Skin Tags in Cats

Skin tags are benign, but are also uncommon in cats, especially compared to dogs. Cats much more commonly develop other types of skin tumors that may look like a skin tag, but behave in a much more aggressive and even life-threatening way.

It’s common for people to assume any skin lump, especially one that hangs or is on a stalk, is a “skin tag”. It is easy for a cat owner to mistake a tick for a skin tag, or assume a skin tag is a tick. Closer examination reveals the difference. Nipples are another protrusion from the skin that owners commonly mistake for a skin tag. This is especially likely on male cats due to the widespread misconception that male cats don’t have nipples.

These benign skin masses are further categorized as acrochordons, cutaneous tags, soft fibromas, and fibrovascular papillomas.

Since malignant skin tumors are common for cats, any new skin growth on a cat should be promptly addressed by a veterinarian.

True skin tags are not dangerous and usually do not appear to bother the cat. If the skin tag is located where it’s frequently irritated, it may bleed or get infected.

Surgical removal of feline skin tags is curative.

Skin tags are more likely to develop on an older cat. They are rare on kittens.

Skin tags may be solitary or appear in patches of multiples. In dogs, patches of skin tags are most common on the parts of the body that bear weight when they are lying down, such as the chest and elbows. This correlation between friction/irritation and skin tags is not as well documented in cats.

The cause of feline skin tags is poorly understood. In dogs, chronic irritation from friction may play a role, but cats generally don’t weigh enough and usually have thick enough fur to prevent this type of skin tag.

Skin tags are a distinctive type of cutaneous lump. They typically hang from a stalk from a small location on the skin. Skin tags range in length from a few millimeters up to several centimeters.

The appearance of the skin tag may be similar to the skin around it, but some skin tags are dark gray. The surface of some skin tags also have a warty texture.

A veterinarian’s diagnostic approach with skin tags is the same for any cutaneous mass:

• Cytology
• Biopsy

Baseline bloodwork and diagnostic imaging may also be recommended.

Excisional biopsy (removing the entire lump for testing) is common and is usually a simple surgical procedure. This is also done to eliminate other potential tumors that bear a similar appearance to a skin tag.

If a diagnosis of skin tag is confirmed and the lump isn’t in a place where it will irritate the cat or get injured, no treatment is necessary; however, complete excision of the skin mass is usually performed to confirm the diagnosis.

Removal of a skin tag is curative. If some abnormal cells are left behind, the skin tag may recur. While dogs who develop one skin tag often grow more over the course of their lifetimes, this is not common in cats.

The attachment of a skin tag to the surrounding, healthy skin is typically small, so surgical removal is a minor procedure. The small incision is expected to heal fully within two weeks. Some cats require an e-collar during recovery.

There is no way to prevent feline skin tags since the cause is poorly defined.

Feline warts caused by the papillomavirus look like skin tags and are contagious.

Skin tags are uncommon in cats and occur most often in older, large-breed dogs.

• Benign neglect
• Surgical removal