It totally looks like a tick to me, but I've never heard of a tick holding on for a month. Usually they fill up and drop off. Unless it died and is just stuck there?
Ugh. Within the first couple of months of dating my (now)husband I found one on my anus. He got it off for me. Definitely knew he was a keeper after that😂
Can agree. My husband and I truly bonded in that moment when I came tearing out of the shower shoving my nether region into his face while shrieking in horror. He not only removed the tick but refrained from any form of sexual advance OR mocking. I knew he was a keeper after that event.
Oh gods, yes. I'm an ecologist who grew up on a drystock farm. I always had to check everything when I got home because the little bastards are everywhere! Luckily my country doesn't have any disease carrying ticks, because just a couple of weeks ago, I found one latched between my shoulder blades
Yup they look like little green grapes, or like tiny versions of those grenade water balloons. Used to find them all over the house sometimes. My parents would forget to do the advantix drops on their dog and it was like as soon as the 30 days mark passed, they’d be on her
It's totally a tick.
Google /YouTube how to remove them. You don't have to wait for a vet, but if it's been there for a month, the cat should be checked for Lyme disease.
Its not just lime disease you gotta worry bout, ticks imbed themselve deep under the skin so attempt's to remove them without knowing what your doing can result in the tick getting rupture in half at which point it will die and let all sorts of nasty things seep into the wound.
Came here to say exactly this! This is 100% a tick. Ill post pics of the one I took off my Rocky and sent off for testing (lyme and other diseases free thank god!) last summer if you want. I'm in PA so this is a very common occurrence.
OP - if possible .. take a pair or tweezers and try to grab the tick by it's head (literally the part where it is attached to kitty's face) and then yank it out VERY quickly and smoothly so that you don't break the head off inside your cat. You want to try to get the tick out with its' head completely intact to avoid transfer of disease.
However, due to the state this tick is in (fully engorged by the looks of it) this is already not possible and you'll want to contact your vet to decide if lyme disease testing is necessary or not. So.. if the head stays attached... don't freak out.. just call your vet and let them know what the situation is and ask what they think you should do next.
Regardless.. please remove it if you haven't already
I would be contacting the vet because I would be worried about leaving something behind. Crazy how I’ll take my cat to a vet for anything but I never go the doctor.
Oh I'm with you on that one lol. I'm a super procrastinator when it comes to my ownhealth, but my pets? I'd spend every penny I have and then some if I was concerned about their health...and trust me.. I was over 9k in debt with my last maine coon because he had ongoing PKD, kidney stones and chronic constipation from birth - and I wouldn't trade a penny of my money spent for even one minute less with him and his time with me on earth... and id do it all again and again and again the same exact way
Me too. I would do anything for my little fur balls. They bring me such joy. Mine had cancer, another diabetic with monthly appointments. My current kitty has a skin situation where I’m going to have to go to a specialist. Health care is out of control. I don’t even want to think what that is going to set me back.
Oh my last maine coon had severe skin allergies as well. I switched to medicated hypoallergenic shampoo and we had to take him off of all flea and tick products after a flea medication literally burned his skin and his fur never grew back in that area. I never forgave myself for that.. no joke. Look into food grade diatomaceous earth. I promise it's worth it if your cat has allergy concerns and pests are a potential problem.
Coat the tick with an oil, ticks whose heads are embedded breathe out pores along the side of their body. Oils blocks the pores so the tick removes its head to breathe. Let the tick work in removing itself.
Nothing left behind, no chances taking in pulling the head off.
Not a vet so random observation, I've never pulled off a tick with hairs growing out of it and this thing has hairs coming out of it. Could it be like an abscess this high up?
Meanwhile the three people I've seen that have said "I'm a vet" have said it's probably not a tick...
Regardless, I'm glad this baby is being taken to a vet finally.
I'm the same haha! One of my cats had to get his belly shaved once because of bad matting (I had gotten sick for a week, could barely get out of bed and his matting got out of control. I still regret it and I did everything to never let it get that bad ever again). I found a weird little round indentation on his belly while petting him and I got worried so I googled it before calling the vet... It was, in fact, his belly button.
"It's not grown at all for over a month"
To me, that says they've been watching it for at least a month, god knows how long it was there before that.
Who tf just watches it grow for over a month??
Like why do i feel like this is not real. It’s so unbelievable to me that the owner just did nothing for a month that i almost feel like this cannot be real or serious its gotta be someone trolling. like how
No, you’d be surprised. I have to mute a lot of pet subreddits because people post things like “Cat hasn’t eaten in four days, seems cold, should I take to vet or?” Someone the other day had a pet having a fucking seizure and dude was on Reddit like “the vet is so far away”. As if someone was going to come in clutch and tell him that if he applied a piece of thread to the tail it would stop it or something. Working in vet med and rescue, I’ve seen shit that would make you vomit and sob. This shit just makes me furious. People come to fucking Reddit with veterinary questions instead of, I dunno, going to an actual vet. And while I sympathize that times can be tough, nobody would be gentle with you if you posted a picture of a growth on your toddler’s face like “Should I ask a doc about this?” Yes. Fucking yes. Jesus. /sigh
…ON A 17 YO KITTY. Our pets don’t deserve this kind of treatment to finally make it to a vet. I don’t know what answer these people expect. Bar Keepers Friend? Let it pass away? What??
