My old cat has a purple lump near her nipple. Is it mammary cancer?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This is likely from her mammary gland. 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 Dahlia evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Princess. Yes, I would make an appointment for her to see her veterinarian right away. Cats, that have not been spayed, are very prone to developing mammary tumors. The majority of these tumors are unfortunately cancerous. If this appears to be the case, her veterinarian may recommend some testing or discuss surgery with you. I hope this information helps!

Hi. Poor Martha. Yes, any lump around the mammary area is concerning until proven benign. Especially if she was spayed later in life. The sooner these get checked and then removed if needed, the better the outcome. I would definitely recommend getting it checked and having them take a needle sample to look at the cells that it is made up of. This will help guide the next steps. If you would like to discuss further, you can open a consultation if you'd like. Good luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Fiona. Unfortunately, there is no way to determine if the mass is cancerous or not just by looking at it. Her veterinarian could perform a simple procedure known as a fine needle aspirated. The doctor would use a small needle to collect a sample of cells to evaluate under the microscope. This can lead to a diagnosis in some cases, but can be inaccurate. For a more accurate diagnosis, the mass would need to surgically removed and the whole mass submitted to the laboratory for a pathologist to review. I understand your hesitancy to do so given her age. That being said, cats have a higher rate of cancerous mammary tumors compared to dogs. Furthermore, the mass appears ulcerated in your picture. This can can associated with malignancy as well. Unfortunately, there is a good chance that it is cancerous. I hope this information helps.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. Based on its location, this could also be a mammary gland tumor which in most cases are malignant. 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. 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!

Hello, sorry to hear about Diamonds. My biggest suspicion is that she may have a mass below that area which could be cancerous. The best way to know would be to obtain a sample from the mass and look under the microscope for potential malignant cells. Alternatively, this mass could be removed and submitted for biopsy since it is bleeding and likely causing Diamonds some discomfort. I would recommend having you veterinarian assess the mass and decide wether removing or sampling it is the next best step. Hope this helps and best of luck.