Cat Drooling: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Causes, Symptoms, and When to Worry

As being a responsible cat owner, you might get worried if you see that your cat is acting different, and excessive drooling can be one of them. It might be confusing for you to understand the underlying cause of your cat drooling that either it’s due to happiness or if your cat is sick? This confusion can create distress for you.

This comprehensive guide will help you to gain knowledge about why your cat is drooling and will help you in resolving all the confusions you have related to drooling of your cat based on expert opinions. This guide will help you to know the difference between normal drooling and abnormal drooling that needs serious attention. After going through this guide, you’ll have confidence in knowing what symptoms to look for and what steps you can take as being a responsible cat owner.

By the end of this guide, You’ll get to know the underlying causes of your cat drooling, the alarming symptoms that needs to be looked after, and also get to know when you should take your beloved cat for veterinary treatment.

The content available in this guide is based on research and veterinary consultation to make sure that each and everything is accurate, helpful and reliable. We care for your beloved cat and wants to give you safest, accurate and best information about your cat’s health based on evidence.

 

Understanding Cat Drooling: Normal vs. Abnormal

 

The Spectrum of Feline Salivation:

• The excessive drooling of your cat is called ptyalism. If your cats drool too much then it needs immediate attention.
• It is important to know the difference between normal and abnormal drooling so that you can take immediate action when you see that your cat is drooling too much as it can be a sign of something unfavorable and also helps you to stay calm when drooling is not too much.

 

Defining the Types of Drooling:

1. Normal (Physiological/Behavioral) Drooling:

This type of drooling isn’t harmful at all, it’s called normal drooling and your cat might do it when he is happy, excited or engaged in fun activity. Normal drooling can also happen if your cat is excited to eat his favorite food or receives love from his owner.

Characteristics of Normal Drooling:

• The drool is clear, odorless, watery (not thick) and sometimes foamy.
• The drool is not too much and occurs slowly.
• Normal drooling occurs when cat is engaged in positive behavior such as:

purring (small and soft voices that cat make when they are feeling happy), rubbing against legs,  kneading (“making biscuits”), when they feel loved, or when they expect that their food is coming.

 

Common context of Normal Drooling:

• Normal drool may occur when you cuddle with your cat.
• Normal drool may happen when you are holding your cat with yourself (like cuddling or holding him in arms).
• Normal drool may occur when your cat is feeling safe, secure and affectionate.
• Anticipating food or treat.

 

 

2. Abnormal (Pathological) Drooling:

This type of drooling isn’t normal at all, it is harmful and usually happens when your cat is sick, is in pain or if anything is stuck in his mouth. It is often caused by medical problems and needs veterinary treatment.

Characteristics of Abnormal Drooling:

• Drool is too much and is continuous.
• Its thick, discolored like yellow, green or sometimes bloody.
• It has bad smell.
• Cat appears distressed, lethargic, or shows other signs of illness such as hiding, rubbing their mouth with paws and vomiting etc.

 

Common Context of Abnormal Drooling:

• Abnormal drooling occurs suddenly and persistently.
• It occurs when your cat eats something toxic.
• When your cat is exposed to chemicals.
• When your cat has medical problems such as wounds in mouth or oral infection.

 

 

Comparing Normal vs. Abnormal:

If you want to differ between normal and abnormal drooling, following are indicators you have to observe.

 

Metric	Normal Drooling	Abnormal Drooling
Duration	Brief, intermittent (minutes)	Persistent, continuous (hours or longer)
Consistency	Thin, clear, sometimes slightly foamy	Thick, stringy, foamy, discolored (yellow, brown, greenish), or bloody
Odor	Odorless or faint (like cat’s breath)	Foul, metallic, or unusual odor
Accompanying Symptoms	None, or positive behaviors (purring, kneading)	Lethargy, vomiting, appetite loss, pawing at mouth, difficulty swallowing, behavioral changes, hiding
Cat’s Demeanor	Relaxed, happy, content	Distressed, agitated, withdrawn, anxious, in pain
Trigger	Affection, excitement, anticipation of food	Sudden onset, after eating specific things, interaction with chemicals or objects, no clear trigger
Frequency	Occasional, context dependent	Frequent, unrelated to specific positive contexts
Volume	Small amount	Large, excessive amount

1. Notice that if your cat is drooling too much, then it’s abnormal drooling as normal drooling is for shorter time.
2. Look at drool if it’s smelly, thick and is yellow or red color, then it is abnormal drooling as normal drooling is watery and clear.
3. Look at your cats behavior, if it’s happy and relaxed while drooling then it is normal drooling but if you see that your dog is tired, sick, and not eating anything, then it’s not drooling normal.
4. Normal drooling occurs by itself, when the cat is happy or excited but if drooling occurs with vomiting, rubbing mouth with paws and not eating anything, then it means that its abnormal drooling.

