Skin Tags on Cats: What They Are and When to Remove Them

Name: Skin Tags on Cats: What They Are and When to Remove Them
Creator: Dr. Zubair Khalid

By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD · 2026-10-02

A cat skin tag is a small, benign growth that hangs off or sits on the skin, and most of the time it is harmless and needs no treatment. The tricky part is that some growths on cats look like skin tags but are actually tumors, so any new lump deserves a closer look. This article is educational and is not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or treatment.

Quick Answer

A true skin tag is benign tissue, often a small flap or bump, and it does not spread or invade nearby skin.
Growths on the head, neck, legs, tail, and paws need a vet check sooner because those areas are common sites for tumors that can look similar [1].
Any lump that bleeds, ulcerates, grows fast, or changes color should be examined, not watched at home.
Removal is usually simple and often curative for benign growths, and many cats recover quickly [1].
Never cut, tie off, or freeze a growth at home. Let a veterinarian identify it first.

What Is a Cat Skin Tag?

A skin tag is a small piece of extra skin that typically hangs from a narrow stalk or sits as a soft, raised bump. In cats, true skin tags are uncommon compared with dogs, and many growths owners call skin tags turn out to be something else. That is why identification matters more than the label.

Veterinarians group these growths by what the tissue is made of. Some are benign buildups of collagen, the protein that gives skin its structure. These are called collagenous nevi, and they are uncommon in cats [1]. They tend to appear in middle-aged or older cats and are most often found on the legs, head, neck, and areas prone to trauma [1]. They can be flat or raised and may sit in the deeper layer of the skin or in the fat beneath it [1].

Other small growths come from skin cells themselves. A viral papilloma, for example, is a small raised mass caused by a papillomavirus infection. One reported case described a 5-mm mass on the nose of a young adult cat that stood about 2 mm above the surrounding skin, and it did not come back in the 6 months after removal [2]. That is the pattern you want with a benign growth: small, stable, and gone for good after removal.

Some growths are not skin tags at all. Basal cell carcinomas are malignant tumors seen most often in older cats, and Persians are more prone to them [1]. They often show up as ulcers on the head, legs, or neck, and unlike benign basal cell tumors they are usually not raised above the skin surface [1]. They spread across neighboring skin but seldom spread to other organs [1]. This is the main reason a flat, ulcerated, or non-healing spot on your cat's head or neck needs a vet visit.

What Owners Notice: Signs and Common Locations

You may spot a skin tag while petting your cat, brushing them, or trimming nails. Most are small, soft, and painless. Your cat usually does not scratch at them or seem bothered.

Location tells you a lot. Owners often search for skin tags on the head, neck, tail, and paws, and those searches make sense because those spots are where growths tend to show up. Collagenous nevi are most frequent on the legs, head, and neck [1]. Malignant basal cell carcinomas also favor the head, legs, and neck [1]. Papillomavirus-related growths can appear on the nose and other skin surfaces [2].

Paws deserve special attention. Nail bed masses are not simple skin tags, and they can be linked to viral infections that drive malignant tumors. In one reported case, a cat had multiple nail bed masses along with a lip lesion, and testing found two different papillomavirus types in the tumors [3]. If your cat has a growth at the base of a claw, on a toe, or between the paw pads, get it checked instead of waiting.

The tail is another spot owners notice. A small bump on the tail is often benign, but the tail is also a trauma-prone area, and collagenous nevi are more common in areas prone to trauma [1]. Watch for swelling, discharge, or a change in how your cat holds the tail.

If you are seeing multiple bumps or a rash instead of one growth, a different problem may be at work. Skin allergies and flea allergies can cause small bumps and scabs, and it helps to know the difference. See Cat Skin Allergy or Flea Allergy? How to Tell the Difference and Cat Skin Rash on Belly: What to Look For for comparison.

What a Benign Growth Usually Looks Like

Small, often under a centimeter
Soft or slightly firm
Skin-colored, pink, or slightly darker than the surrounding skin
Moves freely with the skin
Stable in size over weeks to months
No bleeding, crusting, or odor

What Should Make You Suspicious

Rapid growth over days to weeks
Bleeding, oozing, or an open sore that will not heal
A flat, ulcerated patch instead of a raised bump [1]
Color change, especially darkening
Firm attachment to deeper tissue
Multiple new growths appearing at once

Causes and Risk Factors

Age is the biggest factor. Collagenous nevi generally appear in middle-aged or older cats [1]. Malignant basal cell carcinomas occur most frequently in aged cats [1]. If your cat is a senior, new lumps deserve a lower threshold for a vet visit.

