Do Black Cats Have Blue Skin – Pigmentation Facts To Consider!

We’ve all done it before. When you’re holding your cat, you might start to push his hair to the side to see what color skin he has. You might see that your cat has a normal skin tone – like pink or tan – but you might also see that your black cat has blue skin! Therefore, you start to wonder, do black cats have blue skin?

Generally, black cats do not have blue skin. When your cat is blue or has a bluish tint, it means that your cat does not have enough oxygenated hemoglobin. You should visit your vet as soon as possible for treatment and management.

It might sound like blue skin is a cool color skin tone to have, but when it comes to your cat, it can mean something serious. If you begin to notice that your cat’s skin is turning blue, you should quickly call your vet. To learn more about this odd skin tone, keep on reading!

Why Is My Cat’s Skin Blue

Blue skin means that your cat doesn’t have enough oxygenated hemoglobin. 

This might not mean very much to those of us who aren’t scientists, but it sounds scary, right? It is. 

In the most basic terms, your cat’s heart isn’t pumping blood to circulate through his body. The lack of blood means that there is a lack of oxygen moving through your cat’s body. 

Since there is not enough blood and therefore oxygen pumping through your cat’s body, your cat’s skin will turn blue or at least have a blue tint. 

If you look in your cat’s mouth, you might notice that your cat’s gums have a blue tint too. 

Your vet might refer to this as cyanosis, but that’s a medical term that you’ll only hear in your vet’s office. 

Why Does My Black Cat Have Blue Skin

Black cats aren’t exempt from having cyanosis.

Some black cats will have darker skin because they have more pigment in your skin, but that doesn’t mean that your black cat’s skin should be blue.

Most black cats will have tan or pink skin like any other cat. 

You’ll usually see dark or black skin on a cat that isn’t completely black, even though that sounds counterintuitive. Some cats that have mostly light fur will have patches of darker skin where their darker fur is. 

Now, as I’ve said, you should be concerned if you move your cat’s fur and see that its skin is blue, not pink or black or whatever color it used to be. 

Blue skin can be harder to spot on a black cat, but it is a problem nonetheless. 

Why Does My Black Cat’s Skin Look Blue

Your cat’s skin is blue because of cyanosis, which must be treated and managed.

First, you’ll need to get your cat’s oxygen at your vet or an emergency vet. Once your cat is stabilized, your vet will work to figure out what condition caused the low blood oxygen levels.

This might mean that your cat will need to be prescribed medication or need surgery. Depending on the condition, there may be other treatment necessary. 

Once your cat is stabilized, and the underlying condition is found and treated, you’ll still need to manage your cat’s health. 

This can mean a number of things:

• Your cat’s activity will need to be described. He should not be playing and jumping as he once did. 
• Continue using whatever medications your vet prescribed you.
• Watch the color of your cat’s skin. It should eventually return to its original color as your cat’s treatment works.
• Continue to follow up with your vet regularly. You will want to catch any concerns with your cat’s health as soon as possible. 

What Causes Cyanosis

Several underlying conditions cause cyanosis, but one of the leading causes is heart disease.

Your cat can have different types of heart diseases, but all the conditions mean that your cat’s heart is getting weaker. 

Here are two of the common types of heart disease that cats may have:

• Congestive heart failure
• Cardiomyopathy

If caught before cyanosis begins, you can work with your vet to manage your cat’s symptoms before they get any worse. 

However, your cat may need more treatment if heart disease is caught after your cat has cyanosis and, by extension, blue skin. 

Is Cyanosis An Emergency 

Cyanosis is not an emergency, but it should not be let go either. 

Cyanosis does not happen quickly, so, therefore, you do not need to consider it a medical emergency. Your cat’s body is still pumping blood and oxygen, but it is not pumping as efficiently as it could be. 

Once you see that your cat has blue skin, you should make your cat an appointment with the vet as soon as possible. 

Even though it is not considered an immediate emergency, you do need to make sure that your cat gets the treatment he needs to live a long and healthy life. 

The sooner that you get your cat treatment, the less severe the long-term effects will be on your cat. 

What Color Should A Cat’s Skin Be

Your cat’s skin can be a variety of colors, including brown, black, red, or yellow. As we talked about, your cat’s skin can also be blue, but that is due to a medical condition. 

Most cats will have brown or yellow skin. In other words, you can think of your cat’s skin as the color of human skin most of the time.

If your cat has different colored markings for fur, then you might notice that your cat’s skin has a few different colors. 

For instance, it’s not uncommon for a black and white cat to have light tan skin and black spots where their black fur is. 

The most important thing to remember is that your cat can have different skin tones – but blue isn’t the best one to have!