Lentigo in cats: Furry friend freckles or something else?
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Cat with freckles
What’s this? Dark spots appearing on your kitty’s nose,lips, or eyelids!Suddenly, black spots on my cat’s gumsor tongue!? In a way, it’s kinda cute – like “cat freckles.” But…is it cancer? Does it need to be treated?
No, it’s calledlentigo in cats. in fact, it’s actually a common occurrence characterized by pigmented spots on the skin. And it most frequently appears in cats with orange coat genetics – calico, tortoiseshell and ginger.Sometimesit will appear in silver or cream-coated cats.
Keep reading to find out more about lentigo…
What is lentigo and what does it look like?
Lentigo (or plural, “lentigines”) is a cosmetic condition featuring freckle-like spots. In fact, these small, flat pigmented spots are similar to human freckles. Actually, lentigo is caused by an increase in the number of melanocytes. To be clear, these are the cells that produce pigment but these cells cluster together to form spots.
Cat with black gums
Moreover,orange cats are more prone to developing lentigo because they have a gene that produces the orange pigment, pheomelanin. Additionally, this gene also causes greater concentrations of melanin to appear in particular areas. Thus, the result leads to the development of lentigo.
For the most part, the little spots make your lovable companion even cuter and add to her un-fur-getttable charm.However, the spots should be flat, not raised. And they shouldn’t be painful, bleeding, cracked or worse look like they hurt or are inflamed.
Your kitty may start getting lentigo spots as early as a year old. As sweet little Ginger gets older, the spots may continue to pop up. Indeed they may appear on eyelids, lips, nose, gums and roof of the mouth, inside the ears or on foot pads. Her lush coat may hide other places where lentigenes appear.
Red flags of lentigo in cats
Is lentigo in cats dangerous?
The short answer is “no, but…”
The good news is lentigo is not a form of cancer and doesn’t pose a health threat to your darling meow machine. Actually, it’s a benign, cosmetic condition, which is awesome news.
Nevertheless,monitor your kitty’s skin to ensure the spots aren’t signs of something more serious than simple ofcat freckles. The following are examples:
- Examine any raised spots
- Check for spots that aren’t brown or black, i.e., red
- Are there black spots on cat’s gums, whichcan indicate a fungal infection or oral cancer
- Do you see black spots in a cat’s eye, which can be a sign of cancer (iris melanosis)
- Examine spots that are open, sore, inflamed or have discharge
- Be on the lookout for spots that appear on skin areas with fur
- Assess spots that have blurry edges
Look for a specialized vet
And even if the above signs aren’t in evidence, it’s a good idea to have your vet take a look if:
- The spots appear fairly suddenly
- Your cat hasn’t had spots before, or
- The number and size of the spots increase
How to treat lentigo in cats
Thankfully, the news is paws-itive! Lentigo is a benign condition that doesn’t affect your cat’s health.Soyou don’t need to do a thing if she develops lentigo spots. Just enjoy the delightful freckles and love her for her amazing cuteness!
Banixx spray for cats
Banixx and your cat
While lentigo spots don’t need to be treated, there are other skin conditions that DO need help! For starters, bacterial and fungal skin infections have to be taken care of immediately, to soothe your cat. And, not only soothe but to prevent the spread and severity of the inflammation.
This is where Banixx comes in:
- It’spowerful but gentle.Itsunique pH formulacreates a hostile environment for fungus and bacteria. Apply it to the affected skin – and the infection will disappear!
- It doesn’t sting, burn or stain.This makes it easier to apply. It’s completely pain-free and doesn’t have added dyes or foreign scents.
- It’s safe to use.It doesn’t hurt healthy tissue and can be used around the eyes and other sensitive areas. Even better, you can’t over-treat – just apply it as needed.
- It’s not expensive.In addition to its low cost, Banixx Pet Care spray is formulated for all pets. This means you can use one bottle on all your animals.
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Sources:
https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat-nose-spots-lentigo/
https://www.petcompanionmag.com/pigment-changes-in-dogs-and-cats/
https://catexplore.com/orange-tabby-black-spots/
https://cats.com/cats-freckles
