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My cat has a hard chest bump. Is it a nipple or a serious growth?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 5 years and 6 months old | 23 lbs

My 5 yr old housemate Tiger has this hard bump on his chest. I always thought it was a nipple, and just noticed, it seems a bit bigger. Doesn’t seem to bother him, should I be concerned? No puss, it’s dry, never seen any discharge. Help?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

Veterinary Technician

Published on September 19th, 2022

That looks like it may be a cutaneous horn-type growth. Sometimes, they can dry up and fall off on their own, however, they can also sometimes be cancerous. With any new bump, it's always best to confirm in person with your vet as it is not always possible to determine what a growth is by looks alone. Your vet can take a sample of the growth to determine the cell type, or safely remove it if it is bothersome or itchy for Tiger.

Until you get to Tiger's next vet checkup, keep an eye on the area for any signs of something more serious ongoing such as rapid changes in size, redness, irritation, irregular shape changes, pus, or discharge. These are all signs that the growth should be seen ASAP instead.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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