Breed plays a role in some tumors. Persians are more prone to basal cell carcinomas than other breeds [1].

Viruses can also cause skin growths in cats. Papillomaviruses are a family of viruses known to infect cats, and at least 10 different feline papillomavirus types have been recognized [4]. Some cause benign warts or papillomas, and one case of a small nasal mass in a cat was confirmed as a viral papilloma linked to a previously unknown papillomavirus type [2]. Others are linked to malignant tumors. A single cat has been reported with two distinct malignant epithelial tumors, one in the nail beds and one on the lip, each tied to a different papillomavirus type [3].

Trauma and irritation may also play a part. Collagenous nevi are found more often in areas prone to trauma, which suggests repeated minor injury may contribute [1].

Some growths have nothing to do with the skin surface at all. A papilloma can form inside the urinary tract, and one cat with lower urinary tract signs was found to have an inverted urothelial papilloma in the bladder that was almost completely removed and did not cause problems a year later [5]. Another cat developed a papillary adenoma in the middle ear that was removed surgically but recurred within 17 months [6]. These are rare, but they show that "papilloma" does not always mean a harmless bump on the skin.

How Veterinarians Diagnose a Growth

Diagnosis starts with a physical exam. Your vet will note the size, shape, color, texture, and location of the growth. They will also check the rest of the skin, the lymph nodes, and your cat's overall health.

The next step is usually a fine needle aspirate. Your vet inserts a thin needle into the growth, pulls out a few cells, and looks at them under a microscope. This is quick and often done during the visit.

If the aspirate is unclear, the vet may recommend a biopsy. A biopsy removes part or all of the growth so a pathologist can examine the tissue. This is how conditions like collagenous nevi, papillomas, and basal cell carcinomas are confirmed [1][2]. In the reported papilloma case, the diagnosis came from histology, which showed thickened skin layers and viral changes in the cells [2].

For growths in unusual places, imaging may be needed. The cat with the middle ear tumor had a CT scan of the head to find the mass in the tympanic bulla before surgery [6]. The cat with the bladder mass had endoscopy and biopsies to identify the tumor [5].

If your cat has several lumps, your vet may sample more than one. Different growths can have different causes, and one cat has been reported with two separate malignant tumors driven by two different viruses [3].

Treatment Options for a Cat Skin Tag

Treatment depends on what the growth is, where it is, and whether it is causing problems.

Monitoring

If a growth is small, stable, and clearly benign, your vet may suggest watching it. Take a photo with a ruler or coin next to it, check it monthly, and note any change in size, color, or surface. Bring the photos to your next visit.

Surgical Removal

Surgery is the most common treatment for growths that need to go. For collagenous nevi, surgical removal is generally effective, though some can grow too large to remove if left alone [1]. For malignant basal cell carcinomas, surgical removal is the treatment of choice [1]. For viral papillomas, removal is often curative, and one cat had no recurrence in the 6 months after surgery [2].

Other Removal Methods

Some vets use cryotherapy (freezing), laser, or electrosurgery for small surface growths. These work best for clearly benign, superficial tags. The choice depends on the growth type and your cat's health.

What Not to Do

Do not cut, tie off, or apply home remedies to a growth. You cannot tell a benign tag from a tumor by looking, and home removal risks bleeding, infection, and incomplete removal. If a growth is on a paw, tail, or ear, home removal can also damage sensitive tissue.

Growth Type	Typical Look	Common Locations	Usual Treatment
Collagenous nevus	Flat to raised, firm	Legs, head, neck, trauma sites [1]	Surgical removal [1]
Viral papilloma	Small raised bump	Nose, skin surfaces [2]	Removal, often curative [2]
Basal cell carcinoma	Flat ulcer, not raised	Head, legs, neck [1]	Surgical removal [1]
Nail bed mass	Swelling at claw base	Toes, nail beds [3]	Vet exam and testing [3]

If your cat has several bumps and you are not sure whether to book a visit, this guide can help: Cat Skin Bumps and Lumps: When to See a Vet and When to Monitor.

