What's the crusty black spot on my white cat's nose? Is it cancer?

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach! It is difficult to say from the pictures but because it is black and is on an area where there is not much hair, I am concerned it could be a melanoma, which is a type of cancerous tumor. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine this and consider further testing on this to ensure it is nothing to be worried about. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Hello, as you may now cancer can only be diagnosed by looking at the cells of the area in question. Certainly, we can get a suspicion for cancer by assessing the gross appearance of the area in question. This means that although looking at Blue's nose I don't think it looks very aggressive to be considered a cancer, we are unable to tell unless we sample that area. Cats can get pigmentation changes with age, so this may very well be a normal change associated with his age and nothing you need to be concerned with. I would recommend monitoring the area for progression of this pigmentation change or any evidence of mass, ulcer, or thickening of the nose which would be more concerning for a cancer. Hope this helps and best of luck.

This is actually very concerning. I suggest you get her to your vet as soon as possible. I would be very worried that this is skin cancer (like squamous cell carcinoma) because of her coloration (white), the location of the lesions and the duration of the lesions. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/skin-squamous-cell-carcinoma-in-cats

From the pictures, it looks as though what you are seeing may be from trauma. Cat scratches to the face commonly occur on cats that are outdoor cats. Many times the hair will not grow back and the cat will be left with a small scar. If canto is indoor only and the nodule is raised, I would say get a vet to examine him to see for sure what it may be. It could be from a bug bite or a skin tumor of some type. If you cannot get to your vet right away, I would say just monitor for now and if it worsens get him seen sooner. It does not look infected or swollen from the picture. I would monitor for signs of infection which may include swelling, redness, painful to the touch, discharge, etc. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me with any further questions or concerns you may have. I am also available via consultation if needed.

The mark on Cleo's nose looks like a bit of crusted fur. This could be due to a scab from scratching herself, or could be the start of a mild bacterial or fungal infection. As long as it doesn't seem to be bothering her, it's perfectly reasonable to keep an eye on it for a week or two before taking further action. If it gets better - problem solved! If it stays the same or gets worse, it would be best to have it checked out by a vet. During the exam, your vet may need to scrape a sample of skin cells to be examined under a microscope to get to the bottom of this issue. I hope that everything goes well!

I would recommend taking Snow White to a veterinarian. This can be anything from a bacterial infection to a fungal infection (like ringworm). They can take a woods lamp (it is like a black light) to see if it glows green. If it does it is ringworm, if it does not it still could be. Only 50% of all ringworm shows up positive with this test. Your veterinarian will prescribe medication to help resolve the lesions. I hope Snow White feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello, sorry to hear about Luna. It sounds like she is having acne. This is typically brought on in cats due to them rubbing their face and snout against objects such as the rug or food bowls. Most often, you need to wipe their snout with skin sensitive baby wipes and change their food bowls to stainless steel. This are the first steps to try, and if it does not work then some cats may need medications. Your kitten is a bit young for this disease if she is truly 21 days old, so if the cleaning does not help or if the black spots are spreading, then she should be seen by a veterinarian. Hope this helps and best of luck.