Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

My senior cat has a growing lump on her belly. Is it a fatty tumor?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 14 years and 7 months old | 8.5 lbs

My cat is 14. She was spayed at age 3. A couple years after the spaying I noticed a small lump near the site. It is on her belly kind of between her legs. It has grown over the years and is now the size of roughly half a golf ball. It does not bother her movement and she isn't very reactive to it being touched other than not liking her belly rubbed. I'm concerned what it is. I though at first it was a fatty tumor and told if it didn't bother her it was OK. But should it grow this much?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on May 28th, 2020

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!

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat is just a little over 1 years old and I just noticed he has two lumps on his stomach. One on each side alost on the inside of his legs type area. They don’t seem to bother him but since I found these I’ve also noticed he’s been losing chunks o
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! An examination would really help to better characterize them. This could be benign or malignant growths. 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!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, I have a concern about my cat. She is a 14 year old Turkish Angora cat. She was being playful a few days ago and rolling on her back so I was rubbing her tummy when I noticed a lump. I first thought it may have been just a nipple but it was large
It is hard to tell from the photo but is the mass between your fingers? If so, that appears quite large. Is it associated with a mammary gland? If so, it could be a mammary gland tumor, especially if she was spayed later in life. The A mass is a collection of cells which can be benign (inflammation, benign tumor) or a malignant tumor. The only way to know what it is is for your vet to sample it. Typically we start with a needle aspiration for cytology to the lab. In most instances this can help diagnose whether a mass needs to be removed surgically. Not all masses can be diagnosed this way however and biopsy may be needed. Given the size of this mass, and proximity to the mammary gland, i would have it evaluated. I hope this helps and thank you for using Boop by Petco!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My male Bengal is 14 and he has a free moving lump under the skin on his belly near his hind leg. It is about the size of half a golf ball if you cut it in half .Thanks Jeff
Hi there! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This is most of the time differentiated with a test called a fine needle aspirate which is easy, cheap and pain-free. Sometimes, a biopsy is required for a diagnosis. Have Leopold evaluated by your veterinarian to have this test performed to try to sort out what the diagnosis is so that the best course of action can be determined. Keeping my fingers crossed that it is something benign!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
When we shaved her we notice that her tummy has grown wieredly. She has a ball like shape under her tummy. Is it a serious matter please check photograph. Our vet said to hve sonography if it does not reduces in a month.
I would be concerned about this lump in your cat. It could just be some fatty tissue in her mammary glands, which is very common to have, if it is the same on both sides. It's however the lump is only on one side of her tummy then that increases my suspicion that it is a tumor of some sort. I would recommend having a fine needle aspirate and cytology done at your vet. This is when a small sample of cells is taken from the mass and looked at under the microscope. This can help your vet determine if the mass is something benign or malignant (cancerous). If it is a malignant mass it needs to be removed sooner rather than later because it is already fairly large.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I just discovered a large lump on the front side of my cat and it just appeared today. What could it possibly be? He is around 8 years old, and can't seem to keep weight no matter what we try.
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! 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!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My one year-old female cat has several fatty-like lumps on her undercarriage. She has one under each foreleg, and three on her lower abdomen (actually, one is a smaller one just above her reproductive area). They are very pliable, like a balloon, and
Although a picture of it would help to give you more specific answers, this kind of lump/growth needs to be ideally assessed by your veterinarian to have a definitive and specific answer. Usually there are two ways your vet can do that a part from examining it directly during physical examination. A biopsy can be taken under local or general anesthetic, otherwise a smaller sample through a fine needle can be aspirated (this technique is called FNA= fine needle aspiration). Differentials include skin cysts, infections, benign or more sinister type of tumors (unlikely given her age). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 11 month old male cat. Has an irregular shaped lump in the middle of his abdomen that I can feel. Is this something I should about?
I would definitely have this lump checked out by a vet, as it could be a cyst or a benign 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 Simba seen by a vet tomorrow to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated if needed.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat has a lump on her stomach underneath her skin and nipple, the lump is not round it is kind of a weird shape and whenever I feel it it feels as if I could move it.
Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Due to the location and the fact that Safari isn't spayed it is possibly a mammary mass. Due to her age it is most like most likely cystic or benign in nature that has developed due to hormonal influence. I do recommend a Vet exam for any new growths especially ones that involve the mammary tissue. I wish you the best!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I have a 4 yr old female cat that I found a lump on her lower stomach roughly half dollar sized and hard. Now today when I was looking at the lumb it now has a big open sore on it. I have been looking at images online, but can't seem to figure it out
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This is likely from her mammary gland. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I recommend you have Dahlia evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My female house cat has a free moving, soft lump on her skin...about 4” from where her tail begins...in line with her backbone. There’s no way for me to see it, because her hair covers/grows over it...it’s about 1/2” in length and would remind you of
If the growth is changing and growing it is worth having your vet check the area. They can take a needle sample of the mass and look at the cells to determine if it is a fatty tumor or something cellular that will need surgery. It is better to have it removed if it is small and caught early than wait until it is too large to address
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Cat Supplies Cat Food Wet Cat Food Cat Medicine Cat Laxatives Cat Thyroid Medication Cat Health & Wellness Cat Insulin & Diabetes Medication Vaccines and Shots for Cats Pain Meds & Arthritis Relief for Cats Tummy Topper Cat Supplies Tummy Topper Cat Food Glandex Cat Health & Wellness Pumpkin Patch Up! Cat Health & Wellness CAT by Dr Lisa Cat Health & Wellness Dermalone Cat Medicine Tummy Topper Premium Cat Food Vet Worthy Cat Health & Wellness Vetality Cat Health & Wellness PancrePlus Cat Laxatives
image
Have A Vet Question?

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

Book Now

Sponsored