My cat has a brown lump on her neck. What is it? Should I worry?

Hello there and thank you for posting your question and picture. From the picture, it appears to be a benign skin mass that usually develop in older pets. These typically have this appearance and sometimes will not change in size or will increase in size. Most of these do not bother the animal and can be monitored. If you would like to confirm it is benign, your vet can perform additional tests on this mass. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via text / phone consultation if needed.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This may even be an abscess. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

This could be a few different things. It may be a cyst or it could be a growth that is concerning. Without actually seeing the growth I can't really tell you exactly what it is. I always recommend taking an animal to the veterinarian that has a growth to have an aspirate performed. This may give an answer as to what exactly the growth is. To get the definitive answer on what this growth is Blackbear would need the growth removed and biopsied. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I cannot tell where the lump is on the photo but most if not all lumps needs to be evaluated by a vet. Especially in Simba's case since the lump has gotten swollen. Your vet will perform a full physical exam and determine if the lump needs to be aspirated. Lumps can be anything from an abscess, mass/growth, hernia etc. Your vet will determine after an exam what the next best steps and treatments are. Good luck!

It's hard to tell the size but it looks like it may be a benign wart or growth. It appears to be more on the surface of the skin which is good, and it is well defined. Cats do get malignant skin growths so it is a good idea to have your veterinarian examine it and feel underneath also. They can easily remove this if necessary and do a biopsy. I'm not overly concerned looking at the photo but it's best to be sure. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Louis.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Dexter. This lump may be an enlarged lymph node if it's right below his neck. That can indicate an infection or a dental problem. Other possibilities include a cyst, an abscess, a lipoma, or a benign growth. Given it's local, I do think it's important to have it checked out by a vet, and I would have him seen by one in the next few days. I hope this helps!

Hi, I'm not sure if there was suppose to be a photo attached. Skin lumps can be many things and visual identification is not always accurate. Please feel free to repost with a picture of the lump. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.