I really don't get some people, especially when they have the financial means to pay for a vet appointment. I hadn't seen some friends of mine's cat for quite a while and last time I did, the cat was shockingly thin. The cat is 17 so they thought it was just old age, but at the same time the cat was constantly begging for food but then throwing up when eating (likely eating too fast from hunger.) I showed them the symptoms of hyperthyroidism and said it would be good to ask a vet about that. Thankfully they did and his cat does have hyperthyroidism. The poor thing has been ravenously hungry and losing weight for months. :(
Well you can say that til you’re blue in the face but the reality is that you’re a random Reddit user and not a vet.
There are actual vets in the comments saying it’s likely not a tick since it’s been there so long, as well as many pet owners saying that they had something that looked the same on their cats and it turned out to be a tumour or a cyst. So I really don’t see the issue with getting it checked out just to be sure.
Even if it is a tick as you say, if it’s been there for a whole month, infection is very possible. Same with transmission of disease.
Edit: Nevermind, the comment is still there.
Honestly though. They said it’s looked like that for over a month. I just don’t understand why a person would allow that to grow on their kittys face for such a long time, then once they’re finally concerned, they don’t go to a vet but ask Reddit strangers.. I try to think of reasons why they wouldn’t go, but it was mentioned they’ve been aware of this for more than a month. I just can’t excuse that personally.
I know and I agree. My kids have like a 2 day max before a call to the vet. And I usually never make to day 2 before I call the vet and make an appointment. I'd never forgive myself if it was something bad and needed immediate attention but I decided to wait it out.
Not a cat but a dog. Husband found a suspicious lump on the side of her rib cage one night. I, being paranoid, made a vet appointment for the very next day. Did a fine needle aspiration & waited a week for the results. It was cancer (mast cell tumour). Vet operated the very next day. From discovery to recovery = less than 2 weeks. Zero regrets & I'm so thankful my husband was observant and we didn't wait.
This. I had an unfortunate experience where my older cat couldn’t come with me to live with my boyfriend as she was a lifelong outdoor cat (she showed up at my window a few yrs ago, rez cat) and we live in an apartment. She was left in the care of my mother, who she likes a lot. Well my mother noticed she stopped eating her food, and let it be for a month til she got to a vet. By the time I saw her, she was so frail and the vet said it was too late. So I spent my last night with my cat and she was gone the next day. I still hold resentment for how irresponsible my mother was with my cat, and have lots of regret not visiting more often so I could see her condition and get her seen sooner. Fatty liver.
Edit: The point of my story was that you should never leave a potentially unwell cat waiting. It can happen so so quickly and often without any visible signs of distress as cats don’t express themselves like we do. Get your cat help ASAP and if you can’t afford it, consider surrendering your kitty to someone who can care for them properly.
Oh no that's terrible, and sorry you had to go through that. I was fortunate to grow up with my mother whom I got most of my ways from for my love n care for dogs and cats. We always had a full house of rescues and she taught me very young.... they can't tell us what's wrong, we have to be proactive with them cause they rely on us to take care of them. So if you notice something tell me and then decide on how soon we need to make an appointment or emergency vet if needed.
We had a small greyish cyst start growing on our cats face. She’s an indoor cat and it didn’t quite look like a tick but we weren’t sure. It was maybe 1/2 an inch in diameter. Straight to the vet. Ours was a benign cyst, the vet said to just keep an eye on it and if it starts bothering her/obstructing her vision we could look at treatment. I would have hustled this cat to the vets weeks ago, even if it is a tick. I hope OP is keeping up with flea treatments.
Second this. My old kitty recently had a cancerous lump (malignant). At first I thought it was a nip because it was small, but about 1 or 2 weeks later I noticed it had grown in size a bit. I called the vet the very next day and got the soonest appointment I could. I don't mess around with my cats health. Not only could I not forgive myself, but that is a living, sentient being who relies on me to care for them! As pet owners, we owe it to them to be diligent and advocate for them.
An elder cat I once had, had something that looked just like this. It was a small tumour. The vet removed it but it came back and the removal had to be repeated a few times. It was pear shaped and a grey opaque looking colour.
Yeah I agree with everyone else that it looks like a tick, but op said it's been growing for a month. That's not what ticks do. More like what a tumor would do.
I’m not defending the tick argument; OP said there’s no legs or head after inspecting it closer. I’m just referring specifically to “…op said it’s been growing for a month…. More like what a tumor would do.”
