Cat Drooling: Understanding the Root Causes
Feb 18,2025 | puaintapets
If you've noticed your cat drooling more than usual, it can be alarming. While occasional drooling is normal, persistent or excessive drooling may signal an underlying health issue. What causes cat drooling, and when should you be concerned?
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the common causes of cat drooling, potential health concerns, symptoms to look out for, and when you should seek veterinary advice.
What Causes Cat Drooling?
Drooling is often a result of excessive saliva production or an inability to swallow properly. Here are the most common reasons your cat might drool:
1. Dental Issues and Oral Health Problems
One of the leading causes of drooling in cats is dental disease. Cats can develop a variety of oral health problems, including:
- Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums)
- Periodontal disease (infection of the tissues around the teeth)
- Tooth abscesses (infection around a tooth root)
- Broken or loose teeth
When cats experience pain from dental issues, they may drool to help relieve discomfort. If your cat is drooling excessively and also showing signs like bad breath, difficulty eating, or pawing at the mouth, dental problems are likely the culprit.
2. Nausea or Upset Stomach
Like humans, cats can get nauseous from various causes, such as:
- Motion sickness
- Ingesting something they shouldn't (e.g., plants, foreign objects, or spoiled food)
- Gastrointestinal issues (e.g., upset stomach, inflammation, or infection)
Nausea often leads to excessive drooling, especially when your cat feels unwell or attempts to vomit. If the drooling is accompanied by vomiting or loss of appetite, you should consult a vet for a proper diagnosis.
3. Heatstroke or Overheating
On hot days, cats can become overheated, especially if they are left in a warm environment for too long. Heatstroke can lead to drooling, along with other signs like:
- Rapid breathing
- Excessive panting
- Lethargy
Heatstroke is a medical emergency, so if your cat shows these symptoms, it's important to move them to a cooler environment immediately and contact your vet.
4. Stress or Anxiety
Cats are creatures of habit, and any change in their environment can cause stress or anxiety. This can lead to drooling as a physical reaction to anxiety. Possible stress triggers include:
- A new pet or family member
- Traveling or car rides
- Visiting the vet or groomer
- Changes in routine or environment
If your cat drools when stressed, it is often temporary and will resolve once they feel more secure.
5. Poisoning or Toxic Ingestion
Cats are naturally curious, and they may chew on or ingest toxic substances. Common toxins that can cause drooling include:
- Plants (e.g., lilies, aloe vera, or poinsettias)
- Human foods (e.g., chocolate, onions, or alcohol)
- Cleaning products or pesticides
If your cat has ingested something toxic, you may notice excessive drooling, along with vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy. Contact a veterinarian immediately if you suspect poisoning.
6. Upper Respiratory Infections
Infections of the upper respiratory tract (like feline herpesvirus or calicivirus) can cause symptoms like:
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Runny nose
- Excessive drooling
When your cat has a respiratory infection, it may struggle to swallow due to a clogged throat or nasal passages, leading to drooling. A visit to the vet can help determine if your cat needs antibiotics or supportive care.
Also Read: Upper Respiratory Infection in Cats
7. Oral Tumors or Growths
Though less common, oral tumors or growths in a cat's mouth can cause excessive drooling. These growths can obstruct the mouth or throat, making it difficult for your cat to swallow properly. If your cat's drooling is accompanied by weight loss, difficulty eating, or a lump in the mouth, schedule a visit to the vet for further investigation.
How to Treat Drooling in Cats with Stomatitis?
The treatment for drooling in cats with stomatitis is as follows:
1. Adjust the diet
- Provide liquid food or wet food
Stomatitis will cause stinging pain in the mouth, and the pain may be aggravated when eating, so it is necessary to change the cat's diet to liquid food or wet food, such as canned food and minced meat congee, etc., which can alleviate the pain in the mouth and make it easier for the cat to eat.
- Guide to drink more water
Encourage your cat to drink more water to keep the mouth moist, which will help relieve stomatitis.