The first step required is to watch for any changes in your beloved cat behavior and always making sure visiting a vet if you are in doubt or if your cat has signs of illness.

Personally, I faced the situation when my cat was drooling too much and was rubbing her mouth with her paws, i thought that it’s just normal drooling and didn’t took her to vet as I thought its nothing so serious, but later I found out that my cat was suffering from mouth infection. After that I learnt a lesson and now I always take my cat to a vet if I see that my cat is drooling strange.

 

When Drooling is Normal: Benign Behaviors and Situations

 Happy Droolers: Affection and Contentment

Drooling may also happen when you show love and affection to your cat, by doing this your cat brain sends message to its body to be relaxed and calm, thus it shows that there is a neurological connection between love and drooling which make them knead, purr and drool a little bit.

Examples: Making biscuits on a soft blanket, being petted, cuddling.

 

 

Anticipation and Excitement:

Your cat may drool for some time if he sees his food bowl, favorite meal coming or even can opener, even expecting about food can make them drool. Drooling when your cat is excited about food is similar to Pavlovian response in dogs where the dog get saliva even hearing about food.

Relaxation and Sleep:

Some cats may drool slightly when deeply relaxed or asleep, similar to humans. When cat sleeps deeply and is very relaxed so his mouth might be open a little bit from which drool can come out but its completely normal and nothing to worry about.

Car Rides or Vet Visits (Mild Stress):

 If drooling occurs during car rides or vet visits, it’s likely stress-related and shows that your cat is nervous. Discuss calming techniques (calming sprays) or mild sedatives (medicines) with your vet if stress is severe and frequent.

 

When Drooling is a Concern: Unpacking Medical Causes:

 Sometimes drooling is not normal and can be a sign that there is a problem in your cats body or health, there are many underlying conditions which causes excessive drooling in your cat. It can be serious health trouble and needs veterinary treatment.

The purpose of this information is to help you understand different types of drooling and its causes but it doesn’t mean to replace veterinary diagnosis and treatment. Seeking help from vet should be first priority.

Common Medical Causes of Abnormal Drooling:

 

Cause	Description	Accompanying Signs	Initial Action for Owner
Dental Disease	Pain, inflammation, or infection in teeth, gums, or mouth	Bad breath, pawing at mouth, difficulty eating, weight loss, visible tartar/red gums.	Schedule a vet visit for dental check-up.
Nausea/GI Issues	Upset stomach, motion sickness, IBD, swallowing something irritating.	Vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, decreased appetite, licking.	Monitor closely; if persistent, contact vet. Keep fresh water available.
Foreign Object/Injury	Something stuck in mouth/throat, cut, burn, or irritation.	Pawing at mouth, difficulty closing mouth, gagging (behaving like he’s going to throw up), refusal to eat, visible injury.	If safe, check mouth; otherwise, immediate vet visit.
Toxin Exposure	Eating poisonous plants, chemicals, human medications, toxic foods.	Vomiting, tremors, seizures, weakness, faint, dilated pupils.	Immediate emergency vet visit. Bring suspected toxin if possible.
Organ Disease	Kidney, liver, or other organ dysfunction leading to toxin buildup.	Increased thirst/urination, tiredness, decreased appetite, weight loss, vomiting.	Prompt vet visit for diagnosis and management.
Neurological Issues	Seizures, facial nerve damage, or other brain/nerve disorders.	Tremors, disorientation (feeling lost), weakness, imbalance, changes in behavior/consciousness.	Emergency vet visit.
Heatstroke	Overheating due to high temperatures or muscle strain.	Quickly breathing, bright red gums, tiredness, faint, vomiting.	Cool cat with wet towels/fan; immediately visit a vet.
Medication Side Effects	Reaction to a new medication, often due to taste or mild irritation.	Usually temporary, often occurs shortly after use of medications.	Consult vet if drooling is severe or persistent.

