Why is my cat's nipple black and soft? Is it a tick or something else?

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.

This looks like a nipple to me - look above and below it and you should see more nipples in a line if that’s what it is. If not I’d guess this is something like a skin tag or other skin growth and it would be a good idea to have your vet take a look when you get a chance to see if it’s something that should be removed. It does not look like a tick to me.

In your picture this looks like a fairly normal nipple, although it does seem a bit large. It's possible that this nipple is inflamed, or that there is a growth or tumor associated with it. I'd recommend having your vet examine the nipple in person to help determine what might be going on.

Hello, it looks like the hair follicles around the nipples could be plugged. You do not need to worry about it, besides making sure that Oreo is bathed and grooming on her own. There are some diets with increased essential fatty acids that may improve the over all coat health of your cat. Hope this helps and best of luck.

It is very possible that the pigment around her nipples are a normal variation. However, if the sizes of Cindy's mammary glands differ or if you feel any hard lumps (even tiny ones) near her nipples, she should be examined by a vet.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At least based on these pictures I can tell you that mastitis seems unlikely as they typically also have visible swelling of the mammary glands and there is usually discharge. This may be due to dirt from them nursing or perhaps due to a mild skin infection. If it does not resolve on its own in the next 5 days or it worsens, have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!

I recommend you ask your vet nurse to check it or post a picture here - it is possible part of the tick may still be embedded. I recommend using a monthly tick prevention such as stronghold plus or broadline to prevent future botes during the spring-summer months