It can always happen that cats drool. Most of the time there is no reason to worry. However, in some cases, cat drooling can also be due to health issues. Find out below what it means when your cat drools and when you should be concerned about the well-being of your four-legged friend.
Key facts at a glance
- When a cat is drooling, it often just means she’s completely relaxed.
- In some cases, dental problems, colds and cat flu can also lead to increased salivation.
- If the drooling occurs along with symptoms such as vomiting, tremors, and apathy, the cat may have been poisoned.
- If in doubt, a veterinarian should always be consulted to determine the cause of the cat’s drooling.
Drooling in cats as a sign of relaxation
In many cases, cats drool simply because they are feeling particularly good and completely relaxed. This is very often the case, for example, when cuddling with their owner.
As long as you do not notice any other possible symptoms of the disease, there is no reason to worry. Because your cat’s drooling just shows that she enjoys being with you.
Drooling in cats as a symptom of dental disease
Unfortunately, excessive salivation is not always harmless. If your cat is drooling, it could also mean that she has a health problem. This can be seen, among other things, from the fact that she not only drools when we are cuddling, but also in other situations.
Above all, problems with the teeth, such as gingivitis, tooth decay and tartar, can sometimes also make themselves felt in a cat through increased drooling. Other signs of dental problems include discoloration, bad breath, and red and swollen gums.
If your cat drools frequently and you also notice other abnormalities such as redness and bad breath, we recommend that you consult a veterinarian. Because dental problems are often associated with severe pain and should therefore be remedied as soon as possible.
Drooling in cats as a side effect of a cold
A cold is another possible cause that can cause a cat to drool excessively. As a rule, this can be easily recognized by other typical cold symptoms such as coughing and sneezing, exhaustion, loss of appetite as well as a runny nose and watery eyes.
Basically, a cold in cats can be cured quite easily with a few days of rest and a pleasantly warm place to sleep. However, sometimes symptoms such as runny nose and drooling are the result of a cat flu infection.
Although the term cold sounds harmless, cat flu is a serious illness that should not be taken lightly. For this reason, we recommend that you consult a veterinarian in case of suspicion, who will treat your drooling cat with antibiotics if necessary.
Poisoning can cause drooling in cats
In addition to the causes mentioned, poisoning can also cause your cat to drool. Possible causes of poisoning are, for example, the administration of unsuitable medication, eating food poisonous to cats or the consumption of parts of a poisonous plant.
Poisoning is not only noticeable in cats through drooling, but above all through cramps, tremors, diarrhea and vomiting, shortness of breath and restlessness. Be aware that poisoning is always a case for the vet.
The options available to you for first aid are very limited. For this reason, in the event of possible poisoning, the primary concern is to bring your four-legged friend to the veterinary practice as quickly as possible.
Our conclusion on the subject of drooling in cats
Luckily, in the vast majority of cases, a cat’s drooling is nothing to worry about. Usually this is just a sign of a particularly relaxed and happy cat.
In combination with other symptoms, however, it can also indicate health problems such as dental disease, cat flu or even poisoning. In this case, you cannot avoid taking your drooling cat to the vet.