Drooling is uncommon in most cats, so if you notice it, you should look into why. Is drooling by cats common? If true, how may pathological drooling be distinguished from regular salivation?
Is there anything you can do in this circumstance to help your cat? When ought I to bring my animal to the doctor? In this article, we’ll go over all you need to know about cat drooling, including its causes and treatments.
Drooling as opposed to salivation
Salivation is perfectly typical in cats. Similar to human reflexes, the salivary reflex has a number of functions in the neurophysiology of the body. Salivation will be quite normal when you smell a cuisine you like, right?
And the more hungry you are when this happens, the more you drool. With cats, the same is true. Therefore, if you notice that your cat is slightly salivating as you get ready to give it its food bowl, you can be sure that it is just excited to eat.
However, when it involves a significant amount of saliva and lasts for a long time, salivation stops being natural. If you detect saliva dripping down the cat’s mouth, which is not normal, you should check your cat to discover what is causing the drooling.
In certain cases, you might even catch a glimpse of the cat’s saliva dropping from its lips or leaving a pool on the floor. If you see this, you should schedule a consultation with your veterinarian since you may have a case of pathological drooling.
How Do Cats Get Drooly?
Excessive salivation, or ptyalism, can present in two different ways:
- When the cat vomit out a lot of liquid.
- When the cat’s produced saliva cannot be ingested.
- In each of these instances, the cat drools.
Rabies is the most fatal of all the potential causes of excessive salivation. Your pet’s primary cause must be ruled out by your veterinarian. If your cat received a rabies vaccination within the previous year, it should be safe. However, you should leave your cat alone and contact your veterinarian as soon as possible if you also notice some of the additional rabies signs, such as sudden hostility, vocalization, or muscle spasms.
Please understand that rabies cases are now quite rare. It is imperative that your cat receive this shot because immunizations are largely to blame for this. However, in order to recognize it and safeguard yourself, you should be aware of the rabies symptoms.
There are several additional factors besides rabies that could cause a cat to slobber. Some of the most common are listed below:
- Exposure to toxins
After being exposed to certain chemicals, cats start to drool. Drooling is typically very dramatic, with continual, excessive salivation. Cats eat, lick, or chew these toxic substances, which causes them to drool. Dangerous chemicals, pesticides, detergents, specialized cleaning products, etc. are included in this. One of the first signs that your cat may have licked or ingested household detergents is drooling.
You should take your cat to the vet right soon if you see this. It is a medical emergency because these toxins can gravely damage the cat’s organs in just a few hours.
If you observe that your cat is drooling continuously to the point where the fur around its mouth and chest becomes moist, you should take it to the clinic.
It can be difficult to determine what the cat might have swallowed at times. Be prompt! The cat should first go to the emergency room so that it can receive quick care. However, detergents and pesticides are the first things you examine when you suspect exposure to chemicals. There are other home items that are dangerous for your cat that you may have overlooked, such as air fresheners or plants. Read the tragic story of the poisoned cat caused by a faulty plug-in air freshener.
When cats receive external anti-parasitic medicine (for fleas and ticks), they regularly come into contact with insecticides and start drooling. These little vials contain liquid oils that are in liquid form. They are commonly applied to the back of the cat’s neck because cats can access this area. Small remnants of the oily substance are left on the cat’s fur, but it quickly absorbs into the skin.
It might then lick a tiny bit of the medication off of its paws as it starts to wash.
Examine the tongue. Usually, the tongue has a pink color. There is no reason to worry because drooling usually stops fairly quickly. But if the drooling continues, it’s time to take the cat to the vet.
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- Oral cavity issues and dental disease
Drooling is a common indicator of oral and dental disease because the salivary reflex is active. Here are just a few examples of cats who have oral cavity issues and are drooling:
- Tartar buildup: A cat with a lot of tartar on its teeth won’t be able to close its mouth tightly, which can cause drooling. Such deposits are associated with periodontal disease. The gum and tooth damage, which can be serious enough, could cause drooling.
- Periodontal disease, which is often brought on by tartar buildup, damages the gums and the dental ligaments.
- Pain in the teeth – Dental issues can result in excruciating, unpleasant pain. In response, the cat might open its jaws, which would result in drooling.
- Cavities and other dental issues – A number of dental issues are connected to salivation because of the localized oral trauma and the chance that the cat may try to access the wounded area.
- Oral pathological growths, which include both benign and malignant growths. The salivary reflex is frequently brought on by these, which frequently prevent the cat from correctly closing its mouth.
- Any rashes that can show up on the cat’s lips and may or may not spread to the mouth are considered skin disorders that affect the lips and mouth.
Cats, on the other hand, frequently get motion sickness, which can make them slobber and feel ill. If you notice this happening while your cat has been in the car with you, keep in mind that it should end once the cat has had a chance to decompress.
