Is this dark growth on my 8 1/2 year old cat's skin serious?

Hi, I can see the dark pigmented mass on the photo and I would be more cautious then to say in certainty what any mass is by simply looking at it. If it hasn't been done yet I suggest to go to your vet and consider trying to take a sample. This usually means collecting samples of the material inside the mass with a needle (fine needle aspiration=FNA). Taking a sample and analyzing at it under the microscope or sending it to a pathologist for identification is crucial in most cases for a definitive diagnosis. If FNA is not effective (or if your vet thinks it's not the best option) the next recommendation is usually a biopsy.

Yes, this does sound like a melanoma. please take your cat to a vet ASAP as melanomas are very aggressive. Your vet may not even biopsy it for fear of spreading it, but opt to remove the tumor surgically under anesthesia. Do not wait, take her now.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. 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 night!

Pets can get many types of lumps and bumps. Most of these tumors will be benign but some will be malignant and you can't tell by looks. Here is a helpful link discussing the various types of skin masses in general: https://www.petcoach.co/article/lumps-and-bumps-on-your-pet/ Since you are noticing the mass changing, I do recommend to have it checked out to be safe. The doctor may recommend to aspirate the mass to examine the cells under a microscope. That is one of the best ways to know what it is and if further action is needed. Hopefully it's nothing serious.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This mass looks pretty serious. Any type of color change, especially dark like this one, makes us suspicious of cancer. I suggest you take her to your vet for an exam. Likely this mass will need to be surgically removed and sent to a laboratory for histopathology testing. I don't mean to scare you but I don't think this is something to ignore. I hope this helps. Best wishes.

The pink raised mass in the picture appears to be a wart. I would not be concerned about this unless it grows or changes in color. The lump you feel could range from a cyst to a cancerous growth. I would recommend taking her to a veterinarian for an aspirate. This is where they can take cells from the mass and look at it with microscope

This growth needs to be checked and analysed as there are many conditions and types of tumors that could look like that. take her to the vet, they will perform a fine needle aspiration on the growth and send it to the lab for analysis. when the result comes, the vet will advise what needs to be done according to the diagnosis.