Do Cats Have Lips – What You Should Know!

Cats are known for so many unique facial features from their whiskers down to their mouth. When it comes to lips those pose an intriguing question; do cats have lips?

Yes, cats have lips. While a cat’s lips might be hard to spot based on their coloring and the amount of fur they have, your cat’s lips do exist and are a fundamental component of its anatomy. The color of a cat’s lips is black, however, the color may vary depending on your cat’s breed.

A cat’s lips serve an essential function in their everyday lives. Let’s dig more into why cats’ lips are important, how to spot them, and some health conditions associated with their lips.

Do house cats have lips

Yes, all house cats do have lips. Cats are mammals, and all mammals are born with lips. All mammals can nurse milk from their mothers when they are born. Lips are an essential body component in order for a cat to be able to suckle and nurse as a kitten successfully.

The reason that you may never have noticed your cat’s lips before is that their lips are often hidden underneath their fur. Cats also do not typically like when someone tries to stick their hand near their mouth, and this is a good way to get bitten by your cat. However, the lips are pretty thin, but they are there on every house cat.

If you do notice that your cat’s lips look more prominent than normal, there is a chance your cat’s lips are swollen. If you notice this, it is possible that your cat is having an allergic reaction to something they ate, or they have been stung by an insect.

While it may seem like an unlikely place to be stung, a cat can get stung on the lips by a bee or a wasp, and this would cause its lips to swell up in size considerably. Your cat may have tried to catch the bee, thinking it was prey, and instead received a nasty sting on its mouth.

Do cats have pink lips

Some domestic cats have pink lips, but not all of them do. The color of your cat’s lips usually correlates to their breed and the overall coloring of their fur. For the most part, cats that are white or have lighter-colored fur will have pink lips. Cats with red or ginger-colored fur will also usually have pink lips.

All cats with darker fur colorings, such as black cats, tabby cats, and dark gray cats, will usually have black lips. It is even possible for a cat to have a combination of black and pink lips, although that is a more rare occurrence. All of these color combinations are perfectly normal and healthy for your cat! 

Is it ok to kiss your cat on the lips

While it is always tempting to let your cat lick you and kiss them, it is recommended not to kiss your cat on the lips as they can transmit germs and diseases to you. While certain illnesses such as kennel cough cannot be transmitted to a human, there are many more that can be transmitted via kissing.

Some of the potential diseases that a cat can pass on to a human are ringworm, e-coli, and various parasites. Cats can also carry different strains of common bacteria such as Pasteurella and staphylococcus, which are highly contagious and can make humans very ill.

Overall though, it is less dangerous to kiss your cat or let them lick you if you know they are not sick. It’s a good idea to have your cat checked regularly for some of those parasite varieties.

It is not the end of the world if you kiss your cat on the lips, but people who fall into immunocompromised groups should take extra care to stay away from being kissed by a cat to ensure they stay safe and healthy. 

Why is my cat’s bottom lip turning black

If you notice your cat’s mouth turning black over time, it may be a side effect of your cat’s age. As cats get older, it is more common for their lips to turn black, even if they were pink earlier on in life. This should be a slow transition as your cat’s mouth color fades from pink to black over time. When this happens slowly as your cat ages, it is not a reason to be alarmed.

If the color of your cat’s lips seems to have changed overnight, that might be worth a trip to the vet to see if they can take a quick look and rule out any mouth problems that may be causing the color change.

Why does my cat have brown stuff around his mouth

It can be alarming if you notice your cat suddenly has a black or brown crust around its mouth. Sometimes if you see this, it may look like dried blood, but it typically is difficult to remove from your cat’s face. You will need to see your vet to get a fully confirmed diagnosis, but there is a good chance your cat is experiencing feline acne or some infection on their lip.

Usually, this is easily treated with some ointment or medication and will clear up in a few weeks. You can try to clean your cat’s mouth to see if you can get it off by using warm water and a gentle cloth, but don’t tug too hard on your cat’s mouth area if you are not making progress. It may not be something you can wipe away, and you want to avoid hurting your cat. 

Is cat saliva toxic to humans

Cat saliva is not toxic to humans, but it is toxic for birds. If a cat bites a bird, even if they do not kill it, the bird will likely die. However, while cat saliva is undoubtedly not going to kill a human, it is still possible for a cat to transmit bacteria and disease from its saliva to a human.

There have been rumors over the years that a cat’s mouth is one of the cleanest out there, and while it is true that the overall bacterial structure of a cat’s mouth is similar to that of humans, it still does not mean you should encourage your cat to lick you. More than anything else, do not let your cat lick you or rub their lips on you if you have any open wounds, as this is the fastest way to get an infection.

Things To Consider 

If you have trouble locating your cat’s lips, try to find the lower lip to start. The reason for this is that cats usually have a bigger bottom lip compared to the top one. Cat lips contain scent glands that allow them to mark their territory. So when your cat licks you, they may be trying to rub their lips against you to mark you. This allows them to leave their scent on objects and let other cats know that certain people and areas are their territory.

It is pretty rare for a cat to let you stick your finger in their mouth to take a good look around, but if you ever get an opportunity, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on their lips, gums, and teeth to make sure everything is looking good. You want to make sure that the inside of your cat’s mouth is a shade of pink. Any other color can indicate something is off with your cat’s vitals. Your vet will be the expert on letting you know if anything is going on with their teeth or gums, but it’s still good to keep an eye on it yourself!