Almost every cat owner has at least once seen increased salivation (hypersalivation) in their cat. Most often this is due to a feature of the physiology of cats - cleansing the stomach of ingested hair by vomiting. This is completely normal feline behavior and should not cause any alarm to owners. But how can you understand whether drooling is associated with the expulsion of fur from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) or is it a signal of a health problem?

What does hypersalivation most often look like?

Depending on the factors causing increased salivation, this condition may differ significantly in external signs.

• We most often see drooling due to nausea in cats. Drooling in such cases can begin quite abruptly and end with gagging. The animal begins to actively smack its lips with saliva, may meow loudly, the saliva becomes viscous and viscous, often hanging from the lips in the form of foam. The cat tries to shake its head, shaking off saliva. With chronic nausea, hypersalivation may not be so pronounced.
• With pathologies associated with diseases of the oral cavity and salivary glands, we usually see saliva dripping from the chin or soaking the fur around the cat’s mouth and chest. Often the saliva acquires an unpleasant odor and an admixture of blood or pus.

Causes of drooling:

• Physiological factors: appetite stimulation, fear, stress, bitter taste;
• Nausea / vomiting / regurgitation, for example when regurgitating hairballs, in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), in systemic diseases accompanied by nausea, etc.;
• Drug poisoning: paracetamol, sulfonamide, xylazine, metronidazole, norbactin, no-spa, levomisol, etc.;
• Poisons and toxins. For example, snake bites, insect bites, household chemicals, insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, etc.;
• Plants: yellow daffodil, rhododendron, lilies, dieffenbachia, tulips, hemp, horse chestnut, mistletoe, etc.;
• Infection: rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia, rabies;
• Dental pathologies, such as tooth root resorption, tartar, etc.;
• Foreign body in the oral cavity;
• Neoplasia (neoplasm);
• Inability to open the mouth, such as a jaw injury;
• Neurological diseases: catalepsy/narcolepsy, hepatic encephalopathy, intracranial neoplasia, partial seizures, trigeminal nerve diseases, etc.;
• Inflammation: pharyngitis, dermatitis of lip folds, gingivitis, glossitis, esophagitis, stomatitis, etc.;
• Oral ulcers: chronic kidney disease, immune-mediated diseases, ingestion of irritants;
• Diseases of the salivary glands.

What a cat owner does when she is drooling.

In this case, everything depends on the general condition of the animal, the duration and degree of manifestation of hypersalivation. It is very important to learn to distinguish between physiological salivation when cleansing the stomach of hair in cats, and vomiting for other reasons. Typically, a cat sheds hair 1-2 times a month, depending on the thickness and length of the coat and the degree of shedding. At the same time, the cat feels well, she begins to drool, then vomit, and in the vomit it is easy to notice a matted ball of fur. After which the cat continues to behave as usual. There is no need to go to a veterinary clinic; you can give your cat special hair removal medications, which are sold in pet stores.

If you notice that when drooling appears, the cat has an unpleasant odor from the mouth, there is an admixture of blood and pus in the saliva, or the cat’s general condition has worsened, then you need to contact a veterinary clinic as soon as possible. The doctor will conduct a therapeutic appointment and all the necessary diagnostics, and depending on the causes of hypersalivation, prescribe treatment. Most often we encounter drooling caused by nausea in an animal, and treatment will be aimed at eliminating the underlying disease or poisoning. We often see the development of uremic stomatitis against the background of chronic kidney disease, and treatment will consist of selecting a specialized diet and removing intoxication with infusion therapy.

How should an owner behave if a dog has a seizure?

The first thing to do is take the children away, they can get very scared. If there are other animals in the house, it is also better to take them out, as they may begin to defend themselves against the incomprehensible actions of the sick animal. After this, try to secure the space around the dog as much as possible so that nothing could injure it. You can gently lay the dog on its side and hold it. Be careful, the dog may accidentally bite or hit you with its paw; it does not control its body at the time of convulsions. Do not try to open the jaws with a spoon or other objects, you will only further injure the dog’s mouth. Try to remember how the attack went and how long it lasted, whether the dog was conscious, this will be important for making a diagnosis. At the end of the attack, you should contact a veterinary clinic.

The cost of treating and eliminating the cause of salivation

The cost of treatment varies greatly depending on the diagnosis. For example, in case of poisoning with drugs containing permethrin (quite often encountered during flea treatment), the doctor will supply antidotes, wash off the remaining toxic substance and administer infusion therapy. The cost of treatment in this case depends on the speed of contacting a doctor and the degree of poisoning and starts from 2000 rubles.

