TL;DR: Mastitis is a mammary gland infection that requires veterinary attention within 12 to 24 hours; seek immediate emergency care if the glands appear black or purple or if your cat is lethargic and vomiting.
What are the signs and causes of mastitis or mammary engorgement in cats?
When a nursing cat's mammary glands become hot, firm, and painful, it is frequently a sign of mastitis. Mastitis is an infection of the milk-producing glands, often caused by bacteria entering the teat or milk stasis within the duct. While it might start as simple engorgement (excessive milk buildup), it can quickly progress to a painful infection that affects the mother's ability to care for her kittens.
Is mastitis or mammary engorgement in cats considered a veterinary emergency?
- Urgency Level: Medium. You should schedule a veterinary appointment within 12 to 24 hours.
- Progression: While often manageable with antibiotics, the condition can escalate into a systemic infection.
- Emergency Symptoms: Seek immediate care if your cat is lethargic, vomiting, refusing to eat, or if the glands appear dark purple or black, as these are signs of gangrenous mastitis or sepsis.
How does a photo help the veterinarian triage my cat's symptoms?
- Visual Assessment: A clear, well-lit photo allows a veterinarian to look for markers of severity like inflammation, skin discoloration, or discharge.
- Determining Urgency: This information helps the clinical team determine how quickly your cat needs to be seen.
- Kitten Safety: Photos assist in deciding whether it is safe for kittens to continue nursing from the affected glands.
Clinical Context (Merck Veterinary Manual)
In a nursing cat (queen), mastitis should be suspected if mammary glands are hot and painful. The milk may appear grossly normal or abnormal in color and consistency. Microscopic examination of milk may reveal inflammatory cells, and bacterial culture and sensitivity of milk (or fluid obtained by fine-needle aspiration) is recommended to identify the causative agent, commonly *Escherichia coli* or staphylococci. Pending culture results, cephalexin (5-15 mg/kg, PO, tid) or amoxicillin/clavulanate (14 mg/kg, PO, bid-tid) are appropriate initial therapeutic agents, chosen with consideration of their passage into the milk. Hot-packing the affected gland encourages drainage and relieves discomfort.
Chapter: Infectious Diseases, Reproduction
Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th Edition (Page 1396)