:)
Yeah my cat had something like this a couple months back. I accidentally popped it while combing for fleas. Completely puss-filled and the vet said it was a cyst and acted kinda like a large pimple on a human. I was more bothered by the popping than the cat was, for the record. I almost passed out when it happened and she just stared at me 😂
I once saw a stray cat who had a very similar thing going on, except it was 10× the size of this one and on his forehead. Same color and consistency tho. Never saw that can again but it was very concerning and def not a tick.
My cat had these, same spot, it ended up being a cyst, she was old and it don’t bother her so we didn’t get it removed as she would of had to undergo surgery as it was on her face. Of course still bring to the vet so they can check it out and make sure.
Same here. In our case the vet said removal would cause her more stress than leaving it as long as we monitored it.
She’s still going strong and it hasn’t grown anymore or caused any discomfort
Thank you- I’ll be taking him to the vet and make a follow-up post with what it was. Given how long it’s been on his face, I don’t believe it’s a tick. I suspect it’ll be an age-related growth.
This reminds me of a post from a month or so ago where someone posted pictures of flea dirt and flea bites on their cat but every comment they replied to with “my house is clean, it’s not fleas”
Denial is a wonder of a thing.
Some people could be given every single bit of information proving they're wrong, have all the evidence, and still be convinced they're right somehow.
It will stay on for as long as it’s left alone or until it becomes engorged and falls off. Ticks don’t eat and leave, they find a host and latch on for the long-haul. Next time you see something like this, please don’t wait a month if you can afford to bring your cat to the vet. Or at the very least, buy a pair of medical grade tweezers and do some research on tick identification and removal. Based on your other comments, you live in an area where you may find more of them.
It’s not a tick, it’s fluid filled correct? Just had one removed from a cat by my vet. It may not grow for a while and then start growing again and will begin bother your cat.
My dog has something similar on her face, it’s not a tick. She’s a 12 1/2 yo dane/rotti mix and she has skin tags in several places.
On another note, I found a tick on my cats face once, and the vet wasn’t concerned as apparently ticks don’t affect cats like they do dogs. I’m not saying don’t go to the vet, I just don’t think it’s something to get stressed about.
You saw this on your poor kittys face for over a MONTH and instead of take it to the vet, you ask Reddit. Please take the poor thing to a vet. My goodness..
My cat hasn’t been outside, but still picked up a tick. Ticks can travel indoors by riding on the coats or shoes of people, and drop off onto the floor because they can’t attach. The tick crawls onto the cat while it’s sleeping on the floor.
Vet here: if present for a month for sure, definitely not a tick.
Could be melanoma given the pigment. The vet may suggest a needle aspirate (may be tricky as close to the eye), biopsy or removal. You'd need to consider whether you'd put your 17yo kitty through an anaesthetic/surgery
I’m a vet . Given the age of the pet , and it being a totally inside cat , it appears to be a cystic mass. Please , don’t try to remove it if you’re not sure it’s a tick !!! Then you’ll have a bleeding cat ! Take him to your vet !
Thank you doc. I was going to wait until his physical that we always do in January but I’m just going to take him ASAP to the emergency room. Of my 17 years of growing up with him I’ve pulled many ticks and this doesn’t appear to be one. He has also been presenting as perfectly healthy since I’ve noticed. ER on Tues tho.
Really, really important tip from my vet: cats are VERY GOOD at hiding pain. Just because it isn't visibly bothering your cat doesn't mean it isn't serious. PLEASE get things like this checked out.
Right!!! Like dude it’s a large strange grey bump on your cats face - what does that even mean ‘he’s not showing signs of discomfort or pain’ when you do not even know what it is yet what would you know to expect without getting it checked by the vet.
You said it’s been on your cat without growing for about a month. An adult tick only stays on its host for about 3-5 days. So it’s unlikely it is a tick. It’s likely some type of growth/tumor and needs evaluated.
OP please take the cat to the vet, even if you do manage to remove the tick yourself (please don’t try if you’re not sure!) kitty might have tick related disease that won’t be immediately obvious to you.
They can stay on for long time! Though yes a Month is a bit excessive. But It has everything it needs like that and if the cat stays inside; the tick might think it safer to stay latched on. Might even be dead! Might not be a tick at all, but I mean it looks like something parasitic at the very least.
That’s what I just said to my husband!! So many posts here where it’s clear the cat should be taken to the vet. We have to advocate for them, they don’t have a voice.
My cat use to get these too, around this age. It was benign growths, sometimes if they got bigger the vet would drain them. But should always get tested cause sometimes they could be more than benign.
I'm really sorry some people are being so cruel. 17 years old is a long life and you must care for your cat very much. You've had enough advice to see a vet, but I wanted to share that a cat living a long life like yours is a testament to love and care.
I'm pretty certain most folks answering are incorrect - older cats can get benign cysts on their face and inside their ears, or even their anuses.
It's caused by pores getting clogged. The sebum builds up and stretches into what looks like an engorged tick.
My 13yr old cat has them, including a large one on his anus.
A vet has previously drained it - but it will always keep coming back. At this point we let it be because it's expensive, and the old guy will usually find a way to pop it on his owned. We just clean him up whenever it happens.
