Is this normal?

I noticed this pink area near Levi's mouth that I haven't noticed before. I can't tell if it's some kind of sore (if possible) or just normal healthy skin near his mouth. I'd prefer not to take him to the vet unless absolutely necessary because it stresses him out. Anybody have answers? Thanks for the help!

It looks like it could be a rodent ulcer which has nothing to do with rodents at all.  He needs to see the vet for proper diagnosis and treatment.

No, it isn't normal.  From the picture, it looks like he may have feline eosinophilic granuloma complex.  The underlying cause of this condition is believed to be a form of an allergic reaction in that the cat's immune system overreacts to something to which he is exposed.  One thing I would be sure to do is make sure he never eats or drinks from plastic bowls (many plastics give off various chemicals that might trigger this).  Also, if you do feed him dry food, do not store it in a plastic container.  Other than that, I can't give you many clues on how to treat it.  If he is eating or drinking from plastic bowls, go buy him some ceramic or glass bowls, or Corelle.  See if that makes it go away.  If not, the treatment usually involves steroids to calm the reaction. 

If it isn't a granuloma, it could possibly be a tumor of some sort.  It isn't life threatening at this point but I do think you should save up for a vet visit before it gets bigger (unless of course you change dishes and it shrinks, which is possible.)  Good luck, and let us know what happens.

If it is Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex which can cause rodent ulcers, there is a relatively new treatment, called "Apoquel". My kitty had rodent ulcers on both sides of her upper lip and the back of her throat and it also caused her lymphnodes in her neck to become inflamed.

Eosinophilic Granuloma is a reaction to an allergy, problem is finding out what the allergy is and that you may never know. Fleas can be a cause whether you see fleas or not. If this is a possibility, you can apply Advantage or Advantage-Multi (including dewormers) safely as often as once a week. I took my cat to a Veterinary Dermatologist and she recommended using the Advantage medications once a week, only one of them at a time, not both of them, but they are safe to give once a week as oppose to monthly and if your kitty continues to do well, you could try stretching the medication to every 2wks.

If a cat has an excessive sensitivity to fleas, they don't have to have many to have an allergic reaction.

You can try the Advantage without a vet trip, but if that isn't enough and you need to add Apoquel, you will need to go to the vet. Most vets will prescribe prednisolone / prednisone (corticosteroid), but it can have serious side-effects and Apoquel seems to be a lot more safe in my experience, but most regular vets may not know the medication, it's relatively new. Veterinary Dermatologists recommend the medication, but I would recommend asking your vet if they aren't familiar with the medication to do some homework and potentially order the medication for your kitty. Apoquel is more expensive than the prednisone / prednisolone and that's why it's more recommended, but if your kitty has Eosniophilic Granuloma, I would go with the Apoquel because your kitty could be on it for a long time and Apoquel has less side-effects long term.

Thabk you for all of the help everyone!!! I had gone away last weekend and left extra food and water out in plastic containers and I think that triggered something! As soon as I read "Red Top Rescue's" post I immediately removed all plastic. Levi is recovering and we were able to avoid the anxiety of the vet trips! You guys are awesome!!!