I have two cats, brother and sister, and the little one is a very sickly little thing, whilst her brother seems strong as an ox. However, I have just noticed that he has a massive swollen face. He was fine this morning when I left the house. I came back and he's got a huge swelling on one side in his cheek and down towards the neck. What could it be? Obviously he's got to go to the vets but I am really worried!!
Just noticed my cat has a big swollen cheek!
Most likely a cat bite abcess or a dental abcess but even the vet couldn't tell you without seeing the cat 
Although it may have only just become noticable now, if it is an abcess it could have be building up for a few days as the infection developed.
Although it may have only just become noticable now, if it is an abcess it could have be building up for a few days as the infection developed.
Has he eaten anything since you noticed the swelling? Just watch out for a loss in appetite as cats become anorexic very quickly and the pain might put him off eating. Oh and keep him in tonight or you can guarantee he'll do a runner just before you take him to the vets in the morning.
oh and don't worry too much. my cat's at the vets every other month with bites and scratches which get infected. An anti inflammatory shot and an antibiotic usually perks him up within 24 hours.
He's been stung by a bee I would think. My cat loves chasing them and eating them, stupid thing. He turns up often with a paw twice the size of the other one, swollen cheeks and chin. It is a bit worrying it it's inside the mouth though so I'd keep an eye on him and his breathing.
Also could be an absess but I doubt it would come on so quick. My bet's a bee sting which should go down overnight.
Also could be an absess but I doubt it would come on so quick. My bet's a bee sting which should go down overnight.
Thank you so much for your lovely replies. He's a very friendly sweet boy but he is very sleepy and moody at the moment, so he's not happy clearly. I do remember now too, he was sick yesterday and it wasn't the usual grass, it was just liquidy and white. Oh, I hope he's not suffering. Not long till I can get him to the vet.
I have no luck with my cats. My other one has an allergy to virtually everything as well as a genetic disease which means she gets growths all the time. Costs us a bomb in vets bills, but we love them
I have no luck with my cats. My other one has an allergy to virtually everything as well as a genetic disease which means she gets growths all the time. Costs us a bomb in vets bills, but we love them
Originally Posted by lozza73:
“He's been stung by a bee I would think. My cat loves chasing them and eating them, stupid thing. He turns up often with a paw twice the size of the other one, swollen cheeks and chin. It is a bit worrying it it's inside the mouth though so I'd keep an eye on him and his breathing.
Also could be an absess but I doubt it would come on so quick. My bet's a bee sting which should go down overnight.”
“He's been stung by a bee I would think. My cat loves chasing them and eating them, stupid thing. He turns up often with a paw twice the size of the other one, swollen cheeks and chin. It is a bit worrying it it's inside the mouth though so I'd keep an eye on him and his breathing.
Also could be an absess but I doubt it would come on so quick. My bet's a bee sting which should go down overnight.”
Our diabetic cat got stung by something last year, he wouldn't eat for a couple of days, which was tricky with him being diabetic. I eventually got him to take cat milk and a bit of tuna, and he recovered OK.
It could well be a bee sting if it was that sudden - that has happened to my cats in the past. The swelling went down over about six or seven hours, no treatment necessary. But if it's an absess obviously that will need antibiotics, and draining.
My last cat Simeon used to get abcesses in his mouth because of a bad tooth, which made the whole side of his face balloon like you describe, (he was 18 when they started).
The first time it happened his eyeball actually started to protrude. His face went from normal to hugely swollen in less than a day.
The vet lanced it under his eye (can't tell you how discusting that was) and gave him strong pain killers and antibiotics and he was back to normal in a day or two.
He was in pain that first time, you could tell when he tried to eat, and he couldn't close his eye it protruded so much, which made his eye dry out. The problem recurred every three months until he died just over a year later (of other problems). After the first ocassion, at the first sing of the absess returning he had to go and get it lanced again, but we were able to catch it before it got too big or caused him signs of pain.
If he had been younger or fitter the vet would simply have operated to removedthe tooth and absess completely.
The first time it happened his eyeball actually started to protrude. His face went from normal to hugely swollen in less than a day.
The vet lanced it under his eye (can't tell you how discusting that was) and gave him strong pain killers and antibiotics and he was back to normal in a day or two.
He was in pain that first time, you could tell when he tried to eat, and he couldn't close his eye it protruded so much, which made his eye dry out. The problem recurred every three months until he died just over a year later (of other problems). After the first ocassion, at the first sing of the absess returning he had to go and get it lanced again, but we were able to catch it before it got too big or caused him signs of pain.
If he had been younger or fitter the vet would simply have operated to removedthe tooth and absess completely.