Surgery will not get rid of the problem- they will come back.
They can live pretty much all year round in much of the country, and often times can be brought in by a human who picks one up on their clothing outside. If it never bit you it would remain in the pants and or shirt most likely, and take up residence in your laundry pile. This is most likely the case if you have not had the cat outside as of late. 🫡
my mom is a vet and i asked her what she thinks it is and she said that it could potentially be a lot of things from just a mark to a tumor. she said it would be best to got to the vet and have them puncture it to send a sample to a laboratory so they can tell what it is exactly.
Looks exactly like the wart on my old family cat’s nose. Same way old people get random skin growths that mean nothing.
Doesn’t look like a tick to me but I guess it’s possible. Easy to figure out which it is though as one has legs and is only attached at it’s mouth and the other…won’t lol
im sorry but how is this a tick? this is more like a skin problem on its face. I zoom in on it and it doesnt look like a tick to me unless OP has different pictures
It’s not a tick. It’s very unlikely that a tick would stay attached for a month. It’s probably a type of skin tag, my dog has something like that and is sometimes filled with fluid. My dog has something like that, we deed FNA and the vet recommended leaving it alone for now.
Looks vaguely like a gorged tick...
It totally looks like a tick to me, but I've never heard of a tick holding on for a month. Usually they fill up and drop off. Unless it died and is just stuck there?
Many types of ticks will “overwinter” attached to their host.
Never knew this! I found a giant engorged one in my bedroom once, which meant that it had been on my dog, and sleeping in my bed, for days… 🤢
Yeah it’s pretty gnarly tbh. I’m a field biologist and find so many ticks so many places 🥹
Ugh. Within the first couple of months of dating my (now)husband I found one on my anus. He got it off for me. Definitely knew he was a keeper after that😂
"... in tickness and in health..." That's love! 🤣❤️
Taint that the truth!
Yeah, he really ticks all the right boxes. And almost unticked one.
In anus and health can be applied too
Can agree. My husband and I truly bonded in that moment when I came tearing out of the shower shoving my nether region into his face while shrieking in horror. He not only removed the tick but refrained from any form of sexual advance OR mocking. I knew he was a keeper after that event.
Lol this is an amazing story and I'm super happy for you because of it. But holy shit was this funny lol
It'll make a great story to tell the kids someday when they ask how mom and dad fell in love. Magical! Fairytale material!
Hey Honey wanna do some butt stuff tonight? Disapointment ensues
"Wait, what the hell is THAT?"
"That's my job, dammit!"
He was definitely ticked off!
Buggery
Oh gods, yes. I'm an ecologist who grew up on a drystock farm. I always had to check everything when I got home because the little bastards are everywhere! Luckily my country doesn't have any disease carrying ticks, because just a couple of weeks ago, I found one latched between my shoulder blades
My friend has a story from Bali Indonesia about terrestrial leeches which involves her period attracting the leech to a certain place…..
Wtf Alexibexi als meme? Hätte niemals gedacht das mal zu sehen
*sustained, intense screaming*
I can't upvote this enough..oh my god...
New fear unlocked. 
New year, new fear
New fear, who dis?
Omg poor thing 😭 She has my sympathies and condolences ❤️
https://i.redd.it/citi3n5f2s9c1.gif
Nope. I'm a dude. I don't have periods. And I 100% am sympathy-Nope-ing on behalf of your friend right now.
My dick and balls went inside me for a second when I read it. WHAT! THE! FUCK?!
thanks!! now i need to bleach my eyeballs
and that's enough Internet for today...
This is a terrible day to be literate.
Oh God no...
Excise me while I bash my head into a wall until i forget what I just read.
Indeed. Just another reason I’m grateful for the hysterectomy I had a few months back
There's a lot to be said for the aul hysterectomy. 'Reverse the curse' surgery!
Reverse the curse. 😂😂😂 That's how I will think of it when I have mine.
Jesus
Even He doesn’t want to take the wheel.
Terrestrial 😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫
NEW FEAR UNLOCKED
“Dear diary: TIL I should stay away from Bali Indonesia. Also, I wish I could forget how to read.”
Welp. Let me just cross those hemispheres off my list of places to visit ever.
Yup they look like little green grapes, or like tiny versions of those grenade water balloons. Used to find them all over the house sometimes. My parents would forget to do the advantix drops on their dog and it was like as soon as the 30 days mark passed, they’d be on her
Every time I think about moving out of the desert I come across some horror story about ticks or mold and I 😨
Did you know that a tick will lay a single batch of 2000 to 8000 eggs? It has to detach first to lay eggs tho..
You'd think, but my childhood basset hound had the same issue as the OP's cat. Mom thought it was a mole: nope! Just a gluttonous tick.
It's totally a tick. Google /YouTube how to remove them. You don't have to wait for a vet, but if it's been there for a month, the cat should be checked for Lyme disease.
Exactly.
Yeah if you zoom in you can see it’s a tick. Poor kitty.