1. Dental Disease and Oral Issues:

 Drooling may also occur if your cat has any dental diseases and oral issues such as Gingivitis, periodontitis, broken teeth, abscesses, stomatitis.

1. Gingivitis: Gingivitis is a dental disease that involves swollen and red gums.
2. Periodontitis: Infection of gum that can cause teeth damage is called periodontitis, which may cause drooling.
3. Abscesses: When there are lumps near the teeth of your cat and is filled with pus causing pain, is called abscesses.
4. Stomatitis: When your cat whole mouth is sore and swallow, then that condition is called stomatitis, which may cause drooling.
5. Pain, infection, difficulty swallowing: If your cat is in pain, infected or faces difficulty in swallowing, then it might cause drooling. It may also cause bad breath, bleeding or even the food may fall from his mouth.

   Expert Tip

   Prioritize dental health: Regular dental check ups and at-home dental care (brushing, dental treats) are important to avoid dental disease, which is a common cause of drooling

    

2. Gastrointestinal Problems:

• Gastrointestinal problems may also lead to drooling in your cat. Gastrointestinal problems such as nausea ( stomach sickness), vomiting, acid reflux (acid coming upwards towards throat) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) where the intestine or stomach gets inflamed, these are some of the problems that may cause drooling in your cat.
• Motion sickness: Similar to people, cats also have motion sickness and may drool during traveling or car rides.

  Expert Tip

  Maintain a consistent diet: Sudden dietary changes can sometimes cause gastrointestinal upset leading to nausea and drooling. Introduce new foods gradually

   

3. Foreign Objects or Oral Injuries:

• Cat uses their mouth to explore the surrounding, if your cat chews or bites on sharp things or swallow something that gets stuck inside their teeth or mouth such as fishhooks, small bone, small piece of plant, it can hurt his mouth which may result in drooling.
• If a cat bites on electrical wire, it can burn his whole mouth due to which your cat may greatly suffer from pain, his mouth may get swallow and he might even drool excessively.

 

4. Toxin Exposure or Poisoning:

Your cat may drool if he licks or eats anything poisonous or toxic such as household cleaners, certain plants (e.g., lilies, philodendron), human medications, insecticides. Preventing your cat from exposure to toxic and poisonous things in the surrounding is very important for your cats health and for avoid drooling.

5. Organ Diseases:

If your cat is suffering from organ diseases such as kidney disease or liver disease then he might get sick due to accumulation of toxic and harmful substances in the body, which may lead to nausea and drooling.

6. Neurological Conditions:

If nervous system of your cat is not good, and suffers from seizures, damage facial nerve or certain brain disorders, then it may have impact on mouth movement and swallowing abilities of your cat, so as a result, it can make your cat greatly suffer from pain and may also cause drooling.

7. Heatstroke:

Heatstroke can attack on your cat especially in hot weather or if he is kept in hot places such as car or room that has no air flow. So, it may cause red gums, tiredness, breathing heavily and even excessively drooling in your cat.

8. Medication Side Effects:

Some oral medications can cause temporary drooling due to taste or mild irritation.

9. Tumors or Growths in the Mouth/Throat:

Lumps or growth of abnormal tissues (tumors) inside mouth or throat make it difficult for your cat to eat or swallow anything, even he cannot close and open his mouth properly. On the other hand if these growths touches or rubs against other parts of the mouth, then it may cause serious trouble for you and your cat which involves bleeding, bad breath, lot of pain and excessive drooling, so its important to immediately rush to a vet for professional treatment.

10. Infectious Diseases:

Infectious diseases may cause drooling. Rabies is infectious disease that is not common but is very dangerous. If your cat has rabies, then drooling is likely to happen. Immediately visit a vet if you suspected any infectious disease (rabies).

The Case of the Stringy Drool:

• Scenario:

Once a cat owner saw and noticed that his cat is excessively drooling that was long, sticky, excessive and has bad smell, so he brought his cat to vet, the cat was otherwise acting good like playing, eating and walking but the only thing he was doing was rubbing his mouth by its paws.

• Diagnosis:

The vet diagnosed and found out that string was stuck around the cat mouth after carefully opening his mouth, he saw that the string was going down the cat’s mouth.

• Resolution:

The vet preferred small surgery to carefully remove the string that was struck. After the string was removed, the cat stopped drooling and felt much better.

• Lesson:

Even common household items can become dangerous foreign objects.

