13 reasons why your cat is drooling

Oral problems

Dental disease is the usual explanation. In such cases, cats drool to soothe irritation in the mouth or throat.

If swallowing is painful, your cat may drool from the mouth. Your cat may avoid food due to pain when swallowing or eating. Common causes of mouth pain in cats include:

Dental disease (gingivitis)
Tumors or ulcers in the mouth
Broken tooth
Foreign body under the tongue
Exposure to toxic chemicals
Recent interactions with a toxic plant
Trauma, damage. For example, if your cat chews on an electrical cord and gets electrocuted.

Drooling may be accompanied by other symptoms such as:

Halitosis (bad breath)
Weight loss
Loss of appetite
Lack of interest in solid foods
Throwing away food while eating

According to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, feline resorptive lesions (FORL), neckline erosions, internal or external root resorptions and neck lesions commonly lead to dental disease in cats, which can cause severe drooling and oral pain.

The cat's drool flows like clear water, in drops

With increased salivation, the cat has a wet chin, throat, and fur. The cat often swallows saliva, rubs its face on furniture, and washes itself excessively. Long hair gets matted into icicles. The litter becomes covered with wet spots. This may indicate other problems. Manifestations of excessive salivation are a manifestation of an illness that needs to be identified as early as possible. Among cat diseases, clear drooling corresponds to most diseases except rabies.
With rabies, salivation will flow foamy, but this can also happen after taking a bitter medicine. When a cat has rabies, he drinks little, goes to dark places, avoiding bright light, as it contributes to eye pain. During this period, the cat falls into an aggressive or apathetic state. This is lethal for a cat, but the animal can also infect a person through a bite, and this can have a bad effect on human health. Therefore, if saliva comes out in the form of foam, you should find out about the nature of the disease from a veterinarian.

Respiratory diseases

Viral respiratory diseases can lead to ulcerations in your cat's mouth. This may cause mouth pain and increased salivation. Cats that live in shelters or multi-cat homes have a higher risk of respiratory infections.

The veterinarian must treat infections. However, you can take steps to prevent your cat from becoming infected. Some of these include keeping your cat indoors, ensuring up-to-date vaccinations, limiting interactions with other pets, and washing your hands after handling other animals.

Prevention

The animal is fed special industrial food that does not contain small bones or solid particles.

The kitten must be taught not to resist when examining its mouth and brushing its teeth. The house must be safe for the animal: all household chemicals and medicines are put away in inaccessible places, it is better to avoid poisonous indoor plants.

Other preventive measures:

apply medicinal ointments and flea preparations only to the animal’s withers; to prevent them from being licked, use a special collar-limiter;
do not feed the animal fish with small bones, do not give hard objects with small sharp parts as toys;
carry out annual vaccination to protect against viral infections, especially rabies;
treat your pet for helminths at least 2 times a year;
during the molting period, comb long-haired cats daily;
do not skip annual preventive examinations at the veterinary clinic (to identify pathologies in the early stages).

The owner should constantly monitor the health of the pet in order to promptly detect the development of the disease and provide the necessary assistance.

Kidney failure

Kidney failure can manifest itself in acute or chronic conditions. Cats with chronic renal failure (CRF), also called chronic kidney damage, often exhibit clinical signs of increased thirst, weight loss, dilute urine, increased urination (manifested as large collections in the litter box), halitosis, and drooling. .

This condition occurs when the kidneys are unable to remove waste products, creatine and BUN from the body. As these wastes accumulate in the bloodstream, they create uremic ulcers in the stomach, mouth, and esophagus. A veterinarian often treats kidney disease by:

Medicines
Intravenous fluids
Blood work monitoring
Stomach protection
Low protein diet

Signs of increased salivation

Increased salivation in a cat is scientifically called hypersalivation. Under normal conditions, your pet's fur around the mouth may be a little damp, but there are a number of symptoms that you should be concerned about.

Signs of hypersalivation:

Saliva drips onto the floor.
The chin and fur around the mouth are always wet.
Drooling even in my sleep.
The cat washes itself often and for a long time.
The fur on the neck and cheeks may form icicles.
In the cat's habitat (bed, favorite place on the sofa) you can find wet footprints.
The cat rubs against furniture and corners.
The cat often swallows saliva.
The tip of the tongue may protrude from the mouth.

Ingestion of a foreign object

If your cat ingests something unpleasant or toxic, one of the first reactions may be drooling. Sometimes the toxin entering the body can also cause oral erosion, which can also lead to drooling.

Swallowing a thread with a needle attached or a foreign body that can become lodged in the tongue, back of the throat, or soft or hard palate can cause oral pain and drooling.

Your cat may also have difficulty closing his mouth. If a foreign body, such as a fish bone, gets stuck in the esophagus, the saliva has nowhere to go. It will begin to accumulate in the cat's esophagus and pour out of the mouth.

If you notice a rope hanging from your cat's mouth, do not try to remove it. The thread can wrap around vital organs such as the stomach or intestines. Pulling can cause significant permanent damage.

