Question about my little boy Wilbur

he's about 2.5 years old now (my god has it really been that long?). he's healthy in every way, but i noticed something strange.

In his mouth, in those soft pink flaps that hang over the gums, and some on his gums, he's got black spots. It looks like something is stuck on his gums, but it's not. it's not a sore, it's not hard, if you couldn't see it and rubbed your fingers across his gums you wouldn't feel it.

They are primarily where his top teeth rub across the gums to close. so the marks on on his bottom gums.

he doesn't complain, they have been there for a long time now, and I just thoght maybe i should ask.

now, for clarification. his sister tinker has black spots in her mouth that are birth marks. She's orange and brown. her lips are half pink and half black. so i know it's just markings with her, but she hasn't gotten any new ones.

I've seen these for over a year on wilbur, but they are starting to accumulate more.

is this something I should be afraid of? Does it warrant a vet check?

Warrents a vet check... Now if you have the $$ today then yes call and set up one for next week.. but this is something that may wait a few weeks

Is he orange? Orange cats frequently get black pigmentation (on their ears, lips, nose, etc.) as they get older. I would point it out to the vet the next time he's in, but I doubt it's a serious concern.

Sounds like freckles to me. Can you post a pic? Tolly, my red boy, gets more freckles every year.

Originally Posted by Willowy

Is he orange? Orange cats frequently get black pigmentation (on their ears, lips, nose, etc.) as they get older. I would point it out to the vet the next time he's in, but I doubt it's a serious concern.

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Originally Posted by otto

Sounds like freckles to me. Can you post a pic? Tolly, my red boy, gets more freckles every year.

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I know it is hard, but do you think you can post pictures?

i tried, but it's nearly impossible. he sleeps on my lap now, but he demands my left arm be under his head, and he puts all 4 paws in my hand. so he rests his head on my forearm, curls up and uses my hand to give a little resistance to his back feet, and his front paws just kind of curl up, so i have all 4 paws in my hand. makes it impossible to hold his mouth open then take a picture. Plus, it's a very small window when he's deep enough asleep that I can even get his mouth open. He has to be REALLY sleeping.

Anyway, i think i just found out that it's birth marks. It dawned on me while I was playing with the camera. I figured I'd set it to macro, and put it next to me, so when he fell asleep if I had a chance, it'd be right there. but looking at this pic reminded me that he has the same black marks on the inside of his eyelids. you can see them here. and also, that tiny black dot on his nose is not dirt. it's another freckle so willowy hit the nail on the head

Are they like Rosie's?.

You can see flaps of skin inside her mouth along with her blemishes, but these have been with her since she was a kitten. When she was a kitten they were just little dots, but as she got bigger they spread out more, but it's normal

Originally Posted by fastnoc

i tried, but it's nearly impossible. he sleeps on my lap now, but he demands my left arm be under his head, and he puts all 4 paws in my hand. so he rests his head on my forearm, curls up and uses my hand to give a little resistance to his back feet, and his front paws just kind of curl up, so i have all 4 paws in my hand. makes it impossible to hold his mouth open then take a picture. Plus, it's a very small window when he's deep enough asleep that I can even get his mouth open. He has to be REALLY sleeping.

Anyway, i think i just found out that it's birth marks. It dawned on me while I was playing with the camera. I figured I'd set it to macro, and put it next to me, so when he fell asleep if I had a chance, it'd be right there. but looking at this pic reminded me that he has the same black marks on the inside of his eyelids. you can see them here. and also, that tiny black dot on his nose is not dirt. it's another freckle

so willowy hit the nail on the head

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yep, Tolly has them on his eye rims too. Red boy freckles.

Originally Posted by Rosiemac

Are they like Rosie's?.

You can see flaps of skin inside her mouth along with her blemishes, but these have been with her since she was a kitten. When she was a kitten they were just little dots, but as she got bigger they spread out more, but it's normal

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you have no idea how much I wish wilbur would talk like that when I'm trying to take a pic. Rosie is awesome!

Originally Posted by otto

yep, Tolly has them on his eye rims too. Red boy freckles.

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heres what I was saying about when he sleeps in my lap. tucks his head. he doesn't have his front paws in my hand, but usually does.

Originally Posted by fastnoc

you have no idea how much I wish wilbur would talk like that when I'm trying to take a pic. Rosie is awesome!



heres what I was saying about when he sleeps in my lap. tucks his head. he doesn't have his front paws in my hand, but usually does.

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AWWWWWW!!!!! Tolly sleeps like that too. he loves to tuck his head in my elbow or arm pit.

yea he's my little stud. lol he's the most affectionate cat I could have hoped for. wish Tinker was that way.

Right after I posted wilbur jumped back up and crashed. but this time he laid like normal, all 4 feet in my hand

awwww Wilbue pics

Smooch has them to.

The only reason I suggest sometime in near future to have a vet check is the risk of oral cancer... I have two kitties I keep an eye on as they do have the multipling dark spots

oh i believe you sharky, and appreciate your reply. I'm going to take him to the vet for a checkup earlier than I normally would. it just put my mind at ease to see other orange cats had the same thing.

But yes your reply influenced my early checkup

I think it's just like humans with moles, just watch for any changes.

I remember when Rosie was nearly 2 years old hers started spreading out more and that's when i mentioned it to the vet, but he said it was normal

My Sophie puts her head on me like Wilbur, but she does it when she's just sitting on my lap

Tolly developed some freckles on the tip of his ear but I didn't know what they were so I brought him to the vet.

I have to confess though at first I thought they were scabs, maybe he got bit when tussling with Mazy cat, so I tried to scrape them off.

When my vet told me they were just new freckles I apologized to him for trying to scrape his freckles off.

I'm with you guys, anything you are unsure of should be investigated with the vet.