There's an odd skin growth on my cat. Help!?

My 6 year old cat has a long, string-like growth of skin coming out of his back. It looks like it's growing out of a scab. When I first noticed it, it looked like he had a white string attached to his fur -- that's what it looks out. I had pulled it out, and noticed it was skin. Now it's growing back. I have an appointment with the vet for Monday. Could this be contagious (I have another cat). Any idea what it could be? Bleck.

There's an odd skin growth on my cat. Help!?
Natt,





This could be worms (sorry to gross you out) or it could be something as simple as a growth. You didn't mention if you're cat is an indoor or an outdoor/traveling cat -- and that changes everything. Leave the one that is growing back attached, that way the vet can make a better analysis. He/She might remove it as well in order to run tests etc. Or if it's an infection the doctor might remove the growth and then cauterize it.





If, for whatever reason, this skin growth becomes unattached (say from cat scratching etc) try to save it in a plastic baggy until the appt. so that the vet can see what you were referring to.





Sorry wasn't a huge help. Those are just the basic causes if you've an INDOOR cat, if he's an outdoor cat it's a whole new ballgame.





-Jesse (former vet tech)
Reply:Hi Natt...without being able to physically see what you've describe this would be difficult to give a decent answer. It could be a parasite/worm...torn skin. If it's torn skin it may have happened with rough play or caught on something sharp. Or if it is a parasite/worm then it would be contagious and both cats can be treated successfully. Your vet appointment on Monday will produce the answer to your question and would be best as we (Yahoo Answer group) all could be speculating and be very far off the mark as to what this could be exactly. :-) Please be sure to save whatever you have pulled out for the vet to examine as well. Place it in a plastic bag in your refrigerator and and label it with your name, your cat's name and date.
Reply:I think your cat got scratched somehow - by himself or possibly by another cat. The white string would just be more of the scab. Maybe he scratches it over and over again, because it itches when healing. It sounds like it's not a worm, since it is not coming out of his rear end.
Reply:Could be a harmless skin tag or papaloma (spelling?). My old dog has a million of them and some of them do stick out and are a bit elongated. If it is growing back exactly the same as it was before you pulled it off, I doubt it's a parasite. If it is a benign growth, it isn't contagious.