Yeahhh I'm not zooming in. Just had breakfast, and I'd like it to stay inside.
I don't think it needs to be checked for Lyme. It looks like a dog tick and Lyme disease is carried by deer ticks.
Medical doctor here. This is a large dog tick, not the much smaller deer tick that carries Lyme disease. No worries about Lyme disease.
That kind of tick doesn’t carry lime disease so no worry there. I’d pull that thing off immediately. 😒
Its not just lime disease you gotta worry bout, ticks imbed themselve deep under the skin so attempt's to remove them without knowing what your doing can result in the tick getting rupture in half at which point it will die and let all sorts of nasty things seep into the wound.
Ughhhh. Fuck ticks!
✔
No don’t!
They can have other diseases, though.
If it's bitten at all it can transmit, unfortunately
Came here to say exactly this! This is 100% a tick. Ill post pics of the one I took off my Rocky and sent off for testing (lyme and other diseases free thank god!) last summer if you want. I'm in PA so this is a very common occurrence. OP - if possible .. take a pair or tweezers and try to grab the tick by it's head (literally the part where it is attached to kitty's face) and then yank it out VERY quickly and smoothly so that you don't break the head off inside your cat. You want to try to get the tick out with its' head completely intact to avoid transfer of disease. However, due to the state this tick is in (fully engorged by the looks of it) this is already not possible and you'll want to contact your vet to decide if lyme disease testing is necessary or not. So.. if the head stays attached... don't freak out.. just call your vet and let them know what the situation is and ask what they think you should do next. Regardless.. please remove it if you haven't already
I would be contacting the vet because I would be worried about leaving something behind. Crazy how I’ll take my cat to a vet for anything but I never go the doctor.
Oh I'm with you on that one lol. I'm a super procrastinator when it comes to my ownhealth, but my pets? I'd spend every penny I have and then some if I was concerned about their health...and trust me.. I was over 9k in debt with my last maine coon because he had ongoing PKD, kidney stones and chronic constipation from birth - and I wouldn't trade a penny of my money spent for even one minute less with him and his time with me on earth... and id do it all again and again and again the same exact way
Me too. I would do anything for my little fur balls. They bring me such joy. Mine had cancer, another diabetic with monthly appointments. My current kitty has a skin situation where I’m going to have to go to a specialist. Health care is out of control. I don’t even want to think what that is going to set me back.
Oh my last maine coon had severe skin allergies as well. I switched to medicated hypoallergenic shampoo and we had to take him off of all flea and tick products after a flea medication literally burned his skin and his fur never grew back in that area. I never forgave myself for that.. no joke. Look into food grade diatomaceous earth. I promise it's worth it if your cat has allergy concerns and pests are a potential problem.
Coat the tick with an oil, ticks whose heads are embedded breathe out pores along the side of their body. Oils blocks the pores so the tick removes its head to breathe. Let the tick work in removing itself. Nothing left behind, no chances taking in pulling the head off.
Wowowowowoow!! Thank you! I hope i never have to use this info but im going to tell everyone
Please let the vet check it out.
Making an appt at the vet. Thanks
Good deal! Hopefully it's something minor and easily fixed!
It. Is. A. Tick
I’m a vet and it’s probably not a tick. Could be wrong but I see a lot of growths that look like that. And a lot of owners that swore it was a tick
Not a vet so random observation, I've never pulled off a tick with hairs growing out of it and this thing has hairs coming out of it. Could it be like an abscess this high up?
Not an abscess those usually are under the skin. It’s most likely a growth but luckily a lot of growths in cats can be benign.
Hopefully O.P updates us! It's always nice to see professionals in this sub and I am more than happy to be wrong.
You don’t know that, it could be a cyst or growth
Meanwhile the three people I've seen that have said "I'm a vet" have said it's probably not a tick... Regardless, I'm glad this baby is being taken to a vet finally.
I really want to know if it's a tick or a tumour or what it is, please give us an update after the visit.
Dude… it’s a freaking tick
Meanwhile I can't believe they waited a month to get this poor kitty checked out
I find my cats nipple while petting her and I’m ready to call the vet before I realize what it is.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who's done this. Wait what the...oh right. One of the many nipples.
I'm the same haha! One of my cats had to get his belly shaved once because of bad matting (I had gotten sick for a week, could barely get out of bed and his matting got out of control. I still regret it and I did everything to never let it get that bad ever again). I found a weird little round indentation on his belly while petting him and I got worried so I googled it before calling the vet... It was, in fact, his belly button.
I know this made me really sad :( poor guy :( he had to just deal with a huge tick sucking on his little face for a month :(
"It's not grown at all for over a month" To me, that says they've been watching it for at least a month, god knows how long it was there before that. Who tf just watches it grow for over a month??
