# Drooling in cats



## FEWill

Drooling in cats is not uncommon and it can occur when your pet is extremely happy or excited. However, drooling is not a normal function with most cats. In fact, it most cases, it is a sign that something has happened in your pet that is causing this excess in salvia.

Most of the causes of drooling in cats are associated with your pets mouth and can range from a simple tooth infection to something much more sinister and this is the first symptom that you will see. But it could also be the cause of something toxic or even worse, a liver dysfunction.

Excessive drooling in your cat is also referred to as Pytalism and it may be triggered by the smell of food, excitement and joy, or it can be the result of your cat getting overheated.

But if the drooling develops suddenly and it is associated with oral discomfort, is blood tinged even slightly, or has a very foul odor, there is definitely something wrong with your cat and they should be examined as soon as possible.

The saliva in your cat is constantly being replaced by the salvia glands and the over production of salvia is Pytalism. However, there is another condition known as Pseudoptyalism where the salvia production is normal but it overflows from your cats mouth because of irregular tooth aliments or because of a pain associated with swallowing.

But these are two complete separate issues, and Pseudoptyalism is usually a condition that you have become used to; drooling suddenly is not.

A sudden drooling in cats is most always associated with an illness or some type of an injury that has occurred, and the injury or illness may or may not be associated with the mouth.

It could also be the result of a toxicity that has attacked your cat but it could also be the result of a severe liver disorder. If it is a liver disorder, you cat will start to droll excessively and there is nothing at all wrong with their mouth or teeth.

Symptoms:

There are several symptoms that you can watch for other than the drooling that has suddenly occurred. If the drooling last more than a couple of hours, this is your first warning signal that something may be seriously wrong with your cat. If this is the case, you should immediately check your cats lips and mouth for any signs of swelling or masses that may have developed.

If the cause is coming from the mouth itself, you will notice a very foul odor that has not been there in the past, another warning signal. Your cat may also become very irritable, aggressive, or just the opposite and become very reclusive because of the pain they are experiencing.

However, the two most critical symptoms will be excessive vomiting that is usually followed by problems breathing. If these do occur, it has now become an emergency situation as it is either a toxic or liver problem.

Causes:

The most common causes of your cat suddenly drooling are from disorders of the teeth and or gums. Chronic gingivitis as well as stomatitis can cause this drooling, as well as producing severe pain in your cat. Both of these conditions are more common in pure breeds as well as domestic shorthair cats. These conditions can cause severe pain in your pet to the point that they may not be able to eat.

Stomatitis is the inflammation of the lining of your cats soft tissue structures in their mouth and is very painful. It is almost always accompanied with redness, swelling, as well as occasional bleeding. With this inflammation your cat develops a very rapid and very foul odor in their breath.

Although more common in older cats, it can and does affect all ages. With this inflammation, your cat will also start to paw excessively at their mouth as well as drooling excessively.

Gingivitis is also a periodontal disease that causes inflammation except it results in the destruction of the supporting tissues of the teeth and also affects your cats gums. It is not quite as painful, but it can cause bleeding as well as excessive drooling.

However, another potential cause of your cats sudden drooling may be the result of a liver disorder that can affect cats at any age. The major function of your cats liver is to remove toxins from their blood. If the liver is not functioning properly, these toxins will start to accumulate in the blood stream. Once this occurs, it can affect the brain. This is referred to as hepatic encephalopathy, and is usually caused by liver shunts.

Liver shunts are a congenital abnormality where blood bypasses the liver rather than flowing through it. Because of this, the liver never has a chance to detoxify the blood. This will cause several symptoms in your cat including a sudden and excessive amount of drooling. This condition affects both dogs and cats, but this is the one situation where cats will actually drool a lot more than dogs.

Toxins and some drugs that your cat has come into contact with can also cause excessive drooling. If you are administering any type of a sulfa antibiotic to your cat they are extremely conducive in causing excessive drooling.

There are certain flea and tick medications that can also trigger drooling, especially if they are given in excess. If your cat happens to come into contact with almost any type of a toad or a newt, as well as spiders, especially a black widow, the venom causes drooling.

There are also some household plants that have toxic affects on cats, especially during the holidays. Philodendrons, poinsettias and some types of Christmas tress can also cause almost immediate allergic reactions in your cat that will result in excessive drooling.

Summary:

Dogs drool by their nature, but drooling in cats is just not normal other than when their senses become excited, generally by food. If your cat drools, especially suddenly and for any length of time, it is the sign that something is wrong.

Although the most common cause is by some type of a periodontal disease, there are several other potential causes. Drooling can be the first sign that your cat gives to you that something is seriously wrong with them.

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## Tim_A

Clearly an SEO article, but it made me think of when we last took our cat to the vets and said we were worried about him drooling...

the vet said it was because he was a very content cat, we handed the money over and left feeling a bit stoopid


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## KarenHSmith

That's a good article - thanks for that.


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