We all love our pets and most times regard them as members of our families. As such, when these pets have medical emergencies like a cat swollen lip, we go all out to ease their pain and suffering. Swelling on the lips of a cat is one of their most visible ailments which can be interpreted in many ways. Notwithstanding, it is important to work with the right facts when the health of your pet is involved to avoid escalating a condition that would have easily been taken care of.
For this reason, we will examine the condition of a cat’s swollen lip extensively in this piece.
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Does Cat Swollen Lip Portend Cancer?
The fact that your cat has swollen lips or chin does not automatically mean that it has cancer, even though the possibility of it having the terminal disease cannot be entirely ruled out.
Cats, just like their human owners, have distinct personalities and respond to both internal and external factors/stimuli differently. So, if you notice that your cat has swollen lips, first find out what could be the root cause of the condition in your feline companion, and don’t generalize what the possible cause(s) could be. We rounded up a few pointers to what could possibly be the reason for a cat swollen lip.
Possible Causes Of Swollen Lips In Cats
There are quite a few conditions that can cause swollen lips in your cat, and we will look at them in more detail below:
(i) Feline Or Chin Acne
You probably never imagined your cat battling acne but the truth is, it can also affect the feline community. When the sebaceous glands block pores under the chin, it can lead to swelling in the chin and may also extend to the lower lip. Also, when bacteria infect the hair follicles on the mouth of your cat, it may also develop into swelling of the chin and lower lip. Some cats also have plastic contact allergies, which may lead to swollen lips, nonetheless, the opinion of veterinary doctors varies on this.
(ii) Allergy
Your cat might develop allergic reactions to its feeding or water bowls, food change, or certain ingredients in its food. This can occur as a result of the material their food bowl is made of or the content of the food you served your pet. Any of these allergies can lead to chin or lip swelling.
(iii) Dental issues
If your cat has a broken tooth or other teeth problems, or dental abscess, it can lead to the swelling of not only the lips but the affected side of the face as well.
Sores in the mouth of your cat which may have become infected will also lead to the swelling of the lips and face. This is basically the same with humans and doesn’t come as a surprise since they essentially share a lot in common with other animals.
(iv) Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex (EGC)
Cat swollen lips can equally result from strange causes that often leave the owners confused. Sometimes, just like human beings, a cat’s immune system may turn against it and fight it; these types of immune cells are called Eosinophillis, and there are 3 different scenarios of this condition.
The first may present itself as an Indolent Ulcer, a lesion that is very common in cats. It may affect the upper lip of the cat’s mouth and is usually caused by the cat’s licking habits.
The second factor that can lead to swelling is the Eosinophilic Plaque lesions, which is usually seen around the cat’s thighs or abdomen.
The third and most common of the EGC is the Eosinophilic Granuloma – which are lesions found mostly in the mouth or on the rear legs of cats.
(v) Cancer
Of course, cancer has to be a possible cause of a cat swollen lip and we are definitely not ruling that out. The swelling on your cat’s lips may, therefore, be a result of a type of cancer known as Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma – usually seen as swelling in the cat’s lips and lower jaw.
(vi) Pest and Parasites
When insects, pests, and parasites have access to your cat – particularly the ones that lay eggs or inject saliva, they can cause the lips of the furball to swell. If the parasites bite your cat on the hair follicles near the mouth/lips, it can cause red and itchy sores, which can cause swelling as the cat would be drawn to scratch it very often. This also happens to humans and takes a while before the swelling would come down.
Treatment And Home Remedy For Cat Swollen Lip
If your cat has swollen lips, there could be a few things you can do to eliminate possible causes before visiting a veterinarian. To give your furry companion instant relief before further medical attention, you can do the following:
- Change the plastic containers for your cat’s food and water, to stainless steel ones. This is required as they might be allergic to such materials
- Prevent your cat from being exposed to parasites like fleas, mites, and mosquitoes. Bites from these parasites can cause a lot of harm to you and your pets
- Check your cat’s teeth regularly, watching out for damaged teeth; prevention of dental problems, however, is better. If you can detect such problems early, your feline companion may not have a case of cat swollen lip to contend with
- Change your cat’s food, diet, or source of drinking water. Still, on allergies, be sure you are not feeding your cat what their body reacts to
Read Also:Â Medium-Haired Cats: 8 Breeds & All The Facts You Need To Know
Other Facts You Need To Know About The Condition
Here are a few other facts to know about lip swelling in cats:
- Your cat may try to hide the swelling in its lips from you as much as possible.
- The best thing to do if the swelling persists for more than a week is to seek professional help and diagnosis from a veterinarian. At this point, you must have tried all home remedies to no avail, do not insist on doing it yourself but seek professional help.
- Don’t be shy to ask your vet questions during treatments, ask to know if there are any side effects to the treatment, and for how long it could last. You can actually save yourself a lot of worries if you know what to expect from the treatment given to your cat.
- Find out the root cause of your cat’s lip swelling and treat it, not the symptoms or manifestations of it.
- If the swelling is caused by parasites like fleas or mites, make sure you put your cat on an all-year-round flea/mite protection.