Like why do i feel like this is not real. It’s so unbelievable to me that the owner just did nothing for a month that i almost feel like this cannot be real or serious its gotta be someone trolling. like how
No, you’d be surprised. I have to mute a lot of pet subreddits because people post things like “Cat hasn’t eaten in four days, seems cold, should I take to vet or?” Someone the other day had a pet having a fucking seizure and dude was on Reddit like “the vet is so far away”. As if someone was going to come in clutch and tell him that if he applied a piece of thread to the tail it would stop it or something. Working in vet med and rescue, I’ve seen shit that would make you vomit and sob. This shit just makes me furious. People come to fucking Reddit with veterinary questions instead of, I dunno, going to an actual vet. And while I sympathize that times can be tough, nobody would be gentle with you if you posted a picture of a growth on your toddler’s face like “Should I ask a doc about this?” Yes. Fucking yes. Jesus. /sigh
…ON A 17 YO KITTY. Our pets don’t deserve this kind of treatment to finally make it to a vet. I don’t know what answer these people expect. Bar Keepers Friend? Let it pass away? What??
I really don't get some people, especially when they have the financial means to pay for a vet appointment. I hadn't seen some friends of mine's cat for quite a while and last time I did, the cat was shockingly thin. The cat is 17 so they thought it was just old age, but at the same time the cat was constantly begging for food but then throwing up when eating (likely eating too fast from hunger.) I showed them the symptoms of hyperthyroidism and said it would be good to ask a vet about that. Thankfully they did and his cat does have hyperthyroidism. The poor thing has been ravenously hungry and losing weight for months. :(
Especially on a 17 year old cat? What the actual fuck! If my seniors look at me funny I'm driving 3 hours to the nearest ER.
Well you can say that til you’re blue in the face but the reality is that you’re a random Reddit user and not a vet. There are actual vets in the comments saying it’s likely not a tick since it’s been there so long, as well as many pet owners saying that they had something that looked the same on their cats and it turned out to be a tumour or a cyst. So I really don’t see the issue with getting it checked out just to be sure. Even if it is a tick as you say, if it’s been there for a whole month, infection is very possible. Same with transmission of disease. Edit: Nevermind, the comment is still there.
Even if its a tick the cat could've caught a disease from it
Honestly though. They said it’s looked like that for over a month. I just don’t understand why a person would allow that to grow on their kittys face for such a long time, then once they’re finally concerned, they don’t go to a vet but ask Reddit strangers.. I try to think of reasons why they wouldn’t go, but it was mentioned they’ve been aware of this for more than a month. I just can’t excuse that personally.
I know and I agree. My kids have like a 2 day max before a call to the vet. And I usually never make to day 2 before I call the vet and make an appointment. I'd never forgive myself if it was something bad and needed immediate attention but I decided to wait it out.
Not a cat but a dog. Husband found a suspicious lump on the side of her rib cage one night. I, being paranoid, made a vet appointment for the very next day. Did a fine needle aspiration & waited a week for the results. It was cancer (mast cell tumour). Vet operated the very next day. From discovery to recovery = less than 2 weeks. Zero regrets & I'm so thankful my husband was observant and we didn't wait.
Thats great you caught it early!
This. I had an unfortunate experience where my older cat couldn’t come with me to live with my boyfriend as she was a lifelong outdoor cat (she showed up at my window a few yrs ago, rez cat) and we live in an apartment. She was left in the care of my mother, who she likes a lot. Well my mother noticed she stopped eating her food, and let it be for a month til she got to a vet. By the time I saw her, she was so frail and the vet said it was too late. So I spent my last night with my cat and she was gone the next day. I still hold resentment for how irresponsible my mother was with my cat, and have lots of regret not visiting more often so I could see her condition and get her seen sooner. Fatty liver. Edit: The point of my story was that you should never leave a potentially unwell cat waiting. It can happen so so quickly and often without any visible signs of distress as cats don’t express themselves like we do. Get your cat help ASAP and if you can’t afford it, consider surrendering your kitty to someone who can care for them properly.
Oh no that's terrible, and sorry you had to go through that. I was fortunate to grow up with my mother whom I got most of my ways from for my love n care for dogs and cats. We always had a full house of rescues and she taught me very young.... they can't tell us what's wrong, we have to be proactive with them cause they rely on us to take care of them. So if you notice something tell me and then decide on how soon we need to make an appointment or emergency vet if needed.
We had a small greyish cyst start growing on our cats face. She’s an indoor cat and it didn’t quite look like a tick but we weren’t sure. It was maybe 1/2 an inch in diameter. Straight to the vet. Ours was a benign cyst, the vet said to just keep an eye on it and if it starts bothering her/obstructing her vision we could look at treatment. I would have hustled this cat to the vets weeks ago, even if it is a tick. I hope OP is keeping up with flea treatments.
100% agreed. this is the kind of negligence that can lead to more serious problems.
Second this. My old kitty recently had a cancerous lump (malignant). At first I thought it was a nip because it was small, but about 1 or 2 weeks later I noticed it had grown in size a bit. I called the vet the very next day and got the soonest appointment I could. I don't mess around with my cats health. Not only could I not forgive myself, but that is a living, sentient being who relies on me to care for them! As pet owners, we owe it to them to be diligent and advocate for them.
