My cat is acting strange and has crusty nipples. Is it cancer?

Hi. It appears to be a mass that is oozing near that nipple area. This could be an infection or an actual mass. We get concerned with older female pets who have masses on the mammary glands. They can get benign masses, but they can get cancer as well. I'd get her right away to have it checked and sampled asap

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Princess. Yes, I would make an appointment for her to see her veterinarian right away. Cats, that have not been spayed, are very prone to developing mammary tumors. The majority of these tumors are unfortunately cancerous. If this appears to be the case, her veterinarian may recommend some testing or discuss surgery with you. I hope this information helps!

Hello, sorry to hear about Diamonds. My biggest suspicion is that she may have a mass below that area which could be cancerous. The best way to know would be to obtain a sample from the mass and look under the microscope for potential malignant cells. Alternatively, this mass could be removed and submitted for biopsy since it is bleeding and likely causing Diamonds some discomfort. I would recommend having you veterinarian assess the mass and decide wether removing or sampling it is the next best step. Hope this helps and best of luck.

She could have a infection or allergic dermatitis. You could bathe her with a medicated cat shampoo and see if that helps. Otherwise, have your vet take a look at her to determine the cause and treat the problem. She may need an antibiotic and/or anti-inflammatory to treat.

I am sorry to hear about your cat. I would definitely recommend an examination at your vet if she hasn't already had one to confirm that this is actually cancer and not an infection/abscess. Suckling on the nipple isn't going to pass cancer to the kitten but it may cause irritation to the nipple and encourage inflammation/infection.

It would be hard to determine what the growth is without having it examined by a vet. Infections such as abscesses often are hot to the touch, painful, swell rapidly and may ooze debris from them if they pop open. Tumors and other growths may have different rates of growth and may or may not be bothersome to your cat. It is best to bring him into your vet to have the area looked at, and it may be drained or aspirated to take a sample for sending off to the lab. If the area is an infection, it can be drained and antibiotics given to prevent its return. Until you can get to the vet it is best to not allow your cat to lick or chew at the area with the use of a T-shirt or Elizabethan (cone) collar so that bacteria or a secondary infection are not introduced.

Poor Jaffacake! I am very concerned she may have mammary tumors which are often cancer, and potentially an infectious cat disease causing her breathing issues. If at all possible she really needs a full examination by a vet, blood work to evaluate her internal organ status, and testing for infectious diseases. I strongly encourage you to have her spayed as well. Hope that helps!