Feline sarcoid
Siobhan O’Sullivan
Animal Health Laboratory, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
AHL Newsletter 2026;30(2):22.
A 1.5 years old domestic short-haired cat presented with a small (1.0 cm) red growth on the muzzle adjacent to the nares. Histopathology revealed an infiltrative mesenchymal mass composed of densely arranged spindle cells in a fine collagenous matrix. There was 2-fold anisokaryosis and 4 mitotic figures in ten high power fields (400x/2.37 mm2). The epidermis contained few elongate rete pegs. This presentation was considered most compatible with feline sarcoid.
Feline sarcoid, also known as cutaneous fibropapilloma, is an uncommon feline tumour. It tends to occur in young cats, generally on the face, but has been reported in other locations. Bovine papillomaviruses (BPV-14) have been causally linked to feline sarcoid; therefore, cats in rural areas tend to be more at risk. Due to their infiltrative nature and potential for recurrence, wide surgical resection of feline sarcoids is recommended; however, this is often limited by the tumour’s location. Metastasis has not been documented.
Figure 1. Feline, skin. A mesenchymal mass composed of densely-arranged spindle cells in a fine collagenous matrix. There are few elongate rete pegs in the epidermis. H&E stain.
References
1. Wood CJ, et al. Biological behaviour and clinical outcome in 42 cats with sarcoids (cutaneous fibropapillomas). Vet Comp Oncol. 202018(4):699-705.
2. Greenwood S, et al. Oral sarcoid in a cat. Can Vet J. 2019; 60(5):485-489.