- Vitamin supplementation
Stomatitis in cats may be related to the lack of vitamins, you can properly supplement vitamin B and other nutrients to enhance immunity and promote the repair of oral mucosa.
2. Cleaning the oral cavity
- Daily cleaning
Use pet-specific oral cleaning products, such as oral spray, teeth cleaning powder, etc., to help cats clean their mouths and reduce the growth of food debris and bacteria.
- Regular brushing
After the cat's oral inflammation is relieved, it should gradually develop the habit of regular tooth brushing, at least 2-3 times a week to keep the mouth clean.
3. Medication
- Anti-inflammatory and pain relief
Antibiotics, steroids, painkillers and other anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to relieve the cat's oral inflammation and pain symptoms.
- Immunomodulation
For immune stomatitis, drugs such as immunosuppressants can be used to regulate the cat's immune system and reduce the inflammatory response.
4. Surgical treatment
If your cat's stomatitis symptoms are severe and medication is not effective, you may need to consider surgical treatments such as tooth extraction. By extracting the teeth, the roots on which plaque thrives can be completely removed, thus reducing inflammation.
5. Medical treatment
If the symptoms of stomatitis and drooling in cats continue to worsen or are accompanied by other abnormal symptoms, such as fever, vomiting, loss of appetite, etc., the cat should be brought to the veterinary hospital for a comprehensive examination and diagnosis, and be treated under the guidance of the veterinarian.
How to Tell if Your Cat's Drooling is Normal or a Health Problem?
Here's how to tell if your cat's drooling is normal or a health issue:
I. Normal phenomenon
- Physiological reaction
It is a normal physiological reaction for cats to secrete saliva before and during meals or when they have a craving.
- Sleeping condition
Drooling in cats during sleep is usually a normal physiological phenomenon, similar to how people may drool after a deep sleep.
- Relaxation
When cats feel relaxed and satisfied, such as when being petted, they may drool, which is also normal.
- Stress reaction
Cats may drool briefly when they are under stress or pressure, such as traveling in a car, visiting a veterinarian, or changing the environment, etc. Drooling usually subsides on its own once the stressor disappears.
II. Health Problems
- Oral problems
If the cat's drooling is accompanied by bad breath, red and swollen gums, mouth ulcers, loose teeth or dental calculus, it may be caused by oral diseases.
- Disease Factors
Drooling in cats with symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss and depression may be due to diseases, such as kidney disease, liver disease and infectious diseases.
- Poisoning or foreign body
If the cat is drooling and accompanied by behaviors such as convulsions and collapsing, it may have ingested toxic substances or have a foreign object stuck in the mouth or throat.
- Heatstroke or Respiratory Difficulty
Cats with heat stroke or breathing problems may open their mouths wide, spit out their tongues, breathe heavily and drool profusely.
If your cat is drooling abnormally, it is recommended that you take it to the veterinarian for a timely examination to determine the exact cause and treat it accordingly.
FAQs
What can I do to stop my cat from drooling if it is due to stress?
Try to identify and remove the source of stress. Provide a quiet, comfortable space for your cat, and use pheromone diffusers or calming treats if necessary. If the stress is due to a new environment, new furniture, new pets, etc., you need to give your cat time to adjust, try to keep the environment stable and quiet, and avoid frequent changes. If the stress - related drooling persists, consult your veterinarian for further advice.
Can catnip cause my cat to drool?
Yes, catnip can cause some cats to drool. Catnip contains compounds that can stimulate a cat's senses, and for some cats, this can lead to increased salivation along with other behaviors such as rolling around or being more playful.
Is drooling in cats normal?
Yes, mild drooling can be normal, especially if your cat is content or enjoying food. However, excessive drooling or drooling with other symptoms should be checked by a vet.
Conclusion
Cat drooling can be caused by a variety of factors, including dental disease, nausea, stress, and poisoning. While occasional drooling is normal, excessive or persistent drooling accompanied by other symptoms should never be ignored.
By staying vigilant and ensuring your cat gets the proper care—whether it’s dental hygiene, stress management, or a veterinary checkup—you can keep your feline friend healthy and happy.
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