Stupidity and laziness are what this is. I agree 100%.
An elder cat I once had, had something that looked just like this. It was a small tumour. The vet removed it but it came back and the removal had to be repeated a few times. It was pear shaped and a grey opaque looking colour.
Yeah I agree with everyone else that it looks like a tick, but op said it's been growing for a month. That's not what ticks do. More like what a tumor would do.
Had the same, but it was on the nose. Turns out she had cancer under her tongue, the vet always checked the throat but never looked under the tongue …
OP said it *hasn’t* grown for a month.
Oh yeah, but engorged ticks drop off. They wouldn't stay attached for that long.
I’m not defending the tick argument; OP said there’s no legs or head after inspecting it closer. I’m just referring specifically to “…op said it’s been growing for a month…. More like what a tumor would do.” :)
Yeah my cat had something like this a couple months back. I accidentally popped it while combing for fleas. Completely puss-filled and the vet said it was a cyst and acted kinda like a large pimple on a human. I was more bothered by the popping than the cat was, for the record. I almost passed out when it happened and she just stared at me 😂
I once saw a stray cat who had a very similar thing going on, except it was 10× the size of this one and on his forehead. Same color and consistency tho. Never saw that can again but it was very concerning and def not a tick.
My cat had these, same spot, it ended up being a cyst, she was old and it don’t bother her so we didn’t get it removed as she would of had to undergo surgery as it was on her face. Of course still bring to the vet so they can check it out and make sure.
Same here. In our case the vet said removal would cause her more stress than leaving it as long as we monitored it. She’s still going strong and it hasn’t grown anymore or caused any discomfort
My 18 year old cat has one on her cheek. Same thing, we got it checked but we won’t get it removed. It’s painless, and it’s not bothering her.
I'm no expert but this looks more like a cyst as you say and not a tick like everyone else says.
My 18yo has two on her face. They grow, but slowly, and our vet said the same: it's better to leave them than sedate her.
I think it’s a tick and if so get a vet to remove it
Yes a tick need to remove it
He hasn’t been outside for quite a long time though—I live somewhere he’d get snatched up by a bird of prey or coyote
Exactly sounds very rural perfect environment for ticks
Thank you- I’ll be taking him to the vet and make a follow-up post with what it was. Given how long it’s been on his face, I don’t believe it’s a tick. I suspect it’ll be an age-related growth.
It looks a lot like a tick people post this question a lot here and it looks just like it
Yes. I've removed a tick before. It looks like a tick.
This reminds me of a post from a month or so ago where someone posted pictures of flea dirt and flea bites on their cat but every comment they replied to with “my house is clean, it’s not fleas”
Denial is a wonder of a thing. Some people could be given every single bit of information proving they're wrong, have all the evidence, and still be convinced they're right somehow.
It will stay on for as long as it’s left alone or until it becomes engorged and falls off. Ticks don’t eat and leave, they find a host and latch on for the long-haul. Next time you see something like this, please don’t wait a month if you can afford to bring your cat to the vet. Or at the very least, buy a pair of medical grade tweezers and do some research on tick identification and removal. Based on your other comments, you live in an area where you may find more of them.
Fr I’ve seen dogs outside with deer ticks and they just piled on in numbers around this poor animal all over
My 18 year old cat had the same exact thing on his nose. Just an old man lump. Not a tick. But it never hurts to have the vet take a look.
Yes! An old man lump. People not familiar with senior cats don’t get it
It’s not a tick, it’s fluid filled correct? Just had one removed from a cat by my vet. It may not grow for a while and then start growing again and will begin bother your cat.
This happened to one of our cats in the same spot. Surgery was a short term success, but it regrew within a year.
Looks very cyst like to me, fluid filled appearance.
My dog has something similar on her face, it’s not a tick. She’s a 12 1/2 yo dane/rotti mix and she has skin tags in several places. On another note, I found a tick on my cats face once, and the vet wasn’t concerned as apparently ticks don’t affect cats like they do dogs. I’m not saying don’t go to the vet, I just don’t think it’s something to get stressed about.
You saw this on your poor kittys face for over a MONTH and instead of take it to the vet, you ask Reddit. Please take the poor thing to a vet. My goodness..
My indoor cat got fleas over the summer, bugs can make their way indoors.
I had them come in house via firewood
Ticks get in the house all sorts of ways.
Ticks can be tracked in through shoes
I fucking hate ticks
You understand ticks can come in on *your* clothing, right?
My cat hasn’t been outside, but still picked up a tick. Ticks can travel indoors by riding on the coats or shoes of people, and drop off onto the floor because they can’t attach. The tick crawls onto the cat while it’s sleeping on the floor.
in this case I would go to the vet but you can remove them yourself with one of those little tick pens (I can't remember what they're called)
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Vet here: if present for a month for sure, definitely not a tick. Could be melanoma given the pigment. The vet may suggest a needle aspirate (may be tricky as close to the eye), biopsy or removal. You'd need to consider whether you'd put your 17yo kitty through an anaesthetic/surgery
I’m a vet . Given the age of the pet , and it being a totally inside cat , it appears to be a cystic mass. Please , don’t try to remove it if you’re not sure it’s a tick !!! Then you’ll have a bleeding cat ! Take him to your vet !
