My senior cat has small skin tag-like lumps. 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.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Judging from the photos you provided, I suspect this is a benign skin mass from its appearance. These generally are find to just keep an eye on but if you would like it gone, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine the mass and discuss options for removal. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. 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 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.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Monkey. First off, love her name! Fatty lumps can grow to be quite big over time, but it is worth getting checked out. 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 her vet a call to make her an appointment. I 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!

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 day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If this happens to be in the abdomen, it is possible that this is a nipple. If not, then yes I agree it could be a growth. In that case, I recommend you have Leo evaluated by your veterinarian for a test called fine needle aspirate which is an easy, quick and pain-free procedure which in the majority of cases will help reach a diagnosis to identify what the best course of action is based on the findings. In some cases, a biopsy is needed for a diagnosis. If it truly is benign then removal is not necessarily recommended. However, if it is malignant and it has not spread to other locations, then surgical removal is recommended. Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed that it is something benign.