a kangaroo pouch. No irritation, no leaking but it has drained three times over a year taking 50 ml. Because it’s the neck it would require a specialized surgeon at about $2000. And we haven’t even discussed age or the cats heart murmur. Was hoping to find some at home solution that did not involve infection risk.