Preventing salivation problems in cats

To prevent diseases that cause drooling in cats, it is necessary to adhere to proper nutrition and maintenance of cats. Remember to carry out regular deworming and vaccinations.

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Increased salivation before eating is normal. Even if the cat is not hungry, when it smells something delicious, it may well begin to salivate.

A lot of saliva is also released if the cat has eaten something tasteless: a bitter pill, spicy or simply tasteless food - this is how the animal’s body reflexively tries to get rid of what it considers poor-quality food.

During licking, salivation also increases. And, if you interrupt the washing process, the cat will drool. Increased salivation accompanies the process of getting rid of hairballs accumulated in the stomach.

Stress often causes the salivary glands to temporarily stop working. If the negative impact was short-term, then in the process of adapting to a stressful situation, the salivary glands at the first moment may secrete more saliva than usual. That is why, after experiences, cats begin to lick themselves vigorously. Another cause of excess salivation during stress is nausea.

Many people wonder why a cat drools from its mouth when it is petted. At the same time, the already unnecessary sucking reflex is triggered: experiencing pleasant emotions, the animal remembers its early childhood, when the mother cat fed and licked her kitten. And the sucking reflex enhances the secretory function of the salivary glands. By the way, there is a pattern: the less the kitten suckled its mother, the more in adulthood the cat drools during moments of affection.

When is drooling a cause for concern?

Typically, natural reflex reactions are short-lived, go away on their own and are not accompanied by other symptoms. But if a cat drools from its mouth for a long time or immediately very much, looks like foam, and is accompanied by some strange symptoms, an urgent diagnosis is needed. The cause of increased salivation can be various infectious diseases, pathologies of the digestive system, poisoning and trauma to the pharynx and oral cavity, and dental problems.

Hypersalivation or ptyalimsis requires urgent diagnosis, since some diseases are dangerous not only for the animal, but also for others.

Infectious diseases

The causes of ptyalism in infectious diseases are multidimensional:

• nausea;
• ulcers and other problems with the oral mucosa;
• rhinitis or;
• damage to the nervous system.

This symptom should be taken very carefully, since sometimes, with atypical infections, hypersalivation is the only symptom. However, most often, hypersalivation during infections complements the characteristic clinical picture - and among other symptoms, fever, symptoms of dehydration and intoxication, and others typical of a particular disease are most often encountered. Moreover, with some diseases, the cat drools at those stages when treatment is already delayed.

Poisoning

As a rule, any poisoning is accompanied by increased activity of the salivary glands - this is a kind of protective reaction of the body to a harmful substance. If there is a suspicion of poisoning, you should consult a doctor immediately, because sometimes minutes count. Each chemical substance has its own symptomatic complex. However, without experience, it is difficult to independently determine the cause of poisoning and even distinguish poisoning from an infectious disease - the main symptoms (,) are similar, and time can be lost.

Injuries

Any injury to the pharynx and oral cavity will be accompanied by increased salivation - this is also a protective reaction, since saliva has bactericidal and wound-healing properties. Sometimes minor injuries to the oral cavity do not require serious treatment - the action of saliva is sufficient. But a doctor’s help is still required, since the injury may be caused by a foreign object that needs to be removed.

Dental problems

The cat drools from its mouth even because of ordinary caries, which is also accompanied by damage to the oral mucosa. Dental problems in themselves do not pose a serious danger. But advanced caries and other dental diseases can lead to their loss: this is a serious problem for a cat, since it will not be able to eat normally.

Internal diseases

Most often, hypersalivation is a consequence of nausea and is more typical for diseases of the digestive tract. However, it can be a symptom of other pathologies: kidney disease, tumors. But even if the owner knows about the diagnosis, a symptom of which may be hypersalivation, it still doesn’t hurt to clarify the diagnosis. Why? It is possible that your cat is drooling more for another reason.

Cat owners may experience a variety of illnesses in their pets. Symptoms include bad breath and excessive drooling.

When a cat has bad breath (ammonia, putrefactive or acetone), this indicates an imbalance in his body. This problem is medically called halitosis (halitosis).

What does a cat's bad breath and drooling mean?

The causes of unpleasant odor include diseases of the oral cavity or teeth; such problems are more typical for cats from 1 to 3 years old. For older individuals, pathologies in the functioning of internal organs are added to these problems. Halitosis is a rare manifestation in animals under 1 year of age, but it does happen.

What to do if your cat smells like rot, acetone or rotten meat?