 

Beyond Drool: Recognizing Accompanying Red Flag Symptoms:

 Being a responsible owner, you should carefully observe your cat because drooling just don’t happens alone, it might appear with other signs, so observation plays an important role in understanding the severity. If your cat is drooling and has other symptoms such as vomiting, tiredness, bleeding from mouth, rubbing his mouth with paws, it indicates that something is seriously wrong in his body that needs attention and vet visit.

What Else to Look for:

Always make sure to look for other symptoms when your cat is drooling because drooling alone is not very common.  Other signs and symptoms you should look for are listed below.

1. Oral Signs:

It means mouth problems of your cat and includes:

• Bad breath (halitosis).
• Swollen and red gums.
• Discolored or dirty teeth.
• Visible sores or cuts inside your cat mouth.
• Growth of tumor or any foreign object stuck inside the mouth.
• If your cat cannot properly eat and chew (dysphagia).
• Rubbing his mouth with paws.

2. Gastrointestinal Signs:

It is related to stomach problems, which includes:

• Diarrhea (loose motion).
• Constipation (no potty).
• No desire of eating anything or loss of appetite (anorexia)
• Decreased thirst.

3. Behavioral & General Health Signs:

• Lethargy or extreme tiredness.
• Hiding more than usual.
• Acting different such as getting too much angry, sometimes scared or getting quiet.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Changes in litter box habits. ( like peeing more than usual or less than usual or even peeing outside the box).

4. Neurological Signs:

• Disorientation (feeling lost, confused, no idea of where they are).
• Stumbling (falling).
• Tremors or movements that are not in control.
• Seizures

5. Respiratory Signs:

• Difficulty breathing.
• Coughing
• Sneezing

Urgent vs. Non-Urgent: When to Contact Your Vet

 

Red Flag Symptom	Description	Why It’s Serious	Action for Owner
Sudden, Excessive, Unexplained Drooling	Heavy drooling that starts quickly and continues without a clear positive trigger.	Can indicate sudden poisoning, foreign object, or severe nausea.	Immediate emergency vet visit.
Pawing at Mouth/Face	Cat repeatedly rubs or paws at its mouth, or acts distressed around its face.	Suggests pain, foreign object stuck, or severe dental issue.	Immediate vet visit.
Difficulty Breathing/Gagging	Struggling in breathing, open-mouthed breathing, coughing, or choking sounds.	Indicates airway obstruction, severe allergic reaction, or heart/lung issues.	Immediate emergency vet visit.
Lethargy/Weakness/Collapse	Cat is unusually tired, unresponsive, weak, or collapses.	Sign of severe illness, shock, organ failure, or poisoning.	Immediate emergency vet visit.
Vomiting/Diarrhea (especially with blood)	Continuously vomiting or diarrhea, particularly if blood is present.	Can indicate severe gastrointestinal distress, poisoning, or internal injury.	Immediate emergency vet visit.
Seizures/Disorientation	Uncontrolled muscle movements, loss of consciousness, confusion, not walking properly.	Indicates neurological emergency, severe toxin exposure, or metabolic problem.	Immediate emergency vet visit. Protect cat from injury during seizure.
Known Toxin Exposure	Witnessing cat ate a known toxic substance (plant, chemical, medication).	High risk of rapid and severe systemic effects (impact on overall health).	Immediate emergency vet visit. Bring packaging of suspected toxin if possible.

Note: If you are in doubt and confused, so feel free to call vet.

When to Call your Vet IMMEDIATELY (Emergency!):

As I clearly mentioned above that, there are two types of drooling normal and abnormal drooling. Normal drooling is nothing to worry about and is associated with positive interactions. Meanwhile, if your cat drools all of a sudden and is excessive without any cause, it means that his body is suffering from something which needs attention.

• It is important to call your vet immediately if you notice and see following symptoms:
• If your cat is having breathing problems such as difficulty in breathing, choking, gagging.
• Collapse (fainting).
• Has weakness and is not feeling fit.
• Disorientation (feeling lost or unconscious)
• Seizures
• Vomiting, especially if severe or blood is present.
• If you suspect that your cat has eaten something toxic or poisonous such as toxic plants, chemicals, medications.
• Visible injury to the mouth or severe bleeding.
• Inability to eat or drink.
• Signs of severe pain or distress.

 

When to Schedule a Non-Urgent Vet Visit:

Following symptoms doesn’t indicate emergency visit to vet, but still you should seek veterinary diagnosis soon.

