When petting your cat, you may sometimes feel a lump under their skin, which can cause immediate concern. The first question that often comes to mind is whether it"s something serious, like a tumor, or something more benign like a lipoma.
A lipoma is a soft, fatty lump that is usually benign, though it can be difficult to tell it apart from other growths. Knowing the symptoms and distinctions between a tumor and a lipoma is essential to determining the next course of action.
This post will explain how to distinguish a lipoma from a more serious growth, when to visit a veterinarian, and what removal options are available if necessary. We’ll also go over common lipoma symptoms and show you some pictures so you can take prompt, decisive action when it comes to your cat’s health.
- What is a lipoma?
- How to distinguish a lipoma from an abscess, hematoma, tumor?
- Types of lipoma and their signs
- Treatment of the animal
- Caring for a cat after removing a lipoma
- Possible complications
- Video on the topic
- 🔎 What is a lipoma and how to treat it. What is a lipoma. City Clinical Hospital No. 29 named after. Bauman. 12+
- Lipocyst. Do you need to get rid of it?
- WENOSIS NEEDS TO BE REMOVED? | What is LIPOMA?
What is a lipoma?
This term is used in veterinary medicine to describe a benign connective tissue tumor that grows deep between blood vessels and muscles, typically in the layer of subcutaneous loose connective tissue. Veterinarians claim that these formations are caused by metabolic alterations brought on by a lack of regulatory protein enzymes. Their occurrence in cats is caused by lipase deficiency, which inhibits the breakdown of fat.
The following are typical reasons why lipomas develop in these animals:
- hereditary predisposition according to the autosomal dominant type;
- hormonal imbalance and metabolic processes in the body;
- endocrine pathologies.
Cats are less likely than dogs to develop lipomas. Furthermore, females and older animals are more inclined to be particular about how they look. A pet’s fatty tumor (shown in the photo at cm) can develop anywhere on the body, including the head, stomach, back, sternum, and ears.
How to distinguish a lipoma from an abscess, hematoma, tumor?
An uninformed individual could easily mistake a lipoma for a malignant tumor, hematoma, or abscess. These formations differ greatly from one another in the interim. Understanding the characteristics of each one makes it simple to identify the type of lump felt beneath the skin on a four-legged pet’s back, stomach, or other area of the body. Details on how to differentiate between a lipoma, bruise, abscess, and tumor:
See also: Photos and a description of mastopathy in cats, including symptoms and home and veterinarian treatment
| Sign | Lipoma | Abscess | Hematoma | Tumor |
| Density | Low | High | ||
| Smell | Absent | There is a characteristic smell of pus | Absent | |
| Mobility | Easily shifts when palpated | Absent | ||
| Pain | Usually not noted | Present | ||
| Growth into surrounding tissues | Possible | Excluded | Always grows into adjacent tissues | |
| Skin condition at the site of formation | Unchanged | Hot, red, inflamed or unchanged | Hot, bloodshot, bluish or yellowish | Changed, compacted |
| Growth rate | Slow | Do not grow | Fast | |
| Blood supply | None | Actively supplied with blood | ||
It’s critical to determine whether a lump you’ve discovered on your cat is a benign lipoma or a more dangerous tumor. Tumors can occasionally be painful and firmer than lipomas, which are typically soft and slow-growing. This post will explain how to distinguish between the two, what symptoms to look out for, and whether removal is necessary to maintain your cat’s comfort and health.
