One common health issue that affects many cats is the black tongue, which can be found on a pink or red cat’s tongue.
Black tongue among cats causes many problems such as it can lead to bad breath, tooth decay, and other oral hygiene problems.
This blog post is dedicated to helping you understand what cat black tongue is and how you can reduce symptoms by providing necessary treatment.
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Here are a few causes why black tongue in cats appears:
Poor dental hygiene:
If the cat has untreated tooth decay and is exposed, saliva can carry bacteria from decaying teeth that will cause a black tongue.
This is very common in older cats who have unhealthy mouths with a lot of tartar buildup on their molars.
Liver problems:
If your cat has a liver problem, they may have an increased risk for black tongue due to poor production of bile salts which help neutralize the acid that may cause tooth decay or gingivitis.
Low levels of iron:
A low level of iron will also lead to bacterial overgrowth in the mouth, especially if there are ulcers present because saliva won’t be as effective at protecting against acidic bacteria from decaying teeth or getting your cat tongue black.
Fungal Infection:
sometimes fungal infections in cats can cause black tongue, in this case, it is important to take your pet to the vet because they will prescribe certain medications that should help them recover.
Other factors for the appearance of black tongue in cats include:
- The cat’s tongue may be black because it has been licking up hairballs
- It may also be due to the food they are eating and a lack of water intake
- It could also be caused by an infection in their mouth or throat
Natural remedy to treat black tongue in cat
Flaxseed oil or fish oil:
Both of these oils will help heal the mouth and black tongue in cats by reducing inflammation and soothing sore gums.
Catnip tea:
Sometimes cat tongue may appear black because of a fungal infection, catnip tea has antifungal properties to fight off fungal infections, plus it also reduces pain from inflamed tissue in your cat’s tongue and mouth.
However, if you are looking for a more natural remedy to reduce black tongue symptoms in cats, there is one that won’t involve antibiotics and steroids – it involves apple cider vinegar!
This unprocessed vinegar can be used as a rinse for the mouth to inhibit plaque and fungal infection in the tongue. It also helps strengthen the enamel on cat teeth.
Symptoms of Black Tongue in cats
Here are a few symptoms that can lead to black tongue in cats:
- Bleeding gums or mouth wounds
- Increased drooling and thirst since their mouth hurts to eat & drink normally
- Tiredness because of inflammation around their oral cavity causing discomfort while resting.
In order to start treating your feline friend’s black tongue problem, you need to first identify external factors such as dental disease or an injury to the teeth.
If they don’t have any dental disease but the black tongue, then it’s probably a fungal infection, liver disease, or lack of vitamins that cause black tongue in cats.
Treatment for black tongue in cats
If you notice black tongue in cats for more than a month, then the next step will be to seek professional help from a veterinarian.
There are many treatments for cat black tongues including blood thinners and antibiotics as well as surgery which can include tooth extraction or desalination of the affected areas.
The most common treatment for feline black tongue though is antibiotic therapy because this infection spreads through saliva carrying bacteria around their mouth.
You want to make sure that food remains soft while feeding them too otherwise they may not be able to chew properly leading to more pain and inflammation on top of the tongue or tooth.
Did I answer everything you want to know about why is my cat tongue black?
Cat black tongue symptoms can be reduced by feeding them soft food instead of crunchy or hard foods and keeping their water dish clean so they don’t swallow bacteria while drinking.
In addition, you can use yogurt as a home remedy because this has been shown to slow down the rate at which these infections worsen in cats; however, if none of these things work then getting medical care is going to be crucial for the sake of your pets life!