What is this lump on my 11-year-old cat's neck? Is it cancer?

It looks like a benign cyst. I cannot be 100% sure though just by looking at a photo. I just suggest you monitor it for any major changes - like it gets much larger or changes in color - and if you notice that then have your vet check it.

This may be an abscess, a cyst or a tumor. You should have it examined by your veterinarian, as it is not possible to distinguish these by just looking at a photo. An abscess can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and a cyst can be evacuated. To identify a tumor, your vet may want to do a fine needle aspirate (he takes some material from the bump with a needle and then looks at it under the microscope) to determine whether the mass is concerning.

It looks like a little wart or less likely a skin cyst. These are quite harmless and go away on their own. If it grows, changes colors or starts to bother Wendyl, then you should take her to the vet to get it checked out. They can take it off easily and send it to the lab for positive identification if needed.

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.

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

Of course a biopsy is needed for definitive diagnosis, but I suspect by the picture and what you describe that it may be a sebaceous (oil) gland cyst. They will not go completely away, but are usually pretty quiet and don’t cause problems. To be safe I would recommend having it examined by a veterinarian. Good luck to you and Willard.

Hello, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The only way to know for sure what this little growth is, would be to have it tested in some way. The least invasive way to test is to do cytology, where your vet can use a needle to remove a few cells from the lump and look at them under the microscope. Cytology is not always 100% diagnostic, but it is minimally invasive and often allows us to gauge a level of concern, or diagnose certain types of common masses. The way to know for sure what that lump is, would be to have it surgically removed and send the lump itself in for testing (histopathology). Histopathology nearly always gives us a diagnosis, but of course is more invasive. While Silver's age (as a young adult) makes him less prone to scary malignant growths, and growths that are very slow to change may turn out to be benign, there is no way to know for sure what the growth is without having it tested in some way. You may choose to leave it that way, but doing so without having it evaluated in some way is a little bit of a gamble. I know this isn't an absolute answer - but unfortunately the only answer can come from testing the lump. I'd say it's worth having a vet take a look at the lump for peace of mind. Hope this helps.