We sometimes tend to drool when we sleep, resulting in a wet spot on our pillow when we wake up. Similarly, you may have noticed your feline friend drooling in different scenarios, be it sleeping or when they are happy.
Most research shows that cat drooling is perfectly normal; it is a mark of a healthy relationship. What is not common is when your cat excessively drool. In that case, you may want to find out what is happening to your cat.
Why Do Cats Drool?
Hence, here we have compiled a guide of 7 reasons why cats drool.
1) Your Cat is Happy
This is one of the significant reasons why about 40% of cats drool because when you are caressing their fur, they enjoy your touch. To depict that enjoyment, they might start to slightly drool, giving you the signal that they are incredibly relaxed. So, the next time you see your cat drooling, it may encourage you to caress them for a longer time. After all, this is a sign of a healthy relationship between a pet and the owner. However, the majority of the cats do not usually drool during petting sessions.
2) Your cat is asleep
Just like when you are having the best sleep of your lives, the proof of it is when you have had a wet spot on your pillow, indicating that you might have been drooling. A similar behavior asks in cats as well. Just like when they are happy, cats can drool when they are asleep, which depicts that they are relaxed and in a deep sleep. That is why the next time you see your cat drooling in their sleep, you can feel content in the fact that they are completely relaxed.
3) Your cat is suffering from Sickness.
This is one of the major causes of why cats drool. The thing is, it is not common in cats to drool. According to Ethan Nunnally, cats drool when they are experiencing pain, the DVM of Large and Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Animal Health Center of Iowa. This can result from having gum disease, abscessed teeth, stomatitis, or inflammation in the mouth or lips. With that said, if there is inflammation, that means your cat is suffering from a mouth infection.
If you believe even 1% in the probability of this reason as the case for why your cats drool, then you should immediately take them to a vet.
4) Your cat has Consumed Something That Tastes Bad or is Poisonous.
Usually, if cats have eaten something poisonous, has a sour taste, or has become stale, they can start drooling. The drooling is part of their body’s way of getting rid of the flavor from their mouth. This is kind of like when you take a sour-tasting medicine, and you get rid of the taste by gargling or drinking water. Well, cats can’t gargle, and they don’t drink water in this case; what they do is they start drooling. Even in such circumstances, you should take your cat to a vet.
5) Your Cat is Experiencing Anxiety
Cats do not like change, and you may have noticed that very well when getting a new pet or taking your cat to the vet. Especially during trips to the animal health care center, when you place your cat in a carrier and transport them, they can freak out. That visible reaction triggers their drooling, especially during car rides when their anxiety levels increase, resulting in their saliva glands working overtime.
If such a situation occurs, you can wait out the time because your cat will stop drooling once the car ride ends or if they are released from their carrier.
6) Something is stuck in Your Cat’s Mouth or Throat.
Often if you have a garden or plants and you let your cat stay near them, it is possible they could have consumed a leaf or any plant part that is stuck in their mouth or their esophagus. Since your cat cannot get rid of it and cannot swallow it, their body’s response would be to make them drool because the saliva glands are collecting, and they cannot get swallowed.
If that is the case with your cat, you need to take them to the vet immediately.
7) Your Cat is Afraid
Your cat may be afraid of something. It could be the nearness or sounds of a dog, of another cat that may attack them, of the fear of getting a needle (which is accurate, and that is why cats struggle and need to be held by two people when getting a drip). Hence, if your cat is afraid, you may notice them drooling excessively. So what can you do to rectify this condition?
Simply get them away from whatever has triggered their fear and wait for some time while you are petting them. Once your cat starts feeling safe, its drooling will automatically stop.
Our Final Thoughts
No matter the reason your cats drool, always visit a vet because chances are your cat is suffering through something, and it can cause them additional pain if not picked up in the early stages.
However, if your cat is drooling out of happiness or they are naturally droolers, you can