Types of lipoma and their signs
Lipomas in cats can be single or multiple. In the latter case, we are talking about lipomatosis, which develops due to disruptions in the endocrine system. Usually, lipomas do not have pronounced signs and do not affect the well-being of animals. A cat has exactly this formation if it is soft and moves under the skin when palpated. Information about the types of lipomas that are detected in cats:
| Types of lipomas detected in cats | Description | Features of treatment |
| Infiltrative | A formation consisting of bundle-shaped fat fibers, with blurred boundaries. Can reach enormous sizes and develop into a malignant tumor. | Surgical removal is difficult due to the penetration of the fatty tumor into nearby tissues (muscles, vascular bundles). |
| Non-infiltrative (simple) | A small neoplasm with clearly defined edges that does not affect adjacent tissues. | Removal is not associated with any difficulties. |
Treatment of the animal
The veterinarian will undoubtedly perform an examination (cytological examination of the biomaterial, radiography, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging) to validate his suspicions regarding the presence of a lipoma prior to prescribing treatment for a patient with tails. Neither conventional medicine nor herbal remedies are used to treat these formations. Details regarding the excision of lipomas in cats:
| Features of a lipoma | Treatment methods | Features |
| Increases in size, affects nearby tissues, is in an inconvenient place, interfering with the full life of the animal or constantly getting injured | Surgical | Depending on the size of the lump, the operation is performed under local or general anesthesia. A day before the operation, you should stop feeding your pet, giving him only water. With non-infiltrative lipomas, the operation is easy. The doctor makes a small incision on the animal"s skin, removes the tumor and sutures the wound. Infiltrative formations require more complex surgical intervention, since. . it requires removal of the lipoma and part of the adjacent muscle tissue. In the presence of a purulent process, drainage of the surgical field is performed. |
| Small, not causing discomfort to the cat | Monitoring changes in the size of the formation | If a decision is made not to perform the operation, the owner of the animal should constantly monitor the dynamics of changes occurring with the lump. The probability of self-healing is low, but still exists. |
Caring for a cat after removing a lipoma
Following surgery, your pet requires attention. You are required to adhere to all of the veterinarian’s instructions during your rehabilitation. He will give the cat’s owner a thorough explanation of what to do and how to care for the wound after surgery.
During the rehabilitation phase, there are:
- Drip administration of agents that prevent dehydration of the body.
- Use of sedatives and painkillers. Means are selected individually, taking into account the age and characteristics of the cat"s body.
- Use of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Applying a bandage until the wound is completely healed. It should be changed every day and make sure that it is well fixed, otherwise an infection will get into the wound, which will complicate and slow down its healing. If the lipoma was removed from the abdomen, a bandage is put on the animal.
- Putting a collar on the pet. It is necessary to exclude licking the wound.
- Postoperative suture care. It should be kept clean and treated if necessary.
- Continuous monitoring of the general condition of the animal. If inflammation or bleeding is detected in the surgical area, it is necessary to show your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
In this case, there is no need to change the cat’s diet. During rehabilitation, it is advised to keep the pet in a warm, peaceful environment. It is best to ask kids not to pet the cat if there are any living there.
Possible complications
Cats with lipomas typically don’t experience any discomfort and don’t pose any health risks. But occasionally, they can result in the following issues:
- Compression of blood vessels and the trachea by a lump on the neck, which is fraught with respiratory failure and oxygen starvation of the brain.
- Difficulty in moving if there is a formation on the limbs.
- Pressure on the internal organs and disruption of their work with the development of a large lipoma.
- Degeneration into a malignant neoplasm. Most lipomas are characterized by slow growth. However, under unfavorable circumstances, they can degenerate into cancerous tumors – liposarcomas. Usually this occurs due to injury to the lump.
| Signs of a Lipoma | Signs of a Tumor |
| Soft and movable under the skin | Hard, irregular shape, and often fixed in place |
| Grows slowly over time | May grow rapidly or change in size quickly |
| Usually painless and non-sensitive | Can be painful or cause discomfort |
| Does not affect the cat"s behavior | May cause lethargy or changes in appetite |
| If confirmed as a lipoma, monitor its growth with the vet | Needs immediate vet examination to rule out malignancy |
| Removal is often unnecessary unless it interferes with mobility | Surgical removal may be required if the tumor is malignant |
It is normal to be concerned if you find an unusual lump on your cat. Even though lipomas are usually benign, they can occasionally be mistaken for more dangerous tumors. It’s critical to maintain composure and see a veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis.
Understanding the key distinctions between lipomas and tumors—such as the pliable, soft texture of lipomas—will help you better comprehend what’s going on with your pet. Nevertheless, only an expert can determine whether the lump is harmless or causes cause for concern.
You might not need to act right away if your veterinarian diagnoses it as a lipoma, unless it’s causing discomfort. Removal may be an option in some circumstances, particularly if the lipoma becomes too big or becomes in the way of your cat’s mobility. To guarantee your pet remains content and comfortable, monitor its health and stay in contact with your veterinarian.
Video on the topic
🔎 What is a lipoma and how to treat it. What is a lipoma. City Clinical Hospital No. 29 named after. Bauman. 12+
Lipocyst. Do you need to get rid of it?
WENOSIS NEEDS TO BE REMOVED? | What is LIPOMA?
