Excessive drooling in a cat: signs, symptoms, owner actions

Increased secretion of saliva from the oral cavity (hypersalivation or sialorrhea) occurs when excessive secretion is produced by the salivary glands. The cause of abnormal secretion of salivary fluid may be diseases in the oral cavity or digestive tract.

Sialorrhea develops during attacks of nausea or pain. Neurological diseases, as well as pathologies in the cat’s mouth, disrupt the normal act of swallowing, causing salivary fluid to flow out of the oral cavity.

Ptyalism can be caused by inflammatory processes in the stomach, dysfunction of the hepatorenal system, blockage of the bile ducts, or malfunction of the spleen. Increased salivation is also observed in pathologies such as diabetes or allergies. Hypersalivation is also observed with helminthic infestations.

If you notice your pet drooling from its mouth, it is recommended to immediately contact a veterinary clinic. In a hospital setting, a specialist will conduct a thorough clinical examination and prescribe additional tests.

What is the norm of saliva secretion?

There are times when it is normal for a cat to drool. Saliva is an important fluid in the body that performs a number of functions: protects teeth, gums and oral mucosa from damage, facilitates chewing food by lubricating or gluing it, facilitates swallowing, has a bactericidal effect, and much more. That is why, in some cases, copious amounts of saliva should not cause you concern, namely :

• when an animal sees food or smells it;
• during feeding;
• while chewing food;
• when she is stroked and your pet enjoys it;
• Current drooling in a cat can be observed when taking tasteless and bitter medications (for example, no-shpa or deworming medications);
• with strong nervous feelings.

The amount of saliva produced usually only increases slightly if the cat's health is good. Usually, saliva can be seen a little on the fur around the mouth, but if the process lasts longer than 10-15 minutes and there is much more drool, you should start to worry.

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The process of salivation or drooling itself is called salivation , so if you notice any abnormalities regarding this phenomenon and decide to see a doctor, do not be alarmed if he diagnoses hypersalivation or ptyalism. These scary words just mean that the cat is drooling more than it should from its mouth.

Pathology or part of the norm

Not in all situations, saliva flowing from a cat’s mouth is a symptom of a disease. It is quite natural that its excess can appear with appropriate stimulation, for example, with the sight or smell of a hungry animal’s favorite food.

There are also several other non-medical causes of drooling:

• Excessively affectionate, loving cats adore their owners so much that they cannot restrain the secretion of saliva from excess feelings. This only happens when the cat is caressed, especially when stroking the face and neck. This action stimulates the salivary glands to actively produce fluid. This manifestation is completely safe, and few animals suffer from it.
• Excessive saliva production under stress. Usually, to remove it, the cat licks itself, and the body helps by producing abundant saliva. Once the family pet calms down, everything stops.
• The same process begins with motion sickness. Cats don't like to travel. They quickly get seasick, scream on the way, or lie aloof in the carrier. To relieve attacks of nausea, the animal’s body strengthens the functioning of the glands.
• Some medications with an unpleasant taste can also “trigger” the process of salivation. If the animal is already familiar with this procedure, it may react by dripping fluid from its mouth. Most often, the reaction is caused by bitter anthelmintics.
• A visit to the veterinarian may also be a reason for a flood of drool if the cat has already been there and experienced painful procedures. The fear of foreboding discomfort triggers the secretion of saliva.

All these cases do not require treatment, as they are associated with a certain stimulation - physical or psychological.

Causes of excessive salivation

Before treating your pet, you should figure out why the cat is drooling, in other words, find the irritant and find out why this is happening. The reasons why a cat has drooping salivation can be very different - ranging from any damage in the oral cavity or digestive tract to viral diseases .

1. Most often this occurs due to the accumulation of hair in the stomach. Cats are very clean animals, they take care of themselves and groom themselves often.
2. Already during licking, more saliva may be released than usual, and along with it, fur enters the esophagus, and over time, a lump of quite impressive size may form. What does drool have to do with it? It's simple - you need to burp it up, and it's difficult to do this without additional saliva.
3. The next most popular cause is poisoning. If you know your cat well, then you should know that they love to eat what they “caught”. Unfortunately, their “trophies” are not always healthy or safe, and often cause excessive salivation.
4. Cats often drool when they have allergies. If for some reason you decide to change your pet’s food, and during adaptation there is a large amount of saliva, nausea or vomiting - these are signs of allergy or poisoning.
5. A foreign body in the throat or esophagus can also cause a large amount of saliva to be produced.
6. If a cat has any mechanical damage in the oral cavity, there are also neoplasms or ulcers, wounded cheeks or lips, sore teeth or damaged enamel.
7. Viral and oncological diseases.

One of the worst causes of excessive salivation is rabies. Hypersalivation is a symptom of this disease. In addition, the animal may be afraid of light, be aggressive or, on the contrary, overly affectionate, appetite changes, etc. Rabies is incurable, but it is quite difficult for a cat living in an apartment to catch it, especially since today they are regularly vaccinated to prevent the development of this disease.