• Drooling that is not heavy but is continuous without any clear reason.
• When your cat drool has bad smell and is suffering from teeth pain.
• Any new, strange symptom that last for more than 24 hours.
• If your cats starts drooling excessively and even without positive interaction. Indicating, that his drooling patters are changed.

These are some non-serious signs which still needs vet care.

When Home Monitoring May Be Okay:

These are the signs, if your cat shows it, you don’t have to worry at all and just need to keep an eye on him.

• When you see that drooling happens after positive interaction like when you show love and affection to your cat and stops when you don’t.
• If your vet has advised that after using specific medication, your cat might drool but that is temporary and stops after sometime.
• When you see that your cat is acting or behaving normal like playing, eating, drinking, sleeping well and has good litter box habits.

 

Navigating a Vet Visit: Diagnosis and Treatment:

 

Preparing for Your Appointment:

• Its helpful to gather all the details about your cat health before visiting the vet, because when you provide more information about your cat to the vet, it becomes easier for the vet to effectively diagnose the cause of the problem and provide treatment for it.
• Prepare for a vet visit: Jot down symptoms, duration, frequency, and any potential exposures before your appointment to help the vet with diagnosis.
• You need to provide detailed history of your cat like all the symptoms that you’ve noticed such as drooling, vomiting etc. and when it started.
• You need to notice the frequency of all the symptoms and provide it to the vet.
• Provide information related to your cat behavioral changes such as changed litter box habits, changes in eating patterns.
• If you can provide picture or videos of your cat drooling, it might be more helpful for diagnosis and treatment.
• Provide information to the vet, if you suspect that your cat has swallowed anything toxic such as plants, chemicals, medicines etc.

 

What to Expect at the Clinic:

Following are some of the steps that your vet might take if you take your cat for drooling or any strange symptoms:

• The vet might check inside of your cat mouth, to check if there is any teeth problem, there are sores or is there any foreign object stuck.
• The vet might check head and neck of your cat to see if there is any injury, pain or swelling.
• The vet may calmly press on the belly of your cat to see if there is any swallowing or irritation.
• It is likely that your vet might also check some vital signs of your cat including heart rate, temperature and rate of breathing.

 

Diagnostic Procedures:

The vet might suggests for some tests if he cannot provide diagnosis of your cat problem, these tests helps in finding out the major problem that is the cause of illness.

 

Diagnostic Method	Purpose	What It Involves
Physical Examination	First step to examine overall health, mouth problems and other symptoms.	Vet observes how your cat is acting overall, including his behavior, checks his teeth, gums, belly and feel his heart and lungs.
Blood Work (CBC, Chemistry)	Evaluates organ function (kidney, liver), presence of infection or inflammation, or any dehydration problem.	Small blood sample is analyzed taken from cat’s body to examine white and red blood cells, enzymes and much more.
Urinalysis	Examine kidney function, presence of infection, or metabolic problems.	Urine sample collected (via catheter, cystocentesis, or free catch) and is examined for various signs of diseases.
Oral Examination (Sedated)	Thorough examination of teeth, gums, tongue, back of throat, and oral tissues.	The cat is sedated or anesthetized so that the vet checks overall mouth’s health without hurting or stressing the cat.
X-rays (Radiographs)	It shows bones, internal organs, and checks for foreign objects or masses (lumps or sores).	Cat is positioned for images on a x-ray table, it may require sedation to keep the cat still and to get clear views/pictures of your cat’s body.
Ultrasound	Provides detailed images of soft tissues and internal organs.	Painless procedure using sound waves to create real-time images of abdominal organs for identification of abnormalities.
Biopsy/Cytology	Obtains tissue or cell samples for microscopic examination to see if it is harmless or harmful.	Small tissue sample (biopsy) or cell collection (cytology) taken from lumps/sores or any abnormal growth for lab analysis.

1. Blood work (CBC, chemistry panel):

It’s a blood test in which small amount of blood is taken from the cats neck or leg, It helps in finding out if your cat has organ problem, dehydration or has any infection.

2. Urinalysis:

It’s a urine test in which small sample of your cat urine is tested, it is done to check if cat has any kidney or bladder problem.

3. Imaging (X-rays, ultrasound):

Imaging techniques is one of the effective way through which a vet may get to know the problem inside your cat body, It is helpful as it identifies if there any lumps or abnormal growth such as tumors, Identifies organ problems and even any foreign object that is stuck inside the cat body.

