My cat's mouth is dark or black. Is this normal for their health?

Yes, this can be considered a normal pigment variation in cats. There are some color patterns, such as the orange tabby, that can have small black spots along their lips, eyelids, and nose. These are not harmful and are termed lentigo simplex.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is not necessarily a problem. In fact, this is most likely a normal change in pigmentation. If this ever develops a mass effect, I recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment. Best of luck!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, this is normal. Each cat and dog is different, some have pigment of varying degrees inside of their mouth and some have almost none. So, good observation. In cases where there is significant pigmentation of the mouth, other areas of the body can be used to assess how pink they are. The inside part of the eyelids is a good place to check that. Good luck

This could actually be normal pigmentation on Phoenix's gums. This can be seen in orange cats, and it's known as lentigo. To be safe, I'd have him checked out by a vet since I can't say for certain without seeing him in person, but if it is lentigo, it's nothing to worry about. I hope this helps!

It's difficult to tell for sure without seeing it, but this is normally nothing to worry about. They can have natural pigment in their gums that increases with age. It would only be concerning if there were other problems associated with the gums turning black, like mouth pain, an increase in drooling, or other obvious issues. If Marty is otherwise normal, then I would not worry about it. However, it's best to ask your vet about this the next time he goes for an exam. I hope that helps and all is well with Marty.

I certainly understand not wanting to put Violet through surgery. Unforunately, a biopsy will likely be the only way to tell what the black areas are and the biopsy may very well say that it is only pigmentation. One possibility of why the pigmentation has just developed would be if Violet ate or chewed on something that irritated her tongue. We do not commonly see this on the tongue, but when skin is irritated, it will often turn a darker color. If that is the reason for he change in pigment, it should not get worse and should not look raised. If at any point the pigment is getting larger or looking raised, then it may be time to biopsy it just to be safe. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

White gums in any animal is concerning as it can be a sign of shock or anemia. Based on your attached photos, I would not be alarmed about the color of the gums. They are not pale, they are an adequate pink color. Unless you notice other changes such as weakness or lethargy or vomiting, then I would not worry and just monitor for further changes.