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Main diseases and conditions causing pathological hypersalivation

Excessive drooling is often accompanied by accompanying symptoms. The animal loses its appetite and its behavior changes. The pet becomes lethargic, sometimes, on the contrary, excited and aggressive. The most severe pathology associated with hypersalivation is rabies, an incurable disease. If the cat is domestic, then the risk of infection is extremely low. A visit to the veterinarian will quickly alleviate concerns. But there are other diseases for which it is also necessary to go to a veterinary hospital. Pathologies can be associated not only with the oral cavity, but reflect dysfunction of the entire body.

Poisoning

Sick kitten
A cat's excellent sense of smell is a natural defense against poor quality food. But still, natural curiosity and hunger sometimes fail. In addition to copious salivation, vomiting and diarrhea occur. If the cause of poisoning is related to food, then the pet needs to rinse the pet’s stomach with a weak saline solution and give it water with dissolved activated carbon (1 tablet per glass of water).

When the measures taken do not help, you need the help of a specialist. In cases of chemical poisoning, self-medication is destructive. It is important to urgently take your pet to a veterinary clinic.

Oral diseases

The cause of hypersalivation is a cyst of the salivary glands, blockage of the ducts, leading to swelling and inflammation. Treatment, depending on the severity of the manifestations, can be surgical, conservative, or mixed.

The development of gingivitis follows the appearance of caries and the formation of tartar.

Inflammation of the gums is eliminated with medicinal gels, vitamin solutions, and ointments. Antibacterial drugs are aimed at maintaining the body.

Trichobezoar

Every owner is familiar with regurgitation of undigested fur. Naturally, the pet gets rid of lumps, or trichobezoars, formed in the stomach. But large accumulations sometimes cannot come out on their own either through the anus or through the esophagus. Animals refuse to eat, do not lick themselves, and do not allow themselves to be petted. Stool and vomit contain inclusions of cat hair. The entry of a wool plug into the intestines provokes obstruction and requires urgent intervention.

Medicine for a cat

You can help with the problem of trichobezoar in the stomach with medications, and in special cases - with surgery.

Infectious diseases

Hypersalivation is a concomitant symptom of severe infectious diseases:

• feline leukemia - damage to the immune system by a virus. Manifestations in the form of stomatitis and gingivitis are constantly accompanied by active salivation. The disease is incurable. With the help of medicines, procedures, care, you can only prolong life;
• feline calicivirus - pathology of the upper respiratory tract is manifested by conjunctivitis, flow of saliva, ulcers in the mouth, and nasal discharge. Treatment is carried out with immunostimulating, decongestants, and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Allergic reactions

There are many external irritants that cause signs of allergies in cats:

• smells of household chemicals;
• cigarette smoke;
• insect bites;
• food additives, etc.

Symptoms that should alert owners are sneezing, heavy breathing, muscle spasms, drooling, tissue swelling, etc.

You can identify the allergen and help your pet cope with the consequences after consulting a veterinarian. Self-medication is contraindicated.

Diseases of the digestive tract and liver

Gastrointestinal problems are often indicated by inclusions (mucus, blood, undigested pieces) in feces and vomit. Excessive secretion of saliva, yellowness of the mucous membranes, odor from the mouth are symptoms of various pathologies - gastritis, enteritis, etc. First, there is a threat of dehydration of the cat, then the risk of failure of the animal’s diseased organ increases. Treatment of gastrointestinal diseases is accompanied by a strict diet for the pet.

Oncology

The development of tumors in the body also provokes increased salivation. Early diagnosis is difficult due to the lack of symptoms in the early stages of the disease. Owners turn to veterinarians, as a rule, too late, when it is no longer possible to save the animal. The risk of cancer is higher in older individuals, but occurs rarely in young ones.

Helminthiasis

Treatment with drugs
Salivation due to weight loss of the animal can be a signal for examination for the presence of helminthic infestations. Signs of infection with parasitic worms also include appetite disorders, stool disorders, and fever.

Even clean pets are susceptible to helminthiasis, so preventive measures and timely treatment are important to maintain the health of your pet.

Psychological reasons

Cats are susceptible to stress due to traveling in transport, being in a carrier for a long time, visits to the veterinarian, and moving. Manifestations of nervous tension are expressed by slight trembling, flow of saliva, avoidance of contact with the owners, and frequent licking of fur.

After eliminating the irritating causes, the condition returns to normal.

It is recommended not to subject pets to tests if the reaction is known in advance. Preventive measures in the form of sedatives help if the stress factor cannot be avoided.

Symptoms and signs

Suspended drooling is accompanied by a number of other physiological changes that are not so difficult to notice:

• With a variety of viral diseases or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, loss of appetite is observed. That is, if your cat has no desire to eat, but saliva is released in sufficiently large quantities, you should be wary, consult a doctor and take action;
• If your pet has problems with his teeth, mouth, or digestive system, he may refuse solid foods that he used to enjoy eating. Food may fall out of the mouth, the animal may hold its head in an unusual position;
• behavior may change. Like a person, a cat may experience some discomfort during illness and, as a result, be irritable and aggressive;
• vomiting or nausea;
• the cat has difficulty swallowing;
• Bad breath may appear;
• if the cat experiences pain or any discomfort in the oral cavity, it will often rub its face;
• A variety of neurological symptoms may appear.