If swallowing is uncomfortable, your cat may put her paw on her mouth and try to vomit. The inability to swallow properly can cause cats to have a lack of appetite and unexplained weight loss.

Caustic poisons

Cats cannot metabolize chemicals and medications well. This is due to their altered metabolism in the liver, called glucuronidation.

Corrosion from chemicals (washing detergents, floor cleaners, weed killers, etc.) can cause burns to the mouth, tongue, esophagus and stomach. If swallowed, they can cause poisoning and severe drooling.

If you suspect that your cat has recently been exposed to a caustic chemical, you should rinse her mouth with water. After rinsing, offer your cat something she will enjoy drinking, such as chicken broth. This will flush the esophagus and loosen the toxin in the mouth.

Treatment of pathologies associated with the symptom

If increased salivation is caused by physiological factors, then no special treatment is provided. Psychological and pathological causes require mandatory therapy. What treatment methods are used depending on the factor:

If the cause is nervous overstrain, cats are usually prescribed sedative medications: Stop Stress, Fitex, etc. Such drugs help eliminate the effects of stress. The course of treatment often does not exceed 7–14 days. Stop Stress is usually given 1 tablet per day or 1 drop per 1 kg of weight, and Fitex 3-5 drops per day. The exact dose is determined by the doctor. In addition, it is important to provide the pet with peace and surround it with affection and care.
For diseases of the oral cavity, anti-inflammatory drugs are used, such as Dentavedin gel, Zubastik spray, etc. These drugs eliminate swelling of the gums and have an antiseptic and healing effect. Gel Dentavedin contains bee products, chlorhexidine and medicinal plants. It should be applied 2-3 times a day to the gums for 5-7 days. Zubastic spray also contains plant extracts and an enzyme anti-inflammatory complex. The medicine is irrigated into the mouth several times a day for a week.
If a cat has a bone or other foreign object stuck in its throat or teeth, it must be removed in a veterinary clinic. For these purposes, the doctor can use tweezers or an endoscope. Immediately after removing the foreign body, hypersalivation stops. It is dangerous to independently remove a bone stuck in the larynx, as you can push it further or injure your pet (especially when using tweezers).
If the cause is the rabies virus, which was diagnosed in the laboratory, then, unfortunately, the pet is euthanized. This disease is incurable and dangerous not only for animals, but also for people. Therefore, if rabies is suspected, the cat is quarantined until a diagnosis is made.
In case of poisoning, the pet is prescribed adsorbents such as activated carbon. The tablet must be crushed into powder and dissolved in 1 tsp. water, then forcefully pour it into your pet’s mouth. However, if the intoxication is severe, then urgent hospitalization is required, which includes gastric lavage. In addition to adsorbents, the animal should be given 20 ml of water every hour from a syringe without a needle if it does not drink on its own. This procedure will prevent dehydration.
If the provoking factor for hypersalivation is helminthic infestations, anti-helminth medications are prescribed, such as Prazicide, Drontal, etc. In most cases, a single application is enough to rid your furry friend of parasites. The dose should be calculated based on the cat's body weight.
The presence of tumors requires treatment only in a hospital setting. In this case, they resort to surgical intervention, which is aimed at excision of the tumor. Additionally, medications may be prescribed: Metastop, Cytostat, etc. The first drug prevents the growth of tumors and reduces the risk of metastases, and also has an antitoxic effect. Cytostat improves the overall well-being of the pet. Additionally, it has an antioxidant and antitoxic effect, accelerating recovery.
If the provocateur of increased salivation is an allergic reaction, then drug therapy is prescribed. For anaphylactic shock, glucocorticosteroids are indicated. They are also used for severe allergic reactions, which are accompanied by severe itching. The most commonly prescribed drugs are Dexamethasone and Prednisolone, which are administered intramuscularly. A single dose ranges from 0.1 to 0.5 ml. The exact amount of solution and course are determined only by the doctor, since steroid drugs can cause dangerous side effects.
To eliminate mild allergy symptoms, classic antihistamines are used: Suprastin, Zodak, Cetirizine, etc. They are usually given to the pet orally, a quarter of a tablet, once a day. The course is determined by the doctor. It is important to identify the allergen and eliminate it. Otherwise, after stopping therapy, the symptoms will return again.
Calcivirosis can be eliminated with the help of complex treatment. When bacterial flora attaches, which happens in most cases, the pet is prescribed antibiotics (Tetracycline, Amoxicillin). Additionally, they resort to intravenous infusion of physiological solutions, as well as vitamin therapy. Anti-inflammatory medications such as Levomekol are used. The ointment is applied to the affected areas several times a day. To speed up recovery, immunostimulants are prescribed: Imunofan, Fosprenil, etc. The course of treatment depends on the severity of symptoms and is determined only by a doctor.

If the cause is inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, then the cat is prescribed a gentle diet. Your pet's diet should be free of fatty, smoked and salty foods. At the same time, food is selected for sensitive digestion. It is advisable to give preference to reputable brands such as Royal Canin, Arden Grange, Pro Plan, etc. There are special lines for pets with digestive problems:

Royal Canin Sensible 33;
Arden Grange Sensitive;
Pro Plan Delicate.

