Black Spots On Cat Gums – Should I Be Worried?

Why does my cat have black spots on his gums? Have you ever considered this as a cat owner and whether or not it is concerning for their health?

If your cat has black spots on his gums or in their mouth, read on to learn more!

Black spots can occur on a cat’s gums for various reasons, including lentigo. Lentigo is a condition that mostly affects orange or orange-faced cats due to genetic predisposition, in which black pigmented spots appear on the cat’s gums, lips, nose, and eye margins. Lentigo is considered a non-cancerous condition.

Dr. Abdul Basit Javed (DVM, RVMP) has written this article as a comprehensive guide regarding lentigo in cats, its causes, signs, and whether it harms your cat’s health. 

Why Cats Have Black Spots On Their Gums

Many cat breeds develop black spots on their gums and around the mouth. These can occur due to a variety of reasons, one of the most common ones being lentigo.

These black spots are sometimes referred to as lentigo spots. This condition is sometimes named lentigo simplex or lentigines as well in cats.

Lentigo spots cannot develop into cancer so they are not much of a health concern, but rather a cosmetic concern for some cat owners.

Medically, lentigo can be defined as a dark-pigmented, small, sharply circumscribed, macule which is usually surrounded by normal skin tissue.

A macule is an area of the skin less than 1 cm wide that is discolored, distinct, and flat.

Epidermal melanocytes (pigmented cells on the skin) divide rapidly in a small area. As these cells divide and gather up they form black and brown spots.

Below are some well-known facts about Lentigo Spots:

Signs Of Lentigo In Cats

There are no signs or symptoms related to lentigo because it is not a medical concern for cats and does not affect their health in any way.

Instead, there are only visual indications of lentigo which I’ve listed below:

1. Black And Brown Hyperpigmented Spots

Brown or black (hyperpigmented) spots appear on the cats:

• Lips
• Gums
• Nose
• Eye Margins

Sometimes they can be present on the mouth roof (upper palate), in the ears, and on paw pads.

2. Non-Pathogenic

Lentigo spots are pathogenic (meaning that they do not cause any disease or abnormality in cats or affect their health in any way).

These spots are:

• Painless
• Non-ulcerated
• Smooth
• Non-bleeding
• Non-cracked
• Not significantly raised from the skin

3. Grow In Size

These spots grow into bigger patches as the cat grows and ages.

4. Sharp Circumference

These spots have clearly defined borders. Lentigo spots do not merge into the surrounding tissues and you can clearly distinguish them.

5. Non-Irritating

These black spots do not cause any itchiness, irritation, or redness to the cats.

However, if you notice your cat is scratching its black spots or has uneasiness, you must take them to the vet for a confirmatory diagnosis because there might be some other underlying health problems for that.

After the diagnosis is made your veterinarian will prescribe certain medications to treat or prevent the underlying health condition (sources 1,2).

Causes Of Lentigo

The following are the causes of lentigo in cats:

1. Genetics

The major cause of lentigo in cats is its genetics.

It is believed that the genes that are responsible for the ginger or orange color in cats cause some of the melanocytes to divide rapidly and have increased melanin production resulting in the formation of these spots.

2. UV Exposure

Cats that get regularly exposed to sunlight have a high UV exposure.

This can lead to increased melanin production and may contribute to the appearance of black spots.

3. Age

Middle-aged and older cats have a greater tendency to develop lentigo compared to young cats.

This is because with age certain changes happen in the body which might increase the production of melanin along with the number of cells.

4. Hormonal Imbalances

Though there is not much scientific evidence proving this, hormonal imbalances can be a cause for lentigo in cats.

5. Trauma, Inflammation, Or Diseases

Certain injuries, inflammations, and diseases can cause cellular changes which can contribute to lentigo in cats.

Injuries that cause skin damage such as oral injuries on gums, and scratching injuries, when healed, cause hyperpigmentation of the cells resulting in the formation of black spots.

There might be some other causes of lentigo in cats which are yet unknown (sources 1,2).

Is Lentigo Harmful In Cats?

Lentigo cat gums are not harmful to felines and are also non-contagious (meaning that they cannot spread to other cats via contact).

Many cat owners believe lentigo is caused by cancerous cells but they are wrong.

Lentigo is benign and precancerous meaning that lentigo cells can’t develop into any type of cancer.

Black spots on your cat’s gums due to lentigo do not pose any medical concerns, however, they can be a cosmetic issue for some cat owners, who do not like the visual appeal of these black spots on the gum line of their cat.

Some harmful conditions that resemble lentigo in cats include the following (source 1,2):

• Feline acne
• Melanomas
• Fleas and flea dirt

How Do You Treat Lentigo In Cats?

Since lentigo is not a medical concern for cats and has no effect on their daily life, veterinarians will not recommend any treatment.

This condition is usually diagnosed based on the visual appearance of the black spots during physical examination.

Your vet might go for a biopsy or blood test to rule out the possibility of cancer or other diseases.

However, even if lentigo is not harmful to cats this does not mean they do not need veterinary attention.

Regular veterinary appointments along with regular dental check-ups are necessary to diagnose any underlying health conditions such as gum disease.

Since lentigo spots can mask melanomas, veterinarians insist owners not skip regular health check-ups of their pets.

Melanomas can be a serious health issue for cats and treatments such as radiation therapy might be recommended by vets.

Owners should also look for the appearance of new spots that might be ulcerated or look abnormal along with pigmentation changes (source 1,2,3).

Other Causes Of Black Spots On Cat’s Gums

Below are some other health conditions that cause similar black spots in cats as lentigo:

1. Oral Melanoma

This is a type of cancer of the melanocytes in the oral cavity, though it is less frequent, it can cause black spots on the gums of cats.

Since it is cancerous it requires immediate veterinary attention.

Black spots caused by oral melanomas are closer to being lesions than smooth spots.

2. Dental Melanosis

This condition is the accumulation of melanin in the gums of your cat and is not associated with any:

• Pain
• Discomfort
• Irritation

3. Normal Pigmentation

Some cats have natural black spots on their gums and around the mouth. This is just their normal body trait and is not related to any health condition.

4. Trauma And Inflammations

Injuries and trauma can cause wounds and lesions in the mouth of your cat which when healed cause hyperpigmentation resulting in the formation of black spots in your cat’s mouth.

5. Infections

Some infections that affect the skin and cause hyperpigmentation might also be the cause behind the black spots on your cats (sources 1,2,3,4):

• Gums
• Nose
• Lips
• Eye Margins

Conclusion

If you are concerned about your cat’s oral health and wonder, why does my cat have black spots on his gums, it can be due to lentigo and it is not oral cancer.

Lentigo is a non-infectious, non-contagious, cosmetic issue in cats that does not affect their health at all.

Luckily this condition is also a non-cancerous and benign condition and your cat can live a happy healthy life.

This is primarily a genetic condition that is more common in orange cats and ginger cats along with yellow and a few others.

If your cat has lentigo or black spots on their gums which are painless and do not affect their health in any way, just enjoy life with your cat.