My cat has strange colored gums and lumps on lips. Is it fatal?

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a nodule or mass in the bottom lip. For this reason, I recommend that you have Angel evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment. Your veterinarian could perform a fine needle aspirate or biopsy to try to reach a diagnosis. The other possibility is periodontal disease but it would require a thorough examination to know for sure. Good luck! Hoping that it is benign and nothing to worry about.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is very likely a malignant tumor unfortunately. Cats are very well known for having a mouth tumor called squamous cell carcinoma which carries a poor prognosis. However, it could still be something else. The only way to know is by doing some sampling via fine needle aspiration or possibly a biopsy. If squamous cell carcinoma is confirmed, it is not likely to respond to medications much other than mild decrease in inflammation. Treatment for squamous cell carcinoma is limited by how aggressive this tumor is though sometimes surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are options. Sorry for the sad news. Let's hope it is more on the benign side. Good luck and have a great day!

I am sorry to hear that! I do think going to the vet would be a good idea. Cats can get many types of lumps at their mouths. From your description one thing I would want to rule out is eosinophilic plaques. These can be caused by allergies so getting on a low allergen food (I would recommend prescription due to cross-contamination at the manufacturing level) and medications can be vital! Of course it is hard to tell without looking at her so your vet may want to rule tests or take a biopsy first! I hope this helps!

This looks to be a rodent ulcer (eosinophilic granuloma complex). She really needs to see a vet for this issue. This is not something you can treat with over the counter medications. Also, there are not many over the counter medications that are safe for cats. These lesions are treated, typically, with antibiotics and steroids. Likely the reason for it is hereditary or an underlying allergy. Please refer to this article for further information. ( https://www.thesprucepets.com/rodent-ulcers-in-cats-5093328 ) The sneezing is not likely related to the swollen lips. That seems to be a separate issue. Either way, Luna needs to see a vet.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Based on the pictures you have provided, it appears as though Kohara may be dealing with indolent ulcers of the lip. These are typically triggered by a hypersensitivity from an allergen. Treatment for these typically consist of steroid therapy and antibiotics for secondary infections. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Unfortunately gengivostomatitis (gums inflammation) can be a very frustrating disease. It is a very good news that Symba is FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) negative but inflammation might be also secondary to infection as feline herpesvirus or feline calicivirus (an oral swap could be done and viruses can be isolated in laboratories). If neither herpes or calicivirus are involved, it is very likely that the inflammatory disease is due to an abnormal response of the oral immuno-system. In the future the disease might remain stable and no other treatment are necessary but if the symptoms get worse might be necessary to start: antiinflammarory drugs, drugs to suppress the immune system and control the proliferation of bacteria within the mouth. In severe cases surgical management (removal of all of a cat’s teeth) might be the only solution.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to see that Nitro is having these problems. These areas of concern could be due to allergies, immune system mediated, or contact with irritants. There is a syndrome in cats called Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex that is an immune mediated problem thought to be caused by allergies, most times to the bite of fleas, mites, etc. Only a biopsy would be able to adequately diagnose these areas. Food allergies/food insensitivities may also be involved. Looks like something you should let your vet take a look at. Most likely they would use a steroid injection with or without antibiotics. These can be complex to figure out but some tests can be done and a treatment plan can be formulated. Plastic feeding and water bowls have always been implicated as possible sources of the irritated areas so you should switch to porcelain or glass bowls. I hope this helps and I hope you and your vet can make Nitro more comfortable.