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You are here: Home / Health / Lintigo Simplex – Freckled Noses in Orange Cats

Lintigo Simplex – Freckled Noses in Orange Cats

Newton has a black spot stretching up his philtrum, the vertical groove in his nose. You may have noticed that it looks like he’s always a little dirty there, but he’s a very clean cat. He has lentigo.

orange tabby cat's eyes, nose, and whiskers
Lentigo simplex a genetic condition in orange, calico, and tortoiseshell cats resulting in dark spots found which can begin appearing as early as when the cat is a year old. The lentigines (the fancy plural word for lentigo) begin appearing first on a cat’s lips, small and having no symptoms. Unless your cat spends time checking out his lips in the mirror, he won’t know they are there because he can’t feel them any more than a human feels freckles.

Unlike freckles, lentigines don’t change appearance by time of year or by the amount of sun exposure your cat gets. Once your cat has lentigines, it may get larger, or others may follow. Spreading along his lips, gums, nose, and even appearing on his eyelids and/or the inside of his ears. They can even appear on your cat’s footpads.

orange tabby cat with mouth open wide faces camera

Newton has a pretty mild case of lentigo. Other cats have much more distinctive lentigines.

orange cat + freckled nose = lentigo

The good news is that lentigo is just cosmetic, and it doesn’t develop into melanoma. The only bad news is that there’s no way to at a glance for you at home to tell lentigines apart from melanomas. If you’re ever concerned about a spot on your cat, especially if it changes in size or becomes raised or tender, see your vet to be on the safe side.


Reference and Further Reading

Muller and Kirk’s Small Animal Dermatology7: Muller and Kirk’s Small Animal Dermatology, Hyperpigmentation: Genetic, Lentigo Simplex in Orange Cats
Problem-based Feline Medicine, Hyperpigmentation (Lentigo Simplex)
University of Sydney Centre for Veterinary Education, Lentigines

Photo Credit

flickr/ilovebutter

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November 12, 2015 Filed Under: Health 24 Comments

Comments

  1. Summer says

    November 12, 2015 at 4:13 am

    Sparkle developed one freckle on her nose – ruddy, the color she and I both are, is sort of a brownish-orange color, so that does not surprise me.

    Reply
  2. The Island Cats says

    November 12, 2015 at 7:03 am

    How interesting! We never knew that is what it is called. I’ve developed freckles on my nose and stuff in my mouth and the mom has asked the vet about it who told her it wasn’t anything to worry about. ~Wally

    Reply
  3. Peaches & Paprika says

    November 12, 2015 at 7:26 am

    Newton you’re gorgeous and thank you for that creative pose so we could see the spot on your nose. Being calicos and therefore potential “spot recipients” this is very useful info for us in case we see any. Thank you for posting this.

    Reply
  4. Madi says

    November 12, 2015 at 7:48 am

    I WONDER IF GRAY AND WHITE CATS CAN HAVE LENTIGO?
    I HAVE TWO BLACK FRECKLES ON MY NOSE AND MY PADS ARE ALTERNATELY BLACK AND PINK
    Hugs madi your bfff

    Reply
  5. The Florida Furkids says

    November 12, 2015 at 7:58 am

    Angel Tamir had that! We never knew what the “official” name was….thanks for the info!

    The Florida Furkids

    Reply
  6. Melissa & Mudpie says

    November 12, 2015 at 9:13 am

    OMC I have lived with cats for almost 40 years now and this is the first I’ve ever heard of lentigo!!! And that’s after living with 3 torties now too! Thank you so much for the amazing information.

    Reply
  7. The Swiss Cats says

    November 12, 2015 at 10:19 am

    That’s very interesting, we didn’t know that ! Purrs

    Reply
  8. Random Felines says

    November 12, 2015 at 11:21 am

    our previous orange tabby had freckles like that….how interesting

    Reply
  9. Fur Everywhere says

    November 12, 2015 at 12:46 pm

    So interesting! Carmine seems to have a black freckle on his nose….now I’m wondering if it may not be a freckle at all.

    Reply
  10. Brian Frum says

    November 12, 2015 at 12:57 pm

    Dang, I sure didn’t know that one!

    Reply
  11. Emma and Buster says

    November 12, 2015 at 1:22 pm

    Buster has a few freckles on his nose. We didn’t know when this developed.

    Reply
  12. Ellen Pilch says

    November 12, 2015 at 1:32 pm

    My Sammy is orange and white and has freckles on his nose. I didn’t adopt him until he was almost 5 so I don’t know when they developed.

    Reply
  13. Connie says

    November 12, 2015 at 3:35 pm

    Look at you with all of the fancy terms, i absolutely love it!! and I do say I am a huge fan of Lintigo

    Reply
  14. da tabbies o trout towne says

    November 12, 2015 at 4:23 pm

    dood….yur nose haz characturr !!!! 🙂 cuzin perk o lator had a few freckles in her day
    tho we never new de troo term for them ….thanx for sharin thiz post !! ♥♥♥

    Reply
  15. Robin says

    November 12, 2015 at 6:21 pm

    This is very interesting! I hadn’t heard of these before. I’m glad to know that there is no danger in a cat having these. I think that Newton is adorable just the way he is. 🙂

    Reply
  16. Flynn says

    November 12, 2015 at 6:34 pm

    Eric had five nose freckles and one on his lip. I only have one on my lip. Mum knew they were lentigos but told Eric they were his beauty spots.

    Reply
  17. William says

    November 12, 2015 at 8:15 pm

    Well, you know the little pest Izzy has an orange freckle on his nose. My old bro Russell didn’t, though. His nose was perfectly pink!

    Reply
  18. Lola and Lexy says

    November 12, 2015 at 8:57 pm

    Wow! This was an interesting post! We always thought they were called freckles!

    Reply
  19. Cathy Keisha says

    November 12, 2015 at 9:12 pm

    Whoa! I hope it’s not contagious. Fur facts I didn’t know.

    Reply
  20. Glogirly says

    November 13, 2015 at 12:20 am

    Waffles seems to get more freckles as he gets older.

    Katie, though a tuxie, has an unusually striped pattern on her lips. They are half pink and half black!

    Reply
  21. Seville at Nerissa's Life says

    November 13, 2015 at 1:14 am

    I have a nose freckle! Didn’t know it was something lots of us marmies have. purrs

    Purrs,
    Seville

    Reply
  22. Christy Paws says

    November 13, 2015 at 2:11 pm

    I didn’t know those spots had a name. None of us have any spots but I guess I could get some. I am sort of a little calico.

    Reply
  23. Amy Palmer says

    November 14, 2015 at 11:39 am

    Awesome post! I never knew there was a name for the freckles, but I watch Lowenstein very closely for new ones. Harvey only has them in his mouth for now.

    Reply
  24. Luann Rutledge says

    November 28, 2016 at 3:45 pm

    I understand the freckle marks/dots on noses, but my long haired Calico, Maggie, doesn’t have freckles. Her entire nose is outlined in a dark color. I rescued her from the shelter so she is about 2 yrs old.
    Completely outlined tho?? No spots inside the outline as if yet.

    Reply

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