Royal Canin Sensible 33 is designed for pets with sensitive digestion

Attention! Without prior consultation with a doctor, you should not resort to drug therapy, especially potent drugs, which, if used incorrectly, can only cause harm.

My cat always drooled after I gave her any medicine. At first it seemed to me that the drug was toxic, which is why I had this reaction. I thought that I only made the pet worse with this treatment. It turns out that increased salivation is a normal reaction to bitters in cats. Hypersalivation is also observed when you squeeze and pet an animal excessively. According to the veterinarian, there is nothing wrong with this.

Drugs that are used to eliminate the causes of hypersalivation - photo gallery

Stop Stress has a calming effect

Activated carbon helps remove and bind toxic substances Drontal helps remove helminths

Dexamethasone eliminates acute allergic reactions Zodak relieves allergy symptoms Metastop has antitumor properties Dentavedin has an anti-inflammatory effect

Fosprenil accelerates recovery from calcivirosis

Poisonous plants

According to Mark S. Thompson, plants containing insoluble calcium oxalate crystals can cause a severe burning sensation in the mouth if your cat accidentally ingests them. Plants that are poisonous to cats include:

Peace Lily
Calla Lily
elephant ear
Dieffenbachia
umbrella plant
mother in law tongue

Insoluble calcium oxalate in plants causes minimal toxicity in cats, but can cause unpleasant reactions. If you have one of these plants and you suspect a cat has gotten into it, rinse its mouth with water and then give the broth.

Causes of hypersalivation

Excessive salivation occurs for many reasons. The most common manifestations are associated with:

with physiological processes,
with nervous tension;
with the development of pathology.

The impact of provoking factors is observed in cats of different breeds and ages. If there is pathology in behavior, changes are also possible:

decreased appetite;
lethargy or, conversely, excitability;
vomiting, diarrhea;
itching;
cough;
elevated temperature.

Manifestation of hypersalivation
If the manifestation of hypersalivation, i.e. deviations from the norm are observed frequently and require diagnosis.

Emotional Stimuli

Cats drool when they are excited, scared or anxious. If your cat is nauseous, worrying about vomiting may lead to drooling.

For example, cats are rarely driven in cars unless they are being taken to a veterinarian. Such trips can bring back bad memories for your cat and make her feel apprehensive and nauseous. Signs of anxiety in cats include open-mouth breathing and panting.

Some cats drool when they are calm and relaxed or when they enjoy being cuddled or rubbed. This is common in cats and is a physiological response to feeling happy. Sometimes cats drool while sleeping, again because they are very relaxed. This drooling often indicates that the cat is feeling comfortable.

Necessary actions of the owner

In case of excessive drooling in cats, a constantly protruding tongue, or other unnatural behavior, you should immediately contact a veterinarian. He will order certain tests or examine your sick pet to make a diagnosis. And only after this it will be possible to begin treatment.

When visiting a doctor, you need to describe in detail the last few days, during which the cat has been drooling. What was the appetite, changes in the animal’s character and appearance. Equally important information is information about vaccinations, medications used, and possible exposure to toxins. This way you can find out why your cat is salivating heavily and prescribe the correct treatment.

If a foreign body is found in your pet's throat, the veterinarian must remove it. This can be determined after the doctor sees and examines the x-ray. And only then, having removed a bone or even a toy, the doctor treats the oral cavity with a disinfectant so as not to introduce an infection into the wound.

Injury

Trauma to the mouth can cause excessive drooling. Oral injuries can occur if a cat bites through an electrical cord and suffers a burn to the mouth. If your cat has recently gotten into a fight with another cat, any trauma to the mouth, such as a broken jaw, may cause drooling.

Keeping a cat indoors reduces the chance of injury from being hit by a car or attacked by a rival cat for territory. An injury to a dislocated temporomandibular joint or a fractured jaw can lead to excessive drooling due to the cat's inability to close its mouth.

If you suspect your cat is drooling due to an oral injury, a thorough oral examination and x-rays may be required to make an accurate medical diagnosis.

Establishing diagnosis

To find out the reasons for the appearance of an alarming symptom in a kitten, the doctor performs the following diagnostic measures:

Comprehensive examination of the animal, collection of information about the course of the disease.
Analysis of blood composition.
Checking stool for the presence of worm eggs.
A visual examination of the oral cavity in order to exclude the entry of foreign objects, as well as to determine the condition of the pet’s teeth.
Ultrasound and X-ray examination of the digestive system to test the hypothesis of intestinal blockage with hair, as well as the presence of foreign bodies accidentally swallowed by the pet during play.
A urine test to check the condition of the kidneys and the presence of inflammatory processes within the body.

Heatstroke

Flat-faced cats, such as Persians, have a higher risk of heatstroke, which can cause drooling. Although heatstroke is not as common in cats, too much time in the sun or not drinking enough water can have detrimental effects.

Cats love the sun. Always have fresh, clean water on hand. In the summer, make sure your cat has shady places to cool off. Keep your cat indoors on hot days. Never leave a cat in a parked car. Limit training and play time to keep your cat from overheating.