Help! Anyone with an orange tabby cat...

[TheLittleRoo]

I have learned that orange tabbies get black spots on their lips and gums, and that it's normal. (boy, did I panic though when he got his first spot...)

I have a huge request to ask of anyone who has an orange tabby, so I can relax if it's normal for them. Can you check to see if yours has brown marbling coloration on their inner eyelids? You would actually have to pull the fur up to see it, but if your tabby's like mine, he's so laid back he didn't care.

In my cat's case, he's got it on both eyes. The top one is marbled brown and white, and the bottom is more brown. He's healthy otherwise, active and playing/chasing his toys so I don't think he's sick. The only reason I noticed it was I caught him looking waaaay over at something and got a glimpse of his sclera which freaked me out for the color.

My vet charges $60 just to walk in the door, and up from there - so I'd love to hear from fellows families of orange tabbies to see if this is normal. My sister did look at hers and he's got tan/white marbling on his, but he's only 1-2 years old, and they get more spots/whatnot as they age.

THANKS!!

 

[whogirl'smom]

I just checked our tabby and he had a couple of little brown freckles on the upper eyelids. He has lots of spots on his nose and lots on the inside of his mouth that really freaked me out when I first saw them! I'm sure he's fine; the vet told me they get more spots the older they get.

 

[freckles and boo]

My fluffy orange tabby is sixteen. He has brown spots on the edges of his eyelids by his "lashes". Lifting his eyelids would cause a ruckus, so it isn't going to happen. He definitely has the marbling on his lips and gums.

 

[TheLittleRoo]

Thank you both for your quick replies - it's so early, wrangling a cat to see its inner eyelids wasn't something I thought people would do until after coffee!

To be sure though, I'm talking about the third inner eyelid (the nictitating membrane), not the rim of the one their eyelashes are on. To the first PP, is that what you checked? Sorry to be a pest...

 

[wdwmom2]

I had an orange tabby that had the black spots on his lips and gums. I think he also had them around his eyes. Vets never commented on them. He lived to a ripe old age of 16, died of a heart attack. What a wonderful boy he was!

 

[AmericangirlinFrance]

I don't see them on mine - but he is a kitten, only 4 month old, so maybe it's too early?

 

[TheLittleRoo]

I know, aren't orange tabbies just the BEST cats EVER? I've always had a cat as long as I can remember, and just got my first orange tabby about 3 years ago. He is such a GREAT cat - so patient with my kids, and so affectionate.

To AGinParis or new orange tabby owners, I also hope this post will forewarn you about the spots in their mouths (sometimes their noses and ears too) so you don't panic when they start to appear and think it's cancer on your beloved boy! (most solid orange tabbies are male...) And hopefully the mottled third eyelid is normal too so I can stop worrying about FIP or jaundice.

 

[ma2jr]

So true.. for some reason orange kitties are very laid back and affectionate

 

[daisyduck123]

So true.. for some reason orange kitties are very laid back and affectionate

We have an orange tabby who is about 9 months old. He is the MOST AFFECTIONATE cat ever....he sleeps with me and wakes me up in the morning by licking my eyelids. (GROSS I KNOW!)

He's not in the room at the moment, so I can't check about the discoloration, but one thing that is weird is that when we got him as a little kitten, all of his whiskers were white. Now he has 4 black whiskers...all are on the same side of his face. None on the other side.

 

[lisajl]

I have two orange tabbies-brothers. One of them has more than the other.
I work for a vet and he has said the older they get, there will be more brown spots. Totally normal....well...as normal as an orange tabby can get!

Lisa

 

[orlandothebeagle]

def normal,dont panic

 

[TheLittleRoo]

I'm so relieved to read other posts about your orange tabbies having the same spots everywhere! I want this beloved family member to live to a ripe old healthy age!

To the PP about the whiskers, YES! I forgot to mention that our Cheddar started off with all white whiskers and now he has about 50/50. Pink gums are now pink and black, roof of his mouth has black freckles, lips are freckled! Pretty hilarious, really!

Pawpads though, seem to be a constant pink.

 

[Katieinwonderland]

I just went to check Cheeto, he wasn't a huge fan of me holding him down and playing with his eyes, but yes, lots of brown marks! He has them all over his nose and mouth, and the cutest thing is that he has totally white whiskers on one side and totally brown whiskers on the other side. He looks a little lopsided.

 

[TAKitty]

My cat Alex has the spots you speak of. The vet has never said anything about the ones on his lips or eyes. He is a great cat.

 

[tazdev3225]

I have a long haired orange fuzzball. Simba has the marks on his nose and tongue. He also has the freckles on his eyelids. Of course I had to spend 10 minutes petting him because like others have said he is the most affectionate cat I have ever had. He will actually grab your hand so you can pet him.

 

[Tracy Savage]

I just went to check Cheeto, he wasn't a huge fan of me holding him down and playing with his eyes, but yes, lots of brown marks! He has them all over his nose and mouth, and the cutest thing is that he has totally white whiskers on one side and totally brown whiskers on the other side. He looks a little lopsided.

I have a Cheeto too!

 

[MickeyMouseGal]

Yep. It's called lentigo and it's totally normal.

 

[DarthKTrava]

Right now my orange tabby, Tiger isn't in here for me to check.... He's definitely a sweetheart, always wanting attention. And he's a HUGE cat too!. Not fat, just SOLID.

His brother, Blackie, a tuxedo, is alot more affectionate and more of an "attention hog" than Tiger is.

Haven't noticed any spots on Tiger. He's only 2 yrs old so might be too young for them....

 

[flying_babyb]

I have learned that orange tabbies get black spots on their lips and gums, and that it's normal. (boy, did I panic though when he got his first spot...)

THANKS!!

FYI- My orange tabby gets large black spots that if you rub they would come off. It was acne. I have to pop and pick weekly or she gets big gooey zits. I actully shave her chin area now.