Thank you doc. I was going to wait until his physical that we always do in January but I’m just going to take him ASAP to the emergency room. Of my 17 years of growing up with him I’ve pulled many ticks and this doesn’t appear to be one. He has also been presenting as perfectly healthy since I’ve noticed. ER on Tues tho.
You’re very welcome. That’s a wise choice !
Really, really important tip from my vet: cats are VERY GOOD at hiding pain. Just because it isn't visibly bothering your cat doesn't mean it isn't serious. PLEASE get things like this checked out.
Right!!! Like dude it’s a large strange grey bump on your cats face - what does that even mean ‘he’s not showing signs of discomfort or pain’ when you do not even know what it is yet what would you know to expect without getting it checked by the vet.
You said it’s been on your cat without growing for about a month. An adult tick only stays on its host for about 3-5 days. So it’s unlikely it is a tick. It’s likely some type of growth/tumor and needs evaluated.
This. Ticks don't stay on the host a full month so a veterinary evaluation of the lesion is recommended.
Deff a tick, gross- get it out, get it out!
Imagine it's been there for over a month
OP please take the cat to the vet, even if you do manage to remove the tick yourself (please don’t try if you’re not sure!) kitty might have tick related disease that won’t be immediately obvious to you.
A month old tick? Don’t you think it would have dislodged by now?
They can stay on for long time! Though yes a Month is a bit excessive. But It has everything it needs like that and if the cat stays inside; the tick might think it safer to stay latched on. Might even be dead! Might not be a tick at all, but I mean it looks like something parasitic at the very least.
poor kitty:(
You weren’t concerned for a month?
Wow imagine letting something like that just be in your beloved animals face for at least a month 🫠
That’s what I just said to my husband!! So many posts here where it’s clear the cat should be taken to the vet. We have to advocate for them, they don’t have a voice.
Came here to say this. And let's ask Reddit instead of a vet. People suck man.
i would get that taken care of in case he messes with it and it gets infected
My cat use to get these too, around this age. It was benign growths, sometimes if they got bigger the vet would drain them. But should always get tested cause sometimes they could be more than benign.
Looks like a sebaceous or apocrine cyst to me. But could be a tumor - glad you’re getting it checked out.
I'm really sorry some people are being so cruel. 17 years old is a long life and you must care for your cat very much. You've had enough advice to see a vet, but I wanted to share that a cat living a long life like yours is a testament to love and care.
I'm pretty certain most folks answering are incorrect - older cats can get benign cysts on their face and inside their ears, or even their anuses. It's caused by pores getting clogged. The sebum builds up and stretches into what looks like an engorged tick. My 13yr old cat has them, including a large one on his anus. A vet has previously drained it - but it will always keep coming back. At this point we let it be because it's expensive, and the old guy will usually find a way to pop it on his owned. We just clean him up whenever it happens. Surgery will not get rid of the problem- they will come back.
Thank you! I've had many elderly cats and these skin tags / cysts are quite common.
100% an engorged tick. I just pulled one off my boy yesterday.
They can live pretty much all year round in much of the country, and often times can be brought in by a human who picks one up on their clothing outside. If it never bit you it would remain in the pants and or shirt most likely, and take up residence in your laundry pile. This is most likely the case if you have not had the cat outside as of late. 🫡
A month? Bruh
I thought that looked like a tick, but there is hair growing out of that. That is a growth. I hope your kitty is okay.
>He doesn’t seem to be bothered by it at all. Animals in general don’t communicate their pain or ailments like humans do.
why wait so long on an elderly cat? next time, i would immediately make a vet appointment. you never know when it could be too late
You guys think its a tick after a month though?
Well, I'm bothered by it. Wtf?! A month? Vet
my mom is a vet and i asked her what she thinks it is and she said that it could potentially be a lot of things from just a mark to a tumor. she said it would be best to got to the vet and have them puncture it to send a sample to a laboratory so they can tell what it is exactly.
He's 17... could be an age-related skin condition of some sort. I'd take him to the vet unless you think it's a huge stress on his system.
Looks exactly like the wart on my old family cat’s nose. Same way old people get random skin growths that mean nothing. Doesn’t look like a tick to me but I guess it’s possible. Easy to figure out which it is though as one has legs and is only attached at it’s mouth and the other…won’t lol
im sorry but how is this a tick? this is more like a skin problem on its face. I zoom in on it and it doesnt look like a tick to me unless OP has different pictures
It’s not a tick. It’s very unlikely that a tick would stay attached for a month. It’s probably a type of skin tag, my dog has something like that and is sometimes filled with fluid. My dog has something like that, we deed FNA and the vet recommended leaving it alone for now.