My cat has a soft, bleeding lump on her side. Could it be cancer?

Hello! This depends on how long the lumps have been present for. If they have been slowly growing (over a few weeks/months), then they could be some sort of skin tumour. If they just came recently (ie the last few days), it could be an abscess (which is an infection, trapped under the skin.) Would you be able to take Luna to see a vet? They would be able to examine him, and determine what type of lumps they are, and whether he can be helped with medication, or surgery. You can clean the area that he is bleeding from with warm water and a clean cloth.

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!

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

Unfortunately, it's impossible to tell what is going on with a skin problem by just looking at the skin since most skin problems look very similar. My best recommendation would be to have your veterinarian perform some simple skin tests to get a sample of the area to examine under the microscope. They will be able to evaluate for bacteria, yeast, mites, fungus and abnormal cells. Hopefully that will determine what is causing the problem and how to treat it. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

Thank you for providing a picture of the bump on your cat, it's very helpful! It could simply be a benign growth, as it looks like it could be one in your picture, but unfortunately I cannot make the determination for sure without seeing him in person and doing tests on it. It is a bit concerning that it has grown up to 4x in size and is bleeding. It could be bleeding because he is scratching at it, but again I don't know unless I see him in person. Due to the fact it has grown in size and is bleeding for some reason, then yes I do think this is concerning enough to see the vet. It would be good to get the exact diagnosis of the bump; in addition, your cat is 10, which means he's a senior cat, and there is always a risk that any bump in a senior cat could be malignant. I'd give your vet a call to make an appointment. I hope this helps!

I suggest a veterinary exam soon. Any mass, especially if grows fast and appears painful to touch should be assessed. If the mass is related to the nipple or mammary gland, it could be a type of breast cancer. I cannot see well on the pictures nor can I feel it so please see a veterinarian in person for a better assessment. Good luck with Raven and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach .