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Pigment Changes in Cats

Pigment Changes in Cats

Hyperpigmentation, Hypopigmentation, Depigmentation

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Updated on September 26, 2024

SUMMARY OF CONTENT

The skin and coat of a cat may sometimes change color or become lighter or darker. This may be a normal process, or may be due to a serious disease.

SEVERITY:

Mild to moderate
  • Time to Cure
    Resolves within days to weeks after treatment in some cases, in other cases this can be a chronic pr
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian
  • Prevention Icon
    No known prevention
  • Spread Icon
    Transmission is not possible between animals and not possible between animals and people
  • Lab Icon
    Diagnosis requires Physical examination, blood testing, biopsy

VERY COMMON IN

Pigment changes can occur in any breed of cat at any age.

Symptoms & Signs

Pigment changes in cats can appear in many ways, depending on the cause. The pet parent will usually notice a change on the surface of the hair coat. In some cases, pet parents will notice single, round nodules on or underneath the skin. These may appear bluish and may contain a thick, yellowish to gray material. Other pigment changes may appear as more of skin irritation, with the pet parent noticing redness, itching, scales and ulcerated nodules. In other cases, the pigment change manifest as oily fur, loss of pigment in certain areas, of simply as hair loss.

Diagnosis

In any case of pigment change, your veterinarian will begin with a physical examination of your cat. Depending on the appearance of the pigment change, secondary testing will be recommended. This will usually include blood testing to check for systemic disease and often a biopsy or fine needle aspirate of the area. These tests allow veterinarians to collect cells from the region to identify what is causing the issue. A fine needle aspirate is usually done at the initial appointment. A small needle is inserted into the area of concern and the cells are examined under the microscope. If the cells are not definitive for a diagnosis, your veterinarian will recommend a biopsy to collect a section of the skin and send it to the laboratory for a test called a histopathology. This test can give a complete diagnosis.

Causation

If the skin or coat has a color other than white, it is said to be pigmented. Colors include brown, black, red, purplish-blue, and yellow. If the skin is a darker color than normal, it is said to be 'hyperpigmented.' Pigment is the result of melanin in the skin. Cats have different levels and density in pigment, making their coats different colors. When the skin of any animal is disrupted, the melanin within the skin also becomes disrupted and disorganized. This can cause a mild pigment change, or the changes can be more noticable. Conditions that cause mild pigment changes include post injection site alopecia, or lentigo in orange cats. These conditions are mild and do not cause any harm to the cat. Masses that grow on the cat’s skin can also cause pigment changes. These include growths like mast cell tumors, apocrine cysts, Bowen’s disease tumors and basal cell tumors. All of these cause abnormal cell growth and disruption of the skin, leaving a growth in the place of normal skin. Some of these masses can be cancerous, while some can be benign and not cause any issues. Systemic diseases like hyperadrenocorticism and hypothyroidism can also cause pigment changes, mainly due to disruption of the normal skin and hair cycles. When skin and hair is not replenishing normally secondary to these conditions, secondary pigment changes can occur.

Treatments

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AT-HOME CARE

Medicate, if necessary, as directed by your veterinarian.
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SUPPORTIVE CARE

None
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MEDICATIONS

Medications will be prescribed based on what is causing the pigment change in your cat. If the change is due to a systemic disease, medications to help manage the disease will be recommended. In many cases, surgery may be the best option if a mass is causing the pigment change.
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DEVICES

None
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SURGERY

If the pigment change is being caused by a mass or lump, surgical removal is usually the best option.
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SPECIALISTS

Veterinary dermatologists and oncologists may be consulted in some cases

Cost Of Treatment

The cost of treatment may vary depending on the underlying cause. In certain cases, no treatment may be available or possible.

Recovery

Most pets can recover from this condition with proper management.

Monitoring

Your veterinarian will schedule recheck appointments based on your pet’s condition.

Prevention

There is no way to prevent pigment changes in cats from occurring.

Questions about Pigment Changes
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I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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My dog has an ear infection

Sorry to hear Marley isn't doing so well with his ears. It is not possible to tell from tge picture tve exact nature of the irritation but if it is indeed infected (typically red, hot, painful and smelly), he will need prescription medication from his regular vet. In the meantime I recommend gently cleaning tge outer war with cotton wool and a pet safe ear cleaner to reduce the build up of wax/discharge

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My dog vomited a pinkish colour. Does this look like blood vomit? She doesn’t have diarrhoea or anything else. Yesterday i fed her plain chicken with rice.

That is very red vomit, however, this color could be linked to a number of things including blood in the vomit, inflammation of the GI tract, having chewed on a toy this color, eaten a food item this color, or gotten into a plant or other item this color. If the vomiting continues, worsens, or other symptoms appear such as a painful or bloated abdomen, diarrhea or blood in the stool, or severe distress, I would schedule a veterinary appointment right away to rule out more severe issues. In the meantime I would continue the bland diet for 24 hours, and monitor for any additional vomiting or illness symptoms.

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My 3 year old long haired tuxedo female pees just fine in the litter box, but she preferred to poop on the bathroom rug or on the carpet behind the sofa. Then, she will go weeks and everything is fine only start pooping outside the box again. I have 4 litter boxes and 3 cats. I clean all several times a day. She is the youngest. I've put wee wee pads down and she lifts them up and poops under them. Any ideas to help? Thanks!

A good first step, if you haven't already, is to rule out any health issues with your vet such as arthritis that may be causing the accidents. Secondly, making sure none of the other cats are bullying her away from the litter box may also alert you to any issues. Thirdly, a good enzymatic cleaner may help reduce the smell/discourage use of these areas in the future. That said, if you've done the above and the issue is still happening, it's probably time to call in a veterinary or animal behaviorist that can visit in person to see what may be going on. They may be able to check for stressors that could be causing the accidents where they are, look for issues with refusal to defecate in the box, or see if there is a cycle that is happening that is triggering this reaction. From there they may be able to set up a more tailored plan to help reduce the accidents and encourage use of the litter box at all times. If you're in the US, you can use this website to help find someone available in your area: https://www.dacvb.org/page/about

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. Treatment should only be provided under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.