Why Does My Cat Have Swollen Glands Around His Neck?

It sounds to me as if the lymph nodes in your cat's throat might be trying to tell you something.

Lymph nodes are central to any creature's immune system (including we humans), and so the presence of swollen lymph nodes usually means that a cat is trying to fight off some sort of infection.

Why does my cat have swollen neck glands? Because there are so many diseases which might trigger a reaction in a cat's lymph nodes, the best thing you can do is to take your pet to a vet.

Without trying to frighten you, I think you should be aware that a number of fairly serious diseases can be related to swollen lymph nodes.

If your cat has swollen neck glands, this can be a sign of the following:

• The presence of infectious agents (like fungal infection).
• The presence of non-infectious agents (such as allergic reactions).
• Bacterial infection.
• Viral infection (for example FIV, also known as feline Aids).
• Disease of the lymph nodes (such as Lymphoid hyperplasi or Lymphadeniti).

Your vet will be able to provide you with an accurate diagnosis, and to make sure that your kitty is recieving the best treatment possible - so don't hang about, get your cat the medical attention it needs!