Question: Why does my orange tabby have black spots on his nose and lips?
A common question (and worry) of cat owners relates to black spots that just seem to "appear" on the lips, nose and eye margins, especially on orange coloured cats. What is this, and are these spots something to worry about?.
Answer: This condition is seen in many cats, especially orange tabbies or calico cats. Most often the spots appear in middle-aged to older cats. Owners usually notice the small black spots on the lips or nose first; only to worry as more dots appear and some grow a bit larger.
The most common answer for black spots appearing on your cats lips, nose, or eye margins is that it is a condition called lentigo simplex, and it is not a form of cancer. In fact, it is completely harmless, just like human freckles. That said, one cannot assume that any black spot on your pet is harmless, this is just the most common scenario for orange coloured cats.
