Uncovering the Causes of Cat Drooling

Drooling in cats may seem unusual, but it is a behavior that can stem from various causes. While occasional drooling may be harmless, excessive or persistent drooling can be a sign of an underlying health problem. Understanding the potential reasons for drooling and when to seek veterinary care is essential for ensuring your cat’s well-being.

What Causes a Cat to Drool?

1. Dental Issues
   One of the most common causes of drooling in cats is dental disease. Cats with periodontal disease, tooth decay, or gingivitis may drool due to pain or inflammation in their mouths. Oral discomfort can lead to excessive salivation as the body attempts to protect the tissues from further irritation.

• Signs of Dental Disease: Bad breath, difficulty eating, pawing at the mouth, or visible plaque and tartar build-up.
• Solution: Regular dental check-ups, proper oral hygiene, and treatment for infections can help reduce drooling caused by dental issues.

2. Nausea or Motion Sickness
   Just like humans, cats can experience nausea, which can cause drooling. Motion sickness during car trips or sudden changes in their environment can also result in excessive salivation.

• Signs of Nausea: Vomiting, lethargy, or attempting to hide.
• Solution: If your cat is prone to motion sickness, try calming remedies or limit car travel. For nausea, a vet visit is needed to address the underlying cause.

3. Toxins or Poisoning
   Certain substances, such as plants, chemicals, or medications, can be toxic to cats and lead to drooling. Ingesting harmful toxins causes the body to produce excess saliva as it tries to expel the poison.

• Common Toxins: Lilies, antifreeze, certain foods (like onions and chocolate), and household cleaning products.
• Signs of Poisoning: Vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or seizures.
• Solution: If you suspect your cat has ingested something toxic, contact a veterinarian immediately.

4. Foreign Objects or Infections
   A foreign object stuck in your cat's mouth or throat can cause irritation and lead to drooling. Likewise, oral infections, abscesses, or even a sore throat can make your cat salivate more than usual.

• Signs of Foreign Objects: Difficulty eating, pawing at the mouth, or visible signs of discomfort.
• Signs of Infection: Swelling, redness, or discharge from the mouth.
• Solution: A veterinary examination is necessary to remove the object or treat the infection.

5. Stress or Anxiety
   Stressful situations, such as visits to the vet, new environments, or changes in routine, can cause some cats to drool. Cats may also drool when they are frightened or anxious.

• Signs of Stress: Hiding, excessive grooming, or changes in behavior.
• Solution: Reduce stressors in the environment, provide a quiet space for your cat, and try calming products such as pheromone diffusers.

6. Oral Cancer
   In rare cases, drooling in cats can be a sign of oral cancer. Tumors in the mouth or throat can cause discomfort and lead to excessive salivation.

• Signs of Oral Cancer: Difficulty eating, bad breath, swollen jaw, or noticeable lumps in the mouth.
• Solution: If cancer is suspected, prompt diagnosis and treatment from a veterinarian are necessary.

Also Read: Why is My Cat Drooling

How To Tell The Difference Between Normal Drooling And Oral Disease In Cats?

There are some differences between the symptoms of normal drooling and oral disease drooling in cats, which are broken down below.

1.Symptoms of normal drooling

When eating or drinking: cats will secrete saliva when eating or drinking and may have a small amount of drooling, which is a normal physiological phenomenon.

When the ambient temperature is too high: cats do not have developed sweat glands, when the ambient temperature is too high, the cat will stick out its tongue to dissipate the heat and thus drooling will occur.

Seeing or smelling food: Although it is not as common for cats to drool over the sight of food as it is for dogs, it can happen and may not be a cause for concern if the drooling occurs only when seeing or smelling food and not at other times.

When stressed or scared: cats may drool temporarily when they are stressed or scared, such as during car rides, veterinary appointments, or noisy events; if this drooling is brief and stops on its own, it may not be too much of a problem.

Related: Why Does My Cat Drool When I Pet Him

2.Symptoms of Drooling from Oral Disease

Oral inflammation: such as stomatitis and mouth ulcers can cause pain in the mouth, and cats will stick out their tongues to relieve the discomfort, resulting in drooling. When drooling is severe, sticky, brown, foul-smelling secretions will flow from the mouth.

Red and swollen gums: healthy cats have pink gums, and the gums of cats with stomatitis will be red and congested and swollen, and may bleed when gently touched, accompanied by bad breath.

Oral ulcers: ulcers may appear on the oral mucosa, gums, tongue, pharynx, soft palate, etc. In severe cases, the whole mouth will be red, swollen and ulcerated, and loose teeth may also occur.

Difficulty in eating: due to oral pain, the cat has appetite but difficulty in chewing and swallowing, and may scream when eating, and in severe cases, may not even be able to eat.

Loss of spirit: the cat is reluctant to move due to oral pain, and is depressed, or even lying down6.

Other symptoms: such as difficulty in chewing, abnormal purring, elevated body temperature, shortness of breath, etc. may accompany the appearance of oral disease.

3.Distinguishing methods

Observe the frequency and context of drooling: if the cat only drools occasionally in specific contexts (e.g. eating, relaxing, seeing food, etc.) and there are no other abnormal symptoms, it may be normal drooling. However, if the cat drools continuously, or the drooling is not related to these normal situations, accompanied by symptoms such as bad breath, red and swollen gums, and difficulty in eating, the drooling may be caused by oral disease.