If an animal smells urine from its breath, it may be due to diabetes. In the case of a rotten and putrid smell, it may be problems with the esophagus, stomach or intestines.

A rotten smell may indicate cheap dry food, which can cause stomach and intestinal diseases. In this case, you can switch feeding to natural food, which should help.

When caring for your cat, you should remember to brush his teeth. If putrid odors occur, it should be taken to a veterinarian to understand the exact cause. Then receive the necessary treatment.

What to do if your kitten smells like rotten fish or rotten eggs

In most cases, the appearance of such odors is associated with diseases of the teeth and oral cavity. In this case, it is worth treating the teeth for plaque and tartar, and, if necessary, the oral cavity. When there are lesions in the oral cavity, they can be treated with any antiseptic medications (miramistin or chlorhexidine).

This treatment is usually administered by a veterinarian. For the normal condition of the oral cavity, constant prevention is needed in the form of regular teeth brushing, which must be taught from an early age. This will help avoid putrefactive processes in the cat's mouth.

Bad breath as a sign of worms

What to do when there is an unpleasant odor and your cat is drooling from its mouth?

Any cat in its normal condition does not have any odors, but if it does, then there are some problems.

Cheap dry food leads to illness. When such food becomes the cause of the smell, the food is made more balanced or the pet is completely switched to natural food.

In a situation with drooling, drool with an odor emanating from the mouth is released, it can be assumed that the cat has a foreign body or has developed stomatitis. Including a bad odor is a consequence of a viral infection, where the cause may be kidney failure. Under such circumstances, you need to consult a veterinarian and add special food to your cat’s diet. For any disease, treatment and necessary medications are prescribed by a veterinarian.

What does cat mouth odor mean? when changing teeth, after feeding, during the childbirth and postpartum period, with chronic renal failure?

A bad odor from a cat's mouth may indicate an incorrect cycle of changing teeth from milk to molars. Also, the milk teeth may not fall out, but the molars have already grown in, which has formed an incorrect bite. Including if food gets stuck in the teeth, it can contribute to the development of a putrefactive process, hence the smell. In the case of extra missing milk teeth, you need to contact a specialist to remove them.

No direct relationship was found with the appearance of odors from the cat’s mouth during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Therefore, you should contact a veterinarian.

If there is chronic renal failure, then the cat's mouth emits ammonia or the smell of urine. Afterwards, you need to consult with a veterinarian and then give the cat special food Renal Special. Contraindications for this food include: growth, lactation, pregnancy. You need to give food for 6 months, then check again. If the problem is eliminated, feeding this food is stopped. If the treatment result from the food is negative, then the cat switches to this food forever.

Why does my cat's breath smell like acetone?

If a cat owner smells acetone from the mouth, this may indicate diabetes. This disease is characterized by increased water consumption and frequent urination.

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 the diseases in a cat, clear drooling corresponds to most diseases except for 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.

Causes of drooling from the mouth in cats

When excessive saliva flow appears in cats, you need to know the reasons that contribute to this. There are physiological, psychological and pathological.

Physiological

Psychological

• As a result of the animal's nervous overstrain, a strong flow of saliva occurs.
• Riding on public transport when the animal is stressed or motion sickness causes such a manifestation in the body.
• Severe stress in an animal arises from prolonged communication with children.

Pathological

There are a lot of reasons of this kind; it is almost impossible to do without a veterinarian. This series includes:

• Viral infections. This period is characterized by an increase in temperature, increased thirst, causing nausea and profuse salivation in the cat. There are cases when, due to a viral infection, a cat’s breath smells bad.
• In case of poisoning (from garbage, street food, chemicals, chocolate, medicines and other products).
• Dental diseases and oral problems. This can be noticed if the cat chews its food very carefully; there may also be a foreign body in the mouth, which may be accompanied by a protruding tongue. In this case, the cat is taken to the veterinary clinic.
• Digestive problems will cause excessive salivation, which is usually accompanied by a putrid odor.
• Saliva from the mouth often indicates the presence of helminths in a cat's body.
• If your cat is allergic, your cat may drool.
• With cancer, there is a bad smell and increased salivation.
• As a result of untimely loss of baby teeth in a kitten, there is bad breath with drooling.

Diagnosis of saliva flow in a cat

When there is bad odor from the mouth or there is protruding tongue with active saliva flow, which means it is necessary to carry out a diagnosis in order to subsequently carry out the correct treatment.

Prevention of cats with hypersalivation

Drooling from the mouth in cats called hypersalivation. Prevention is necessary to prevent the disease.

