Post by @daannii@lemmy.world

2026-10-23 02:47 UTC

Is it normal for a chubby cat to have fat deposits here ? So this cat has had some health problems and is FIV positive. He just had a teeth cleaning done about 2 weeks ago. He is easy going. But when I touch this area he tries to get away and makes unhappy noises. To me these areas look swollen. Almost like a round lump. They are soft. More pronounced when he lays on his side. Sticks out almost ball shaped. Like a distinct ball shaped fattty area. Now he had an injury to this area when I first took him in, (he was a stray. I took him in around April). I’ve never had an overweight cat. I am not sure if this is abnormal and needs a vet visit. Or it’s normal to have fat deposits there and he’s just unhappy about being touched there from the old injury. Anyone have a fat cat and can confirm it’s normal or not. My other concern is, it’s a swollen lymph node or something . It is bilateral but bigger on one side but definitely on both sides. I’ve taken this cat to the vet so much that I don’t want to take him in just for normal fat deposits. I am aware he is overweight. It’s been challenging managing his bottomless pit appetite but his diet is being managed. I can’t seem to find this info online about fat deposits. Do cats put on fat right around the hip joint area ? Maybe not all cats do but some ? Here is an illustration with the lumpy fat area circled.

Replies (4)

@Praxinoscope@lemmy.zip 2026-10-23 03:05

My cat had a ball shaped lump in that area and it was cancer. He passed away a year ago. Don’t wait, take him to the vet.

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@Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world 2026-10-23 04:33

Bilateral identical masses are almost certainly not cancer. That being said, I have no idea what they could be. To answer your question, no, the femoral head is not a normal location for fat deposits. Could be a big deal, could be nothing. Ultimately, make your own risk assessment. I personally wouldn’t see this as a big enough concern for a veterinary opinion. However, that would always be the safest answer.

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@Uranium_Green@sh.itjust.works 2026-10-23 06:57

Not 100% sure with cats, but I’ve had swelling and tenderness on either side of my abdomen before, which turned out to be kidneys and ureter… Has your cat been urinating regularly? Changed frequency? Etc

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@fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk 2026-10-23 06:59

Not necessarily the case here, and both sides makes me think it’s not, but when you mentioned the cat had a recent injury here, it made me suspect an infection and an abscess - if only because I’ve dealt with one recently. One of our cats had this from a cat bite wound. A swelling, sort of ball shaped, soft, but the cat says “ow!” If you touch it. In our case, that cat had a fairly intense scratch and the abscess burst all over the floor (thankfully in a room with easily wipable tiles). This was followed up with a vet visit for antibiotics and painkillers. The “both sides” and the amount if time between April and now makes me think it’s not that, but still might be one to add to the possibilities list.

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