Expert: Jessica - 10/18/2009

Question
My cat doesn't seem itself.  He is about 12 and has regular vet appointments and is up-to-date on all vaccincations. He is an outdoor cat, who sleeps in my garage under a heat lamp on cold days/nights.  Lately he hasn't been eating as much and he seems to be sleeping more.  Tonight, I noticed he had a tick, which I removed and put peroxide on the spot, then I cleaned his ears, which looked like they were full of black gunk.  I then checked his mouth and his gums were black!!  That can't be good!  I guess I can't be sure that isn't his normal color, but I don't remember them being black! He is a DSH tiger striped tabby.  Suggestions?

Answer
Hi Sheryl.  Sorry to hear he seems to be doing poorly.  As you probably suspect, he needs to be seen by a vet.  Some brown tabbies do have blackish gums, and some orange tabbies develop black freckles on the gums.  But infections could cause this discoloration, and a severe lack of oxygen can cause ashy gray or purple gums.  Oral melanoma can also cause black gums, although typically in isolated spots.

However, even his lethargy and loss of appetite are concern enough.  He's at an age where kidney, liver and heart disease become greater concerns.  If he has no fever that would suggest his symptoms are due to a simple infection, blood tests will probably be recommended.  If he has a heart murmur or crackly breathing, then the vet might recommend x-rays or an ultrasound of the chest.

There are some tick-borne illnesses that can cause these symptoms, including ehrlichiosis and the less common but more deadly cytauxzoonosis.  Any hope of treatment depends on a quick diagnosis.

Do your best to keep him warm, eating and drinking.  Offer him meat baby food (stage 1, which contains meat and broth only) or freshly boiled chicken breast if this is all he'll eat.  Keeping him nourished and hydrated is most important in helping him fight whatever it is that's ailing him.

Best wishes!

Jessica