4. Dental examination:

If your vet suspects that your cat drooling is due to dental problems, then he might perform dental examination, in which he may check back teeth, gums and see under the tongue carefully but all this is done after putting your cat on light sleep (sedation) so that your cat remains still and is not harmed.

5. Swabs or biopsies:

These are the tests that helps to identify the cause of strange symptoms.

• The vet gently rubs the swab inside the cats mouth which is like a small stick or cotton bud. It collects pus, discharge or cells from the cats mouth, which are then tested in the laboratory to see if there are any infections from which your cat may be suffering.
• Biopsy means that the vet might take a small sample of tissue from sore or lump (abnormal growth) to check that if, it is harmful or harmless.

 

All tests are not always necessary, the vet may only conduct tests that are necessary based on your cat’s health condition. Sometimes, the vet makes diagnosis in just a few simple clinical checkups. The first priority is always to keep your cat happy, comfortable and safe and make accurate diagnosis without stressing you and your cat!

Treatment Approaches (Based on Diagnosis):

Identifying the cause of your cat disease is very important, because treatment is given based on the cause of the disease. Such as if the disease is caused by bacteria then antibiotics may be given by the vet or if the drooling is caused by any foreign thing stuck inside your cat mouth or body, then the vet will try to remove that thing first, to stop the drooling.

Following are some of the examples:

1. Dental Issues:

If your vet examines that drooling is caused by dental issues such as dirty teeth, damage teeth or gums problem, then he may

• Professionally clean the dirty teeth.
• Remove the damaged teeth causing drooling.
• If the vet sees that there is any infection, then he may recommend antibiotics.

2. Gastrointestinal:

Gastrointestinal issues are related to the problems of stomach. If vet examines that drooling is caused by stomach problems, then he may

• Give Anti-nausea medication to your cat.
• Might suggest some changes in your cat diet.
• Recommend intake of fluids if your cat is dehydrated.

3. Foreign Object:

If the vet suspect that anything stuck inside the cats mouth or body is causing drooling such as toy or string, then he may

• Manually remove the object from your cats mouth.
• Prefer endoscopy, it’s a procedure in which a vet uses thin tube with tiny camera attached to see inside of cat body, without performing surgery.
• Perform surgery if the foreign object stuck is not easy to remove manually.

4. Toxin Exposure:

If the cause of your cat drooling is because that he ate something toxic such as toxic houseplant, cleaning products, human medicines or chemicals, then the vet may

• Give activated charcoal to your cat as it doesn’t let the poison spread. Activated charcoal absorbs the toxin in the stomach.
• Provide supportive care to the cat such as oxygen or fluids.
• Give special antidotes of specific poisons if available, as it acts as rescue medicine and revers the effect of poison.

I personally faced the situation, when my cat was drooling too much and was rubbing his mouth with its paws. At first I had no idea but then i realized that this drooling started right after when I sprayed insect killing spray on the floor and my cat licked it. After taking my cat to the hospital, I discussed it with vet, the vet gave her activated charcoal to reduce the spreading

5. Organ Disease:

If your cat has any organ disease such as liver or kidney problem etc. then the vet might suggest,

• Giving medicines to your cat for the improvement of organ functioning.
• Some changes in diet of your cat.
• Intake of fluids, so that your cat remains hydrated throughout.

6. Other:

Keep in mind that treatment is always according to cause of the problem. Here are some of the examples;

• Antibiotics may be given, if your cat has infection.
• If your cat has pain or inflammation, then there are other medicines for it.
• If there is tumor or lumps found, then it is surgically removed.

Keep in mind that every cat gets different treatment from the other one based on its heath condition and the cause of the disease.

Proactive Care: Preventing Drooling and Promoting Feline Health

 

Preventative Measure	Description	Benefits for Feline Health
Regular Dental Care	Daily tooth brushing with enzymatic toothpaste, dental treats, professional cleanings.	Prevents dental disease (gingivitis, periodontitis), reduces pain, prevents systemic infections.
Cat-Proofing Your Home	Removing toxic plants, securing chemicals, medications, small ingestible items.	Prevents accidental poisoning, foreign body ingestion, and oral injuries.
Balanced, Consistent Diet	Feeding a high-quality, vet-approved diet appropriate for age and health.	Supports overall health, aids digestion, reduces risk of GI upset and associated nausea.
Fresh Water Access	Ensuring constant availability of clean, fresh water in multiple locations.	Promotes hydration, supports kidney function, helps flush toxins.
Routine Vet Check-ups	Annual (yearly) or semi-annual (6 months) wellness exams and preventative care.	Early detection of underlying health issues, vaccinations, parasite control.
Stress Management	Providing safe spaces, enrichment, pheromone diffusers, consistent routines.	Reduces stress-induced drooling and behavioral issues, improves overall well-being.