Recovery, Outlook, and Long-Term Management

Recovery after removal is usually straightforward. Most cats go home the same day, and the incision heals over one to two weeks. Your vet will tell you how to keep the area clean and whether your cat needs a cone to prevent licking.

Outlook depends on the diagnosis. Benign growths that are fully removed rarely come back. One cat with a viral papilloma had no recurrence and no new lesions in the 6 months after removal [2]. Collagenous nevi are generally cured by surgery, though very large ones can be hard to remove completely [1].

Malignant tumors need closer follow-up. Basal cell carcinomas spread to nearby skin but seldom to other organs, and surgery is the main treatment [1]. Some tumors can recur. The middle ear papilloma in one cat came back within 17 months after surgery [6]. The bladder papilloma in another cat was gone at the one-year check with no urinary signs [5].

Long-term management means regular checks. Look over your cat's skin once a month, especially the head, neck, legs, tail, and paws. Keep a record of any growth you find, including where it is and how big it was. Bring that record to every vet visit.

If your cat has a history of skin problems, managing the underlying issue helps. Food allergies can cause ongoing skin irritation, and this article explains how to sort that out: Cat Skin Rash from Food: How to Identify and Manage.

Prevention

You cannot prevent most skin growths. Age, breed, and viruses are not things you can control. What you can do is catch problems early.

Check your cat's skin monthly, including the belly, armpits, tail base, and between the toes.
Take photos of any new growth with a size reference.
Keep up with routine vet visits, especially for senior cats and Persians [1].
Control fleas and ticks, since parasites can cause bumps and scabs that confuse the picture. If you find a tick, here is how to remove it safely: How to Safely Remove a Tick from Your Cat at Home.
Do not delay a vet visit for a growth that is changing.

Limitations and When to Contact a Veterinarian

No article can tell you what a specific growth on your cat is. Only a veterinarian can examine it, sample it, and give you a diagnosis. Individual cases need a veterinarian.

Contact your vet the same day if a growth starts bleeding, has an open sore, or grows noticeably in a short time. Book a routine visit within a week or two if you find a new lump on the head, neck, legs, tail, or paws, or if an existing tag changes in size, color, or texture.

Go to an emergency clinic now if your cat has heavy bleeding from a growth, a growth that has ruptured and will not stop oozing, trouble breathing, or severe pain when the area is touched. Also seek emergency care if your cat is lethargic, not eating, or has a growth near the eye or nose that is blocking airflow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are skin tags on cats contagious to other pets or to people?

True skin tags are not contagious. Some growths are caused by feline papillomaviruses, and these viruses are specific to cats, so they do not spread to people or dogs. If your cat has a viral growth, other cats in the home may be at some risk, so ask your vet about household precautions.

Can I remove a skin tag at home?

No. Cutting or tying off a growth at home can cause bleeding, infection, and incomplete removal. You also cannot tell a harmless tag from a tumor by looking at it. Let a veterinarian identify the growth and remove it safely if removal is needed.

Do skin tags on cats need to be removed?

Most benign tags do not need removal if they are small, stable, and not bothering your cat. Removal is recommended when the growth is changing, bleeding, in a spot that gets irritated, or when testing shows it is not benign. Your vet will help you decide based on the diagnosis.

Will a skin tag grow back after removal?

Benign growths that are fully removed usually do not come back. Some tumors can recur, and one reported ear tumor returned within 17 months after surgery [6]. Your vet will set a follow-up schedule based on what the growth turned out to be.

Does pet insurance cover skin tag removal?

Coverage depends on your policy and whether the growth is considered a new condition or a pre-existing one. Many policies cover removal when a veterinarian documents that the growth is causing problems or needs testing. Check with your insurer before scheduling the procedure.

References

Tumors of the Skin in Cats - Cat Owners. Merck Veterinary Manual.
Cutaneous papilloma associated with a novel papillomavirus sequence in a cat. Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc, 2022.
Malignant epithelial tumors associated with Felis catus papilloma virus type 3 and type 4 infections at distinct anatomical sites in a domestic cat. The Journal of veterinary medical science, 2026.
First Detection and Genetic Characterization of Felis catus Papillomavirus Type 11, the First Treisetapapillomavirus Type to Infect Domestic Cats. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 2025.
Inverted urothelial papilloma in a cat. Veterinary pathology, 2022.
Tympanic papillary adenoma (tympanic papilloma) in a cat - a case report. Journal of comparative pathology, 2026.