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My cat has a swollen gland under his neck, but acts normal. Is it?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 7 months and 23 days old | 8 lbs

my cat albert has swollen glands under neck (submandibular) in right side .he seems happy,is eating and playing with our cats.he looks normal (for me) like other cat.is that normal?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr Stafford, BVetMed, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on August 26th, 2017

Swollen glands can be due to a number of things, sometimes they are reacting to an infection, sometimes they swell for no real reason and sometimes it is a cancer called lymphoma. In Albert's case I would not be overly worried as he is so young, but I would definitely have him checked as the vet will know better how much swrlling is significant. He may have an infection that needs treated or the vet may want to sample the lump to get a definite diagnosis.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Jessica Keay, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    So we can often palpate the lymph nodes and salivary glands in this area when normal sized, however it can be difficult for an owner to tell if they are normal size vs. enlarged if they haven't noticed them before. If one side is larger than the other side, this is definitely abnormal. We would be worried about a possible infection in the mouth or surrounding areas or an enlarged salivary gland. Your kitty should have an examination by the vet. They can do a thorough exam of the area and the oral cavity and may recommend an aspirate of the area. Depending on what they find on exam they may recommend a course of antibiotics or other treatment.

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    Answered By Dr Stafford, BVetMed, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Swollen glands can be due to a number of things, sometimes they are reacting to an infection, sometimes they swell for no real reason and sometimes it is a cancer called lymphoma. In Albert's case I would not be overly worried as he is so young, but I would definitely have him checked as the vet will know better how much swrlling is significant. He may have an infection that needs treated or the vet may want to sample the lump to get a definite diagnosis.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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