30/03/2026
🐾 "Is That a Tumor?" The Secret Bump in Your Cat’s Mouth
🐾 「我隻貓個口係咪生腫瘤？」—— 認識貓貓牙齦上的小秘密
Have you ever caught a glimpse of your cat’s upper gums and noticed a small, firm bump right behind their top front teeth?
If your first instinct was to worry about a gum mass or a tumor, you aren't alone! We recently had a concerned owner ask about this exact thing. The good news? Most of the time, what you’re seeing is a perfectly normal part of feline anatomy called the Incisor Papilla.
What is the Incisor Papilla?
The incisor papilla is a small, fleshy bump located on the midline of the hard palate, just behind those tiny upper incisor teeth. It serves a very cool purpose: it marks the entrance to the incisive ducts.
Why is it there?
These ducts lead to the vomeronasal organ (also known as Jacobson’s organ). When your cat "makes a face" (the Flehmen response)—where they pull back their lips and squint—they are actually directing scents toward this organ to analyze pheromones and other chemical signals.
It’s essentially a "scent-tasting" superpower! 🧬
How to tell if it’s normal:
* Location: It is perfectly centered right behind the top front teeth.
* Appearance: It is usually small, pink, and symmetrical.
* Consistency: It shouldn’t change rapidly in size or start bleeding.
When should you actually worry?
While the papilla itself is normal, you should contact us if you notice:
* The bump is off-center or asymmetrical.
* It looks red, inflamed, or ulcerated.
* Your cat is pawing at their mouth or having trouble eating.
* The "bump" is growing quickly.
The Bottom Line: If you see a tiny, centered bump behind those front teeth, take a deep breath—it’s likely just your cat’s built-in "scent-sensor"!
However, since oral health is so important for cats, if you’re ever unsure, it’s always better to let a professional take a look during a quick check-up.
好多貓奴幫主子刷牙或者見到佢哋打喊露時，都會突然嚇一跳：「點解門牙後面有個凸出嚟嘅肉粒？！係咪生癌啊？！」
早兩日就有位家長好擔心話見到貓貓上顎好似有個腫塊。絕大多數情況下，呢個位於上門牙正後方、細細粒好似「心形」或「圓形」嘅肉粒，係非常正常嘅身體構造，醫學名詞叫 「門齒乳頭」(Incisor Papilla)。
💡 什麼是門齒乳頭？
佢位於硬顎（口頂）嘅中線上，就喺嗰幾粒細細粒嘅上門牙後面。雖然佢睇落似係腫起咗，但其實佢係一個非常重要嘅「零件」！
👃 貓貓的「氣味偵測器」
呢個位置其實係 鋤鼻器（Vomeronasal Organ，又稱 Jacobson's organ） 的入口。
你有冇見過貓貓聞完嘢之後，會突然「反唇相稽」、瞇埋眼、張開口個樣好似發呆咁？呢個叫「裂唇嗅反應」(Flehmen Response)。
佢哋其實係透過門齒乳頭旁邊的小管，將氣味分子傳送到呢個特殊器官，去分析費洛蒙（Pheromones）同其他化學訊號。可以話係貓貓用嚟「品嚐氣味」嘅超能力！🧬
✅ 點樣判斷係咪正常？
* 位置： 喺正中間，緊貼住上門牙後面。
* 外觀： 通常係粉紅色、對稱、表面平滑。
* 變化： 唔會突然變大，亦唔會滲血。
⚠️ 幾時先要真正擔心？
雖然門齒乳頭係正常嘅，但如果你發現以下情況，就建議帶佢嚟診所畀我哋檢查吓：
* 個肉粒唔對稱（例如歪向一邊）。
* 表面出現紅腫、潰瘍或流血。
* 貓貓出現抓口、流口水或食嘢困難。
* 呢粒嘢喺短時間內快速長大。
獸醫小貼士：
如果見到上門牙後面有一粒細小、位置居中嘅肉粒，各位家長可以先鬆一口氣——嗰個只係主子內置嘅「氣味感應器」！
貓貓嘅口腔健康好重要，如果你真係唔肯定或者覺得主子口臭、牙肉紅，最穩陣都係預約過嚟，等我哋專業團隊幫佢檢查清楚！
#貓貓健康 #獸醫百科 #上環獸醫 #西營盤獸醫