• From an early age, a kitten should be taught to brush its teeth and tongue.
• For fleas, special drops should be made so that they fall on the withers as far as possible from the possibility of licking off this product with the tongue.
• A visit to the veterinarian will help avoid pathological drooling.

If there is hypersalivation for no reason, you should consult a veterinarian. Even if the cat is in excellent health, the presence of excessive drooling indicates problems in the body. Therefore, only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Attentive pet owners always notice when something is wrong with their pets. One of the signs that may cause concern to a cat owner is excessive salivation. What reasons can cause excessive salivation, and are they all associated with the development of any pathology?

The cat is drooling: signs of excessive drooling, is it dangerous?

Faced with the problem of excessive salivation, or hypersalivation, many pet owners do not know whether to worry and what to do in this situation. The main signs of increased drooling include:

• frequent swallowing;
• washing your pet too often;
• the cat constantly wiping its face on the furniture and walls of the room;
• the untidy appearance of the fur on the face, neck and chest - it constantly bunches up into icicles;
• lethargy and even tongue hanging out of the mouth;
• wet spots on the bedding where the pet is resting.

Any deviation from the norm in the behavior and condition of the animal, including excessive flow of saliva, is a reason for consultation with a specialist.

Drooling can be caused by natural or pathological causes

Causes of excessive drooling

A clear answer to the question: “Why does my pet drool excessively?” impossible. There can be many reasons causing hypersalivation, and not all of them are associated with the development of any pathology.

Causes not related to disease

Non-pathological causes of excessive salivation include:

1. Physiological or triggered by natural events. This could be a reaction to food that is particularly attractive to the animal, a change or growth of teeth, a reaction to taking drugs with an unpleasant taste, a period of estrus, or a reaction to the owner’s affection.
2. Psychological. The cause of excessive drooling can be stress, caused, for example, by a sudden fright, traveling in public transport or excessive attention from children.

As a rule, if your pet's drooling is clear, like water, then the reason for its appearance is not related to the disease or it is a symptom of an easily treatable pathology. If excessive salivation occurs for a long time and there is no natural explanation for this, then consultation with a specialist is necessary.

Active interaction with children can also cause severe stress in the animal and cause drooling.

Pathologies leading to hypersalivation

Pathological disorders that lead to excessive flow of saliva include:

1. Rabies. One of the most dangerous pathologies, contagious to humans. In addition to foamy drooling, in most other diseases the saliva remains transparent; signs of pathology are aggressive behavior of the animal, fear of light and water.
2. Tetanus. It is also accompanied by disturbances in muscle mobility, difficulty moving, and convulsions.
3. Viral infections. The development of calicivirus or rhinotracheitis may be accompanied, in addition to drooling, fever, discharge from the nose and eyes, and sneezing.
4. . It is a lesion of the hematopoietic system, which leads to a decrease in the level of immunity, the development of stomatitis, gingivitis.
5. Disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Accompanied by nausea, loss of appetite, and the appearance of an unpleasant odor.
6. Allergic reaction. It may also be accompanied by sneezing, discharge from the eyes and nose, and hair loss.
7. Poisoning. The main symptoms include nausea, vomiting, apathy, and loss of appetite. The saliva may be foamy or cloudy.

In addition to the above reasons, excessive flow of saliva can be caused by infection with helminths, injuries and inflammatory processes in the oral cavity, oncology, a foreign body stuck in the mouth, diabetes, portosystemic shunt - a circulatory abnormality, lumps of fur stuck in the intestines, renal failure and craniocerebral injury.

Foamy drool in a cat is one of the symptoms of rabies

Your cat is drooling heavily: what to do?

In case of hypersalivation, it is not recommended to attempt to solve the problem on your own, because only a specialist will be able to correctly determine the cause and prescribe competent therapy. If you are drooling profusely due to natural causes, then, as a rule, the problem will soon be solved without any intervention.

Having noticed a strong secretion of saliva, it is worth examining the animal; if the owner sees a foreign object in the mouth, he can try to carefully remove it - with his hands or tweezers, and then treat the mucous membrane with Miramistin or Chlorhexidine.

If the owner is not sure that he can carry out these manipulations himself, it is better to contact a specialist.

Diagnostics at the clinic includes examination of the pet’s mouth, teeth and throat, general examination by palpation, ultrasound, general examination of blood, urine and feces. Depending on the diagnostic results, a course of therapy is prescribed, which includes eliminating symptoms, increasing immunity and getting rid of the underlying disease.

If your cat has excessive saliva, it is better to consult a specialist.

Dental problems can be treated with the help of appropriate medications. Sodium fluoride or silver nitrate may be prescribed. If drooling is caused by infection, the following is prescribed:

• Fosprenil - acceptable for use in kittens;
• Maxidin - can be used to treat furry babies older than 2 months;
• Vitafel.

When diagnosing inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract, an appropriate diet, a course of drip infusions, drugs to normalize stomach acidity, painkillers, and antiemetics are prescribed. If drooling is caused by intoxication, gastric lavage is performed - except in cases where intoxication is caused by an acid or alkali, taking Activated Carbon is also indicated.

If oncology is diagnosed, surgery may be necessary, but doctors rarely give a favorable prognosis. Such a dangerous pathology as rabies is incurable.

Prevention of pathologies that cause hypersalivation

Measures to prevent various cat diseases and other pathological conditions include:

• regular examination of the pet's cavity;
• timely deworming;
• restricting access to poisonous plants, medicines, household chemicals and other dangerous substances that can cause poisoning;
• timely vaccination against rabies and other dangerous diseases;
• regular examinations by a specialist.

Video: possible causes of excessive drooling in a cat

Sometimes the favorable outcome of treatment for many pathologies in cats depends on the attentiveness of the owner. Excessive drooling is not always a cause for concern, but it is better not to delay a visit to the veterinarian, and especially not to engage in independent diagnosis and therapy.

Greetings, dear blog readers, today I answer the question: “Why does a cat drool from its mouth?”, a pressing problem for many pet owners. I will list the most common causes of drooling in cats and try to give some recommendations.
A healthy animal secretes saliva constantly; it increases during meals - this is normal. It is necessary to protect the mucous membranes of the mouth and esophagus from mechanical injuries and from the negative effects of microorganisms. When everything is normal with a cat, you don't even think about the existence of saliva until she starts licking your hand.

And if something goes wrong, then drool flows from the mouth, the cat rubs its muzzle on objects, swallows more often, its chin and paws become wet. Detecting drooling is not a problem, it is visible right away, we won’t dwell on the symptoms for long, let’s move on to the causes.

Changing teeth. At the age of 3-7 months, kittens change their milk teeth to permanent ones. During a shift, your gums become inflamed. Often a permanent tooth grows in, but the neighboring milk tooth has not yet fallen out, then food and various foreign small things are easily retained between these teeth. Remember how you feel when you have something stuck between your teeth; your kitten experiences the same thing.

During this period, increased production of saliva, unpleasant odor from the mouth, and refusal to feed are often observed.

You need to make sure that the shift goes without complications, look into the mouth, maybe the tooth is kept on your word of honor and you can easily remove it yourself.

Stress, fear. Try to mentally force your salivary glands to secrete more saliva, it is not so easy to do, but if you imagine a lemon, then with a good imagination, drool will immediately flow. What am I talking about?

The formation of saliva in us and in our animals is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. Simply put, the cat raises its paw or twitches its tail at will, and desire alone is not enough to enhance the production of saliva.

But when finding itself in an unfamiliar environment, experiencing severe stress, the cat may begin to drool or, on the contrary, dry out its mouth. This process is uncontrollable; it depends on the body’s reaction to stimuli.

Therefore, if you go on a trip with your cat, who has never left the apartment, then be prepared for drastic changes in the animal’s behavior. Read more about how to prepare for unfamiliar conditions.

Various diseases. Infectious diseases, for example, cause changes in the mucous membranes of the mouth and often lead to drooling in cats.

General measures for drooling in a cat

If your cat begins to drool, put on rubber gloves, restrain the cat to prevent scratching, and carefully inspect the mouth. It is more convenient to carry out the inspection with an assistant and in good lighting. You can use a flashlight (Captain Obvious 🙂).

We carefully examine the mouth, tongue, look under the tongue, teeth. Purpose of search: ulcers, swelling, blackened tooth, stones, foreign object. It is clear that even if you find an ulcer or caries, you will not help the cat on your own, but you will know in which direction to move.

And it is quite possible to remove a bone or thread stuck between the teeth. When our Samych was a kitten, he often got stuck with a piece of food that he could not get out on his own, drooled and scratched his face with his paw. I had to help.

In case of sudden drooling, after an insect bite, treatment with flea drops, after new food. And in other situations, when events develop quickly, allergy medications are used. Read on the topic of allergies in animals and about emergency aid.

Friends, it is impossible to list absolutely all the causes of drooling in the format of one article, so if you have something to add on the topic, write in the comments. Personal experience will help me and our readers.

Until we meet again on the blog pages, veterinarian Sergey Savchenko was with you.