My new stray cat has a strange paw lump. Does she need a vet visit?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This could even be an abscess. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. 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. Usually this unfortunately cannot be treated at home since we do not know what it is. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I recommend you have Domino evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good day!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Tombo and for providing a picture, it's very helpful. I suspect that she has an abscess. Typically outdoor cats fight with other cats, and cat bites frequently lead to abscesses. I do think you should take her into the vet to get this treated. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Judging from your description and the fact that she is an outdoor cat, I would suspect what you are seeing is an abscess. I would recommend getting her to a vet if possible to have the lump examined so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. If you know who the owners are, I would try to discuss this with them before taking their cat to the vet for treatment. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It’s difficult to tell for sure what’s going on without examining Timmy myself, but from the appearance of that discharge in the photo I’m concerned Timmy may have an infection in that nail bed. This could happen after trauma, or if he punctured his foot on something sharp. I recommend having Timmy seen by a vet, as he may need a course of antibiotics. It’s also possible he has a mass growing on that toe, but that would be considered less likely at his young age. I hope this helps!

It’s difficult to see exactly what that is in the photo. I would try to pull it out if it’s moveable. You can also soak the paw in warm water with epsoms salt or an antibacterial solution. As long as she’s not lame I’m not overly concerned about it. Some cats get a callus on their pads, and some have an extra underdeveloped toenail, either of which could be her issue. If she becomes lame or this is painful then please take her in for an exam. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Lucy.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry Mia is having this issue. If this was a simple injury surely it would have healed by now. The fact that it has been going for a year and is growing, I would recommend you have it surgically removed and sent off to a lab for histopathology. Due to the location of this mass, if it gets much larger it will be harder to remove as there is not a lot of extra skin to close a large incision in that area. This is just my opinion. What the mass actually is though, I cannot say just by looking at a photo. It may be benign but it could also be malignant. The histopathology will tell which it is. It could also be that she has a foreign body (maybe a splinter or something) under the skin that is festering so this may not be a mass at all. It is really difficult for me to say just by looking at the photo. It is a possibility however, I would have expected it to cause more of an infection by now if that was the case. Still a possibility though. You are always welcome to get a second opinion by another vet that can examine her in person. Remember, you know Mia best and need to be her advocate. If you are uncomfortable or have a bad feeling about something then voice those concerns. In my opinion it is always better to be safe than sorry. If you are worried then removing the mass is the best option. Hope this helps. Best wishes.