WRITTEN BYSandra C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP Veterinarian Sandra Mitchell is a 1995 graduate of the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine. Since graduation, she has worked in many fields…,It might be alarming to come across a purplish spot on your cat’s skin, especially if you weren’t even aware they had been injured. Read on to find out how to identify a bruise on your cat, what causes bruises, and when the situation needs immediate veterinary care. What Does a Bruise on a Cat Look Like? Bruises on cats are not commonly seen—in part because cats do not get them often but also because they can be hard to see with all the fur. To figure out if your cat has a bruise, carefully part the fur and look at the skin. In the veterinary hospital, the staff may shave the fur to see the skin better. A bruise on cat skin will look much like a bruise on human skin: a reddish, purplish spot under the skin caused by a pooling of blood. These bruises may be quite large (sometimes called ecchymosis) or very small (often called petechiae). The bruise may be located anywhere on the body, including on the thinly haired areas like the inside of the ears or on the mucus membranes in the mouth.