Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My cat has a round, rough lump on its skin. What should I do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 10 years and 10 months old

Cat has a round lump on his skin, I can get my fingers around the whole thing, It's not a tick, it feels like rough skin around it

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 20th, 2017

Hello there and thank you for your post! Unfortunately, without pictures or seeing this mask for myself in person it is difficult to say what it could be. Seeing that Rascal is 10 years old he is considered geriatric. At geriatric ages, we can typically find skin masses that are many times benign and not cancerous. However, there is a chance that it could be a cancerous tumor but without further testing it is very difficult to say. I would recommend having a veterinarian exam in the slump to get a better idea of what it could be. The vet can insert a small needle into the lump and look at the cells under a microscope to help determine what the lump could be. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

What is this firm brown lump on my cat's face? Should I worry?

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why does my 8-year-old cat have a small, raised lump on his side?

It is likely to be a small mass in the skin, it could be infection, a cyst or fatty lump. There is always a chance that it could be a type of cancer so I would keep a close eye on it. If it gets bigger or changes shape I would have the vet to test it to determine the exact type of mass.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat has tiny cluster of black lumps on skin. Should I see a vet?

From the picture, it could be that Lemon has a papilloma (benign tumor) or another kind of benign tumor. In a senior cat, there is always a chance it could be a malignant tumor. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. I would have Lemon seen by a vet in the morning to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My cat has a hairless, skin-colored bump on his face. Is it cancer?

It could be cancer, but given Dale is five years old, it's not very likely. It would be more likely to be a benign lump. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. Give his vet a call to make him an appointment. I hope this helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My senior cat has a skin-colored lump near his eye. Is it serious?

Hello! This is probably a small cyst or pimple-like structure, but given the age of Jak, I do recommend that he gets checked out by a vet sometime soon to be sure it isn't a cancerous lump. At the vet's office, they will give Jak a full exam, and possibly take a sample of cells from the lump with a small needle to look at under the microscope (called a fine needle aspirate, or FNA). This well help the vets see if the lump is something that can be watched, or if it needs to come off. Good luck, and I hope Jak's lump turns out to be nothing to worry about!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My senior cat has growing lumps on her chin and back, are they tumors?

The shape and appearance of this mass makes me more suspicious of a tumor. If there is a similar lump on her back, then this would help to confirm the suspicion, but the only way to tell for sure is to have it tested. Unfortunately, we can't tell exactly what this is from appearance alone, because many different tumors can look like this. I recommend taking Sasha to the vet sometime soon to have this further evaluated. It's best to have this done earlier rather than later, because treatment will be less complicated and more successful the earlier it is diagnosed. Below is a link to an article with more helpful information. https://www.petcoach.co/article/lumps-and-bumps-on-your-pet/ I hope that helps and all is well with Sasha.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

What's this lump on my cat's skin? Is it a wart or something serious?

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

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share