Beyond the Drool: A Holistic Guide to Feline Oral Health and Overall Well-being:

As you have heard that prevention is better than cure, It means that many causes of drooling can be cured with proper and effective home care and with regular veterinary check-ups.

Following are some of the measures that you can use to prevent drooling in your beloved cat.

1. Excellent Oral Hygiene:

• Brushing your cat teeth with cat-specific toothpaste and toothbrush may prevent drooling in your cat.
• Provide dental treats and dental-specific diets that are approved from VOHC (veterinary oral health council). These food are designed specially to remove or reduce plaque or tartar from your cat teeth and make them clean.
• When your vet recommends it, you should get regular professional dental cleanings for your cats overall health.

2. Safe Home Environment:

• If you want to keep your beloved cat fit and healthy, it is recommended to create safe home environment. You can do this by keeping your cat out of reach from toxic house plants, any chemicals (cleaning detergents, Sprays etc.), human medications or medicines that are not of yours cat and always make sure to keep small toys or any small thing away from your cat sight, so that he don’t swallow it.
• Choose and get toys for your cat that are safe and which your cat cant swallow, avoid getting small toys for your cat as it can be swallowed by your cat and may cause drooling and other health issues.

3. Balanced Diet and Hydration:

You can prevent drooling in your cat by:

• Giving him balanced and high quality cat food that is appropriate for your cat life stage (health and age).
• Make sure that your cat is well hydrated and has access to fresh and clean water.

4. Regular Veterinary Check-ups:

• For the sake of your beloved cat health, its important to take him for veterinary checkup once a year for complete health examination, but if your cat is older, then its recommended to take him more often for veterinary checkups like after 6 months.
• Make sure that your cat is vaccinated and provide regular treatment to protect him from parasites. (worms, fleas, ticks etc.)

5. Stress Reduction:

Reducing stress can be effective in preventing drooling:

• Familiarity reduces stress, always make sure to create familiar and routine with your cat, like play, feed and care for your cat on the same time every day, when their day is predictable they feel safe and comfortable because they know what will happen next.
• Provide cat with his favorite and fun toys, so your cat can feel happy by playing with it.
• Make sure to provide safe space for your cat so that he can hide or rest in it, you can make safe place by covering a box with soft blanket, so your cat feels comfortable and can be in peace.
• If you notice that your cat is stressed out from a long time, you can use pheromone diffusers, these are they sprays that releases soothing scents and when your cat smells it, he may become calm and relaxed but these can only be smelled by cats not you.

6. Monitoring and Observation:

Regularly observe your cat’s eating habits, mouth, and general behavior. If you see something not good, you should immediately call the vet.

Prevention is a key to long-term overall health of your cat. Taking careful steps before the starting of problem is always better than being reactive. Always try to be proactive, this will make yours and your cat’s life comfortable and peaceful.

Essential Resources for Cat Owners:

As being a responsible cat owner, its obligatory and very crucial to take care of your cat when they feel off or sick or if they are drooling or has any other mouth issues, here are some of the resources that are reliable, trusted, safe and approved from experts, they can guide you well about your cats health.

1. AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association):

This site is trusted by many vets. It provides in depth and clear information about yours cats drooling and overall health.

You can visit the website by clicking on this link www.avma.org

2. ASPCA Animal Poison Control:

It is one of the top cat health center, it gives information about what is poisonous to cats and guides what to do in times of emergencies.

Here is the link to the website www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control

3. Cornell Feline Health Center:

This is one of trusted health center by many vets. It provide advices from experts related to your cat issues including drooling, mouth problems and overall health of your cat.

Here is the link to the website www.vet.cornell.edu

4. PetMD Cat Symptom Checker:

This is trusted website where you can check your cat’s symptoms and get possible causes for it.