- A disease or alien substance
The cat’s jaws cannot fully close because of a splinter or bone particle lodged there or on another part of their body. Depending on where the foreign body is positioned, the salivation may be more forceful.
When your cat starts drooling, the first thing you should check for is a foreign body in its mouth. If the cat eats anything inappropriate, such a bone, or if it plays with a toy or object within the house, it could get something stuck in its gums, teeth, palate, or tongue.
If a cat is sick, they could foam at the mouth, as Addie did when my sister’s internal organs burst apart and she had emergency surgery.
- Injuries to the mouth
Fighting and car accidents both regularly result in oral injuries in cats, which are frequently accompanied by excessive saliva. The following is a list of some of the most typical scenarios:
- Orthopedic issues with the jaw or temporomandibular joint include fractures, dislocations, inflammations, and a number of other issues. Often, salivation is the initial sign of an orthopedic issue. Because it can’t completely close its mouth, the cat drools. Drooling will persist for a longer period of time than the problem itself.
- Bite and scratch markings – Cats who fight with dogs or other cats may get bite and scratch marks on their lips. These cause extreme inflammation and might make things worse if an infection develops. They also have a connection to drooling.
- Burns – When cats bite on wire cords or touch hot surfaces, they may experience burns near their mouths. Because of the severe irritation, they spit a lot.
5. Esophageal Issues
If the cat can’t swallow the saliva it produces, it drools. If the cat has esophageal lesions, this could happen. Frequently, these are accompanied by discomfort and decreased appetite. The cat frequently extends its head and neck since the location is so painful.
- Aversion to Taste
Caymus, the 16-year-old Ragdoll cat owned by my parents, refused to consume the CBD oil I tried to feed him since he didn’t enjoy the taste of it.
Managing a Drooling Cat
If you observe your cat drooling, you should never ignore it. As you can see, the cat might have salivated as a result of some serious medical issues. Ignoring the drooling means ignoring the underlying issue, which might be very dangerous or even fatal for the cat. Among your options are:
Start by answering the following questions:
- It is crucial to know how much saliva the cat is producing. Although excessive drooling will always be an issue, a tiny bit of saliva may not cause any harm.
- The cat has been drooling for how long? There is undoubtedly a substantial reason why it hasn’t stopped if it has. To clean the cat, think about using a cloth or paper towel. If your cat is drooling and its general health is deteriorating, take it to the doctor.
- In general, how is the cat doing? – The issue might not be serious if the cat is alert and in good health. If the cat is lethargic, breathing quickly, or breathing weakly, drooling is frequently a sign of a dangerous ailment. If the drooling continues, you shouldn’t disregard this.
Look inside the cat’s mouth.
As you can see from the list above, there are numerous causes of drooling, but the bulk of them are related to the mouth. You can find out a lot about what happened by looking at the cat’s lips because they contain a lot of important details.
- Start by examining the lips while you do your research. Keep an eye out for discomfort, fur loss, bites, scratches, rashes, and any unusual signs like swollen lips or the appearance of blood. Lip lesions are a common complication of oral cavity trauma.
- Gently open the cat’s mouth and examine it, wiping away any saliva. Keep an eye out for growths, lesions, and foreign bodies. If you notice any blood in the cat’s mouth, you must take it to the veterinarian.
- Gently palpate the cat’s jaw to check for cracks or lumps. The cat’s tongue should serve as a warning sign that it is unable to close its mouth. Palpate till you reach the temporomandibular joint. Look to see if the area is tender or swollen. Please understand that issues with the temporomandibular joint and jaw fractures are medical emergencies since they prevent the cat from ingesting food and drink. If you notice anything odd in this area, it’s crucial to consult your veterinarian.
- Examine the cat’s gums by gently pushing up its upper lips. Their original hue is light pink. If you see that the gums are white, reddish, or yellow, speak with your veterinarian. Additionally, you ought to report any gum lesions you come across. Don’t forget to walk down to the lowest level and scan the entire back. Remove the cat’s lower lip and inspect the gums.
- Look for lesions, tartar, cavities, or inflammations of the gums that surround the teeth when inspecting the teeth. Watch out for teeth that are loose or fractured. Remember that the cat may become irritated since dental issues are often painful. If you notice any dental problems, you should take your cat to a veterinarian who specializes in dentistry. After taking a tiny quantity of anti-parasitic medication, the cat starts to drool. If you see that the cat’s tongue is either paper white or dark red, or if you discover any cuts, scratches, or other lesions, you should take the cat to the doctor because this is a delicate area.
Have you ever seen your cat drooling? When it happened, what did you do? Did you figure out what was making her drool? Please provide a thorough description in the comments section below.
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