So, we figured out why a cat has bad breath and drooling, what the symptoms are and what this can lead to. All that remains is to figure out what to do to cure your pet.

What to do and how to help your pet

Manifestations of excessive drooling are observed periodically in all cats. Owners should monitor what is causing the phenomenon, what irritating factors were the cause, and how long saliva has been secreted. If you are not sick, the disorder caused by physiological reasons will disappear after a short time.

Carrying out a cat examination

The appearance of saliva during travel can be prevented. On the recommendation of veterinarians, you need to purchase an anti-motion sickness medication and give it to your pet every time before traveling.

In difficult cases, when there is no obvious cause of the disorder, and the animal weakens, loses appetite, stops purring, or hides from its owners, you need to seek help from specialists in time. Excessive saliva may be a symptom of a serious illness.

Treatment

If you see your cat drooling from its mouth in very large quantities, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. Only he can make a correct diagnosis. Listed above are many reasons for excessive salivation, and depending on them, treatment is prescribed.

A professional will conduct a full examination, including the oral cavity, and will be able to tell exactly why your cat is drooling so much and what to do about it. If some foreign object gets into the mouth, pharynx or esophagus, the doctor will be able to quickly remove it, which is very difficult to do at home.

If the cause of a large amount of saliva is any disease, the specialist will prescribe treatment and give recommendations on how to achieve a speedy recovery for your pet.

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Diagnostics

It is important not to self-medicate, since such manifestations can be provoked by extremely serious and dangerous diseases. Only a veterinarian can prescribe therapy after a complete examination of the animal.

In case of pathological separation of saliva, it is necessary to eliminate the cause - bad teeth, infection, a foreign object in the mouth, internal diseases, etc. It is necessary to exclude rabies, tetanus and botulism.

Before the examination at the veterinary clinic, the owner of the animal will be asked about the conditions of detention, nutrition, vaccinations performed, the origin of the pet and its well-being, about previous diseases, and additional symptoms. This is important information that helps in making the correct diagnosis, so you need to answer in detail and truthfully.

The cat will be prescribed blood, urine and feces tests, x-rays and ultrasound, as well as other procedures to identify potential pathogens. If a tumor is suspected, a tissue biopsy may be taken.

Adviсe

Here are a few tips that you need to know and, if possible, follow if you want to return your pet's saliva production to normal :

• the very first thing is to hide all substances, drugs and preparations that are dangerous to its health in a place inaccessible to the cat;
• give more fluid so that the animal’s metabolism is activated and there is no dehydration;
• Products should be introduced into the cat’s diet gradually, starting only with liquid food;
• In order not to aggravate the situation and avoid its recurrence, carefully monitor what you feed your cat: you should not give it bony fish or food that may contain small hard pieces;
• if there is any damage to the oral cavity, it must be promptly treated with disinfectants;
• When treating your pet's fur for fleas and ticks, put a bandage on the cat's neck to prevent the cat from licking the preparation from the fur.

If salivation decreases, the amount of saliva gradually returns to normal, then all the doctor’s recommendations are being followed, and your pet is on the mend.

Ptyalism in cats

Saliva is constantly produced and secreted into the oral cavity by the salivary glands.
Saliva production increases due to stimulation of the salivary nuclei in the brainstem. Ptyalism is a condition characterized by excessive salivation, also called hypersalivation. Stimuli that lead to excessive salivation are the sensations of taste and touch involving the mouth and tongue.

Higher centers of the central nervous system can also excite or inhibit the salivary nuclei, and lesions affecting the central nervous system or oral cavity can also cause excessive salivation.

Conditions affecting the throat, esophagus and stomach can also stimulate excessive saliva production. Ingestion of a toxin, caustic substance, or foreign body can also lead to ptyalism.

Conversely, normal saliva production may appear excessive in animals with an anatomical abnormality that allows saliva to leak from the mouth, or in animals with a medical condition that affects swallowing.

On the other hand, pseudoptialism (i.e. false ptyalism) is the secretion of excess saliva accumulated in the oral cavity.

Young cats are more likely to have a form of ptyalism caused by congenital problems such as a portosystemic shunt.

Under normal conditions, the portal vein enters the liver and allows the liver to remove toxic components of the blood. With a shunt, the portal vein is not connected properly to another vein, causing blood to bypass the liver.

In Siamese cats, enlargement of the esophagus is hereditary.

The cat is happy and relaxed

Some individuals drool when they are happy with everything. This is one of the signs of behavior of a completely happy animal. If the pet is so happy to see its owner, the only salvation from wet spots will be to place a towel under the pet. But you shouldn’t try to change the animal’s behavior, as this can cause serious stress. Some cats just like to drool. You need to come to terms with this.