Cat with white lump on paw

[kittylovin]

My cat has a white squishy lump on her paw. I've tried to look up what it is and have only found articles about hard lumps that people just "snip off". Hers has hair coming out of it and it's most definitely attached to her paw. Any ideas?

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• kittylovin
• Feb 18, 2016

 

[molly92]

It sounds like what you were researching might have been cutaneous horns, which are like extra growths of keratin on paw pads, like nails but they don't have a blood supply. Those you can trim, but this is definitely not a cutaneous horn, so don't do that! Having said that, I'm not sure what it is. There are a lot of different things that cause lumps and bumps, and many are benign, but you need to see a vet to know for sure.

 

[kittylovin]

Thanks, yeah I'm going to take her to the vet on my next day off. It doesn't seem to bother her at all when I touch it and she's had it for a bit, I was seeing if it was changing or growing in size. No real difference. It was obviously small enough when it formed I didn't notice it. Anything right now can help, like I said its not causing her any discomfort. Nothing abnormal with the way she's acting or eating either.

 

[kittylovin]

image.jpeg

• kittylovin
• Feb 18, 2016

 

[Aradia]

What did the vet say? My cat has the exact same thing and I could not find anything close to it anywhere but here, we don’t want to take him to the vet if we don’t have to, so I would like to know what came of your vet trip

 

[Daisy6]

It looks like a paw pad with less pink color than the real ones. I wonder if that can happen to cats.

 

[silkenpaw]

Cyst? Abscess? Wart? Let us know what the vet says, please.

 

[Diana Madison]

Just a thought - that looks like a fully engorged tick. It would have been on the cat at least 4 days to be that full, but for anyone searching something similar in the future, this is something to consider.
(Removed 2 very similar looking ticks from a stray a few weeks ago. No hair growing through, but the legs can look like hair).

 

[JMT]

Would have loved to know what the vet said as my cat has the exact same thing. It is not a tick, as there are many tufts of fur growing directly out of it.

 

[fionasmom]

The OP was literally here on TCS for only two days, so I doubt that you will receive a reply. From looking at the pics, I do not think that it is a tick nor a cutaneous horn, as were suggested. It looks like a cyst, which is absolutely not a medical diagnosis as I am not a vet, so just a guess. The usual advice is that if it does not go away within a short period of time that the cat should see a vet. This is probably not an emergency, but making an appointment would be a good idea.

 

[IndyJones]

I know this is old but for any new users brought here by googles beachcombers

never and i mean NEVER EVER! Just clip off any kind of growth! Get a vet to do it. Theres a good chance it will be extremly painful if you do this at the bare minimum. It will most likely bleed alot and could even get infected.

Just as you should never cut a growth off your own skin without a dermatologist, do not do it to your cat either!

 

[JMT]

The OP was literally here on TCS for only two days, so I doubt that you will receive a reply. From looking at the pics, I do not think that it is a tick nor a cutaneous horn, as were suggested. It looks like a cyst, which is absolutely not a medical diagnosis as I am not a vet, so just a guess. The usual advice is that if it does not go away within a short period of time that the cat should see a vet. This is probably not an emergency, but making an appointment would be a good idea.

Yeah I know, it's just too bad they didn't update. I suspect that it's nothing concerning. I'll update with a result regardless in a week or two - if it goes away, or if she sees the vet. Milo is a 12 year old diabetic cat with pancreatitis, so she sees the vet often anyways.
I do want to note that this lump appeared fast, as I trimmed her claws only last week and saw nothing. I'm sure I would have noticed.

 

[JMT]

Update, one week later. It doesn't seem to be bothering her at all. She doesn't fuss when I touch it. Seems to be going away. I'm going to leave it another week and I will update again.