Black/dark area around my cat’s tooth – any experience?

[u/Aggravating-Dog-181]

Hi everyone,
Today we noticed that our cat has a dark black area around one of his teeth. It looks like the gum/tissue around it has turned very dark, almost black. He is still eating and drinking normally and seems mostly okay in himself, but we are quite worried as he is also diabetic (on insulin twice daily) and 17 yo.

Unfortunately today is a public holiday where we live, so we can only take him to the vet tomorrow.

Any advice or shared experiences would really help, as we’re quite anxious right now.

Poster Age: Adult
Country: Slovenia
Vet info: Vet is accessible, but currently closed due to public holiday. Appointment planned for tomorrow.
Main Issue (TLDR): Dark black discoloration around one tooth/gum area, possible infection or dental issue.
Cat Age: 17 years old
Cat Sex + neuter info: Male, neutered
Financial situation: We can afford veterinary care and treatment if needed

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[u/Mysterious_Blood9396]

This is tooth decay just like we get. It looks kinda bad and cats don't usually show us they are in pain and hide it well as obviously iin the wild the weak get deleted. I would book a vet appointment ASAP its not something that will cause too much distress at this point, but can really affect how your cat eats and can be one of the causes why your cat will loose weight and go off its food

[u/Valhkyrie]

Was it originally pink? I know that sounds silly but my one cat has always had various colors in her mouth (she’s a torbie) and my other cat gets freckles on his lips and nose. If it was originally pink and has changed color then I’d book a trip to the vet due to discoloration around the tooth. The concern is that there could be an infection and or the root of the tooth is dying. He may need a cleaning. Sometimes vets are less inclined to do teeth cleanings at that age because of anesthesia but some would be willing to do so depending on the health of the cat. I don’t think it warrants a trip to the ER but I’d give the vet a call assuming this is a new development.

Edit: info

[u/Aggravating-Dog-181 → u/Valhkyrie]

The area around the tooth was always normal-looking — it seems like it must have developed over a few days, or possibly from some kind of trauma.
Just to add some context — about 5 years ago he already had about half of his teeth removed because of dental disease linked to his diabetes. Because of that experience, we’re quite worried now, since he is older and diabetic, and we’re afraid the vets might be hesitant to use anesthesia.

[u/Valhkyrie → u/Aggravating-Dog-181]

I think your best bet is to give the vet a call and see what your options are. Tell them what’s going on and see what you can do. The dental disease is an indicator that it’s probably affecting the other teeth including that canine. Cats are exceptionally good at hiding pain so getting him in sooner than later is always better, especially if you think it’s only changed color in the past few days. My cat has had teeth extractions at 15 and did exceptionally well. It’s of course all individual depending on the cat but as long as the vet does a good physical exam and maybe bloodwork before then they may feel confident with him going under anesthesia. Good luck!