There are several main reasons why cats’ tongues turn black: First, the cat eats nutritional paste or black food, which causes the tongue to turn temporarily black. Generally, this situation will return to normal after a few hours. Second, due to hypoxia in cats, the owner may find that the cat has difficulty breathing. In this case, the cat needs to be sent to the pet hospital immediately for oxygen, otherwise the cat is likely to die due to hypoxia. Third, if a cat is infected with Toxoplasma gondii, the owner can take the cat to the animal hospital for Toxoplasma testing and receive specific treatment based on the results.

1. Eating nutritional cream or black food

If the cat’s tongue is black, but its energy and appetite are normal, it is most likely that the cat has eaten nutritional cream or black food, which has caused the tongue to be dyed black. This situation usually returns to normal in a short time, so don't worry too much.

　2. Hypoxia

If a cat is deprived of oxygen for a long time, it will cause the tongue to turn from red to purple and then to black, and it will also accelerate the breathing rate and have difficulty breathing. In this case, the cat should be given oxygen immediately and taken to a pet hospital for treatment. If a cat is extremely hypoxic and not treated in time, it may collapse and die immediately.

3. Infection with Toxoplasma gondii

Cats infected with Toxoplasma gondii can also cause their tongues to turn black, and they may also experience symptoms such as loss of appetite, fever, shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice. The owner can take the cat to the pet hospital for Toxoplasma testing, and then make specific treatment based on the test results. At the same time, cats also need to be regularly dewormed and prevented, and avoid feeding raw meat, contact with other cats’ feces, etc., to reduce the chance of infection.