Check the oral condition: gently open the cat's mouth and observe whether there are any abnormalities such as redness, swelling, ulcers, bleeding, etc. on the gums, oral mucosa and teeth. If abnormalities are found, drooling is likely to be caused by oral diseases.

Pay attention to the overall state of the cat: if the cat also shows general symptoms such as loss of spirit, loss of appetite and weight loss in addition to drooling, it also suggests that there may be oral diseases or other health problems.

If you are unable to determine whether your cat's drooling is normal or caused by disease, or if your cat shows other abnormal symptoms, it is recommended that you take your cat to the veterinarian promptly for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

What to Do if Cat is Drooling with Stomatitis?

Symptoms of stomatitis in cats

Loss of appetite or abolition: the cat is reluctant to eat due to pain in the mouth, or shows pain reactions when eating, such as shaking the head and whimpering.
Drooling: inflammation in the cat's mouth leads to increased salivation and drooling. When drooling is severe, sticky, brown, foul-smelling secretions flow from the mouth.
Bad breath: cats with stomatitis are often accompanied by an unpleasant, putrid odor in the oral cavity, which is due to bacterial reproduction and fermentation of food residues in the oral cavity.
Abnormal oral examination: the oral mucosa is congested and red, the epithelium is detached or ulcerated, and there is an unpleasant putrid odor. In more severe cases, the oral mucosa will also show serious conditions such as erosion and ulceration.
Mental instability: the cat is reluctant to move due to oral pain, and is depressed, or even appears to lie down.
Other symptoms: such as chewing difficulties, abnormal purring, elevated body temperature, shortness of breath, etc., may be accompanying symptoms of stomatitis in cats.

Treatment of cat stomatitis and drooling

• Dietary adjustment

Provide wet food that is easy to chew and digest, and avoid giving dry food, as too hard food may stimulate oral inflammation. You can soften the cat food or prepare some nutritious fluid food, such as meat porridge and fish soup.

• Oral Cleaning

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It is very important to clean the cat's mouth every day. Specialized pet oral cleaning powder or brushes can be used to clean your cat's teeth and mouth, making sure to use cat-friendly products and follow proper cleaning methods.

• Medical treatment

If oral inflammation is severe or your cat shows signs of infection, seek medical attention. Your veterinarian may give oral or topical antibiotic medications to control the infection and may recommend anti-inflammatory or pain medications to relieve oral inflammation and pain.

There are different treatments for different types of stomatitis.

Catarrhal stomatitis and blistering stomatitis: wash the mouth with a 0.1% potassium permanganate solution along with injections of vitamin B complex and vitamin C.

Ulcerative stomatitis: the surface of the ulcer can be eroded with silver nitrate stick or 5% silver nitrate solution, and then compound iodized glycerin can be applied.

Mycotic stomatitis: 2% gentian violet solution can be used for oral coating, oral administration of mycotoxin 100,000 units per kilogram of body weight, twice a day.

Antibiotic therapy: penicillin 50,000 units per kg body weight, dexamethasone injection 0.5 mg per kg body weight, mixed intramuscular injection, twice daily for 3 - 5 days.

Severely ill cats may be combined with systemic infusion therapy.

When Should Be Concerned About Cat’s Drooling?

If your cat shows symptoms of drooling, here are some ways to determine if medical attention is needed.

• Observe the frequency and amount of drooling

If your cat drools occasionally and in small amounts, it may be a normal physiological response, such as when eating or drinking. However, if the drooling is frequent or in large amounts, it needs attention.

• Check the oral health

Look closely at your cat's mouth for redness, swelling, ulcers, calculus or other abnormalities. If there are any of these symptoms, drooling may be caused by an oral disease and requires medical attention.

• Pay attention to accompanying symptoms

If the cat has other symptoms in addition to drooling, such as loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, weight loss, etc., this may be a sign of systemic disease and requires immediate medical attention.

• Consider environmental factors

If the cat is in a hot environment, the drooling may be to dissipate heat. However, if the environment is at a suitable temperature and the cat is still drooling frequently, further examination is required.

• Observe behavioral changes

If the cat's behavior changes significantly, such as becoming withdrawn, unwilling to move around or showing unusual excitement, this may also be a sign of a health problem that requires medical attention.

• Check for accidental ingestion of toxic substances

If there is a possibility that your cat may have accidentally ingested a toxic substance, such as a plant, chemical or medication, you should take it to a veterinarian immediately.

• Pay attention to the age factor

Older cats are more prone to health problems, so it is advisable to seek medical attention if your senior cat shows symptoms of drooling.

• Observe the color and texture of drooling

If the drooling is yellowish, greenish or smelly in color, or has a sticky texture, this may be a sign of infection or inflammation and requires medical attention.

• Check for foreign objects

If there is a possibility that your cat has swallowed a foreign object, such as a bone, fish splinter or toy fragment, take him to the vet immediately.

• Consider vaccination status

If your cat has not been vaccinated, or is not fully vaccinated, drooling may be a symptom of an infectious disease and requires immediate medical attention.

If you have any concerns about your cat's health, it is advisable to consult your veterinarian promptly for professional diagnosis and treatment advice.

FAQs

Conclusion

Drooling in cats can be caused by a variety of factors, from dental issues to stress or even poisoning. While occasional drooling may be harmless, excessive or persistent drooling warrants a closer look by a veterinarian. Understanding the potential causes of drooling and seeking timely treatment can help keep your cat healthy and comfortable.