Strange bump on my cat's ear

[hearingmomo]

I was holding my cat, Randy, and noticed on the back of her ear there was a small bump.  It felt soft, maybe just a pimple or some irritation (do cat's get pimples, and if so, on their ears?).  It doesn't bother her when I touch it, and she doesn't scratch it.  It's where her fur starts to thin as it goes up the ear, so I can see it fairly well, but there is still fur over it.

A week or so after first noticing it, the bump started feeling rough, like it was scabbing over.  I thought she and my other cat had gotten into another fight, and maybe it was a puncture on her ear that was starting to heal.  I figured the rough spot would dry up, fall off, and that would be the end of it.

Now, three or four weeks later, it is just the same.  The bump is the same size (the head of a straight pin), the same texture (rough like a scab or dry skin), the same color (white).  It doesn't seem to bother her, but it's been so long now.

A couple days ago I noticed on the same ear, but on the very tip, just inside the point on the top, the fur is kind of matted down and there is this white raised film or something there.  Randy is an explorer worthy of the phrase "curiosity killed the cat".  She gets into so many things I can't keep up.  My best guess was that she got some kind of goop on her ear and it would come off.  Well, it's been a couple days, and it's still there.  I try to look at it, but she won't hold still.

Any ideas if the two things are related and what they might be?  Should I be worried?

Thanks!

 

[margd]

Is there any way you can get photos?  You mentioned Randy won't hold still, so I can see that might be a problem, especially as the bump is so small.  

My cat Milo had a bump on his ear and his vet warned me that it might become cancerous and to keep an eye on it.  He lived to be 14 and it never changed so we were lucky.  His was a little different from yours  in that it was black and smooth but the vet seemed to be warning of bumps in general.   

I don't know about the white film.  That really does sound like she got into something and it just hasn't come off yet.  However, if you take her to the vet for the bump, you can always have the vet look at the white film at the same time.

 

[hearingmomo]

I've been trying to catch her while she's asleep to get a picture, but it's like she knows and won't settle down!  I'll keep trying though.  Thanks for responding.

 

[hearingmomo]

It's been a few days (my work schedule right now is rough and my cat is wiggley!) but I finally got some pictures.

Here is the white bump as it was when I first started this thread:

p1280004.jpg

• hearingmomo
• Mar 12, 2016

p1290007.jpg

• hearingmomo
• Mar 12, 2016

Sorry that they're kind of fuzzy.  I had trouble in that no flash made the pictures dark, and flash made Randy jump up and go "ooo, light!".

Here is the weird film on the tip of her ear.  It is the same ear, right on the tip of the point on the inside of the ear.

P1290011.JPG

• hearingmomo
• Mar 12, 2016

P1290010.JPG

• hearingmomo
• Mar 12, 2016

Those are pretty fuzzy, but again it looks like a film, over her fur, matting it down.

Yesterday (I think it was) the white dry part of the bump came off somehow.  I was petting her and noticed that it was now a dried blood scab.  Here is a picture of it this morning.

P2030015.JPG

• hearingmomo
• Mar 12, 2016

P2030013.JPG

• hearingmomo
• Mar 12, 2016

Still blurry, but it's the same white bump it just has a bloody scab at the bottom of it now.

She still doesn't act like it bothers her.  Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[margd]

I think it's time for a vet visit.  When long lasting bumps change appearances, it's a good idea to get a professional opinion. It's possible that whatever the bump was has finally sloughed off and the ear will heal now, but I'd still have it checked.   Randy's white bump is the same size and shape as Milo's black one, but Milo's never changed appearance. The vet can check on the white film at the same time.  Odds are it's just something sticky Randy got into - if only she'd let you wash it!