My senior cat has a soft, pink neck lump that keeps coming back.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. 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 him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!

I would recommend at least having the lump evaluated with a physical exam. The vet may be able to do a fine needle aspirate to get some cells to assess what this may be. Draining masses can potential he be abscessed or infected also which should be addressed. Once you have more information after an exam and possible cytology you and your vet can discuss if you would like to pursue removal or anythig further for Cruzee. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. Only with a good exam & a needle aspirate can we tell the nature of a new or re-occurring lump. I am so glad that you realize that all lumps & bumps should be evaluated, but fortunately, not all of them are worrisome. I had a client that had a cat with a tennis ball sized lump attached to her neck. It was quite attached, so removal was going to be tricky at best. We sampled the lump multiply times over the years, & no signs of cancer ever appeared. The owner elected just to watch, & we recently had to put her to sleep after almost 19 years due to aging issues. The lump never bothered her. The fact that Pepsi's lump disappeared for awhile makes me think this is more cystic in nature, so less likely to be anything cancerous, so this is good. Hopefully, that is all your veterinarian will conclude. Good thoughts for Pepsi & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The only way to know for sure what this little growth is, would be to have it tested in some way. The least invasive way to test is to do cytology, where your vet can use a needle to remove a few cells from the lump and look at them under the microscope. Cytology is not always 100% diagnostic, but it is minimally invasive and often allows us to gauge a level of concern, or diagnose certain types of common masses. The way to know for sure what that lump is, would be to have it surgically removed and send the lump itself in for testing (histopathology). Histopathology nearly always gives us a diagnosis, but of course is more invasive. While Silver's age (as a young adult) makes him less prone to scary malignant growths, and growths that are very slow to change may turn out to be benign, there is no way to know for sure what the growth is without having it tested in some way. You may choose to leave it that way, but doing so without having it evaluated in some way is a little bit of a gamble. I know this isn't an absolute answer - but unfortunately the only answer can come from testing the lump. I'd say it's worth having a vet take a look at the lump for peace of mind. Hope this helps.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This may 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. I recommend that you have him 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

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is very hard to see in these pictures. This could be a benign or malignant growth. 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 night!