You can visit the website by clicking on this website www.petmd.com/symptom-checker/cat

5. Red Cross Cat First Aid App:

This is a free app that provides first aid tips for you cat problems or any cat emergencies.

Red Cross App Info

The above listed organizations are reputable, approved by vets, that can guide you on every aspect related to your cat’s health.

Helpful tools for cat owners:

1. Oral Hygiene Tools:

• Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Toothpaste.
• Petosan Dental Microfiber Toothbrush.
• These are essential for at-home dental care and prevents your cat from dental diseases by cleaning its teeth clean.

2. Dental Health Chews/Treats:

• Greenies Dental Treats for Cats.
• Various VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) approved dental diets. It Helps reduce tartar buildup through mechanical abrasion or specific ingredients. Look for VOHC seal to know its of good quality.

3. Pet First Aid Kit Essentials:

It is necessary to keep first aid kit at home, as its helpful in times of emergencies. Following are some of the essentials:

• Activated charcoal (vet-approved): Activated charcoal is used when cats eats something toxic as it reduces the spreading of poison by absorbing it.
• Sterile gauze, self-adhering bandage: It helps in small wounds.
• Antiseptic wipes: These are helpful for cleaning injuries.
• Syringe: It helps in giving oral medications to your beloved cat.
• Thermometer: Thermometer helps in checking of your cat body temperature.
• Pet-safe wound cleaner: It is pet safe and is gentle and helps in cleaning wound.

 

These tools are important for managing minor injuries or initial stabilization in emergencies before reaching the vet. Veterinarian’s contact info (keep your vet emergency number with yourself and contact him in times of emergencies, always consult your vet before administering any medication).

4. Pet Carrier:

Use hard-sided, secure and well ventilated carrier, as it ensures safety and stress free space for your cat during vet visits especially during emergencies.

5. Cat-Safe Household Cleaning Products List:

• ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants List:

Some cleaning products, human medicines or food or even plants can be toxic for your cat, but unfortunately many dog owners doesn’t have knowledge about which plant is toxic and which one is safe, so that you can keep it in your home and avoid the one that is toxic, but you don’t have to worry here is the website ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List. It provides information about which plant is toxic and which is safe, so you can help your cat in avoiding many diseases.

• Pet Poison Helpline:

Pet poison helpline gives you information about several things that can be poison for your cat including chemicals, medicines of human, cleaning products or foods etc. so that you can avoid it and keep your cat out of reach from it.  It also gives information about what steps to take if your cat accidently eats something that is toxic.

• Vet-recommended cleaner brands:

 While many cleaning products are not safe for pets but still there are some cleaner brands that are safe for your cat. Always, keep an eye and read the labels that say something like:

“This specific product is pet-safe, is non-toxic and is vet approved”

• Use cleaner brands that are recommended by vets.

6. Pet heaIth insurance:

Pet health insurance helps in paying vet bills, if your cat gets sick or needs treatment. You pay small amount of fee monthly and if something bad happens with your pet and needs more money for treatment then pet health insurance covers most of it. It helps in reducing stress from you related to fees requirements.  Ensure finding suitable pet insurance plans to help cover unexpected veterinary costs, including emergencies.

• Comparing Pet Insurance:

Pet insurance comparison tools helps in comparing different insurances. These tools helps in comparing prices, coverage and different companies reviews, so this helps in finding out pet health insurance that meets your budget and your cats needs. Some of the trusted and reliable comparison tools are:

• Pawlicy Advisor.
• Pet Insurance Review.
• Compare Pet Insurance.

 

Conclusion: 

Understanding the difference between normal and abnormal drooling is important as normal drooling is caused by positive interactions and is completely harmless and on the other side abnormal drooling is caused by sickness, mouth problems and other cat diseases and is very harmful. Always make sure to notice all the symptoms of your cat and if you feel that something is off, then don’t hesitate and immediately call the vet.

You can help your cat by carefully observing his behavior and noticing all the symptoms that your cat has, and taking him to vet timely, if something bad happens with your cat. Your quick response plays a significant role in long term health of your beloved cat.

As being a responsible cat owner, if your cat has any unusual or strange symptom and is not feeling good, then you should take your cat for veterinary diagnosis right away, so that your cat condition gets better as soon as possible.

 

We have tried our best to provide trusted, accurate and vet approved information to you, but remember, every cat is different from other one, so it’s important consulting your vet for advices and recommendations that meet your cat needs.