Why my cat drools a lot - knows the answer

Ptyalism or excessive salivation can occur in any mammal, and when we see it in our pets, for example in cats, we can be frightened if it is not a common trait of the animal itself. In fact, excessive drooling can occur under certain normal circumstances but also due to illness. Therefore, if we realize that our feline companion drools more than usual we will have to take him to the vet promptly to know what happens to him and act.

If you want to know the details that answer the question about " why does my cat drool a lot? ", Then we explain them to you.

Why my cat drops drool - Causes of Ptyalism

If you wonder why your cat drops its saliva you will be interested to know that the drooling can be normal in a domestic cat when it has stimuli such as food, interesting smells like catnip or catnip or is very excited about something, like the arrival of your human companion at home or receive pampering; Now you know the answer to another common doubt that is "why does my cat drool when I pet it?". However, the excessive production of saliva can be a symptom of some health problems such as the following:

  • Gingivitis
  • Periodontitis
  • Cavities
  • Tartar
  • Ulcers
  • Abscesses, cysts or tumors in the mouth
  • Digestive problems
  • Stress
  • Fear
  • Poisoning

Also, the taking of certain medications that can cause the segregation of saliva to increase, either by its effect, by the unpleasant time that causes the cat to take it or because it does not like the taste. So if your feline companion takes any medication, discuss this possibility with the veterinarian.

Below, we discuss in more depth the main causes of your cat drooling a lot.

Ptialism in cats due to stress and fear

One of the main causes of excessive drooling in cats is to get very nervous. The same thing happens to us, if we get nervous we start to salivate more than usual and have a somewhat upset stomach with which we produce even more saliva. This happens to felines when they get nervous, especially if it is due to fear, great insecurity and stress .

For example, it can happen in stressful situations like a move, go to the vet, feel attacked, a new pet arrives at home, there are visits to those who do not know, the loss of a companion, whether it be another cat, a dog, another pet or a person and a multitude of complicated situations for the animal.

Discover in this other article How to know if my cat is stressed.

Problems and diseases of the mouth of the cat

If you have come to think " my cat is drooling a lot and smells bad ", surely your hairy problem is related to your mouth. Some problems and diseases in the mouth of cats can cause the cat to drool more than usual, to have pain and even his mouth smells bad, these are the most common oral health problems that cause these symptoms:

  • Gingivitis: is the inflammation of the gums, which can occur as a start or a symptom of a more serious oral disease. It produces discomfort, redness, swelling in the gums and also that the animal salivates more.
  • Caries: this problem of infection in the teeth of cats can go something unnoticed at first, but if it progresses it not only produces pain and deterioration of the teeth, but also causes inflammation, bad smell and a lot of drooling.
  • Sarro: the accumulation of bacterial plaque if it is not corrected ends up producing hard plaque plates that continue spreading the infection. The tartar causes pain, salivation, discomfort and a very bad oral odor.
  • Periodontitis: periodontal disease occurs when the two previous problems are generalized to worsen the entire mouth causing bleeding gums, their redness and inflammation, clumps of tartar, retracted gums, movement and fall of teeth, increased salivation and bad breath.
  • Ulcers: wounds in the mouth cause the cats to drool while they heal and if they become infected and become ulcers they not only have ptyalism, but an unpleasant smell also occurs.
  • Abscesses, cysts or tumors in the mouth: the lumps of any origin in the mouth of a cat cause it to produce more saliva, there is inflammation around, discomfort and even pain and if they are infected, they can produce a lot of pain and bad smell.

Other diseases that cause cats to drool a lot

Another aspect to take into account apart from the ptyalism is the state of mind of the feline, so if you think " my cat drools a lot and is down, " then take it directly to the vet. The reason is that the decay is always a sign that something is not going well in the health of an animal, so this, along with the fact that your cat drools a lot can indicate that he suffers from some disease, either from the mouth like mentioned above or from other parts of the body. For example, digestive problems are one of the main reasons why a cat drools and is listless and decayed, but other health problems that cause dizziness and nausea, such as ataxia or vestibular syndrome, can also be cause for this condition .

Poisoning in cats

If you see that your cat begins to drool a lot suddenly and has other symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, breathing problems, weakness, dilated pupils, ataxia or difficulty in coordination, convulsions and fainting, it is possible that your cat is poisoned . Faced with this situation, veterinary emergencies should be called to inform and give us indications of what to do and what not to do and go as soon as possible with our cat.

Among the main causes of poisoning in cats are the following:

  • Food for people.
  • Medications for humans.
  • Chemical products contained in products such as antifreeze or the sulfur itself used to eliminate pests.
  • Cleaning products.
  • Insecticides and pesticides.
  • Poisonous plants
  • Insects and other poisonous animals.

What happens if my cat drools a lot

If your partner salivates a lot you will have to assess the situation and see if in a short time it is happening or if, on the other hand, it spends a lot of time and does not improve or even get worse, then you will have to take it to the vet promptly . In addition, if you have other warning symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, lack of coordination, presence of blood in the stool, urination or vomiting, fever, etc., then you will also have to go to the vet as soon as possible.

If you ignore this problem your feline may get worse, more or less quickly, and then be much harder to deal with.

What happens if my cat vomits foam

Sometimes, it is not that the animal is drooling, but that it has retching and vomits white thick foam . This may indicate a problem in the digestive system, of lesser or greater severity, as well as possible poisoning or other problems related to other organs such as the liver or kidneys .

Another reason may be that you have eaten some herbs to induce vomiting, something that cats usually do when they are a little sick stomach, for example if they have clogged hair balls or parasites. Rate if it was something specific as it would be this last case or if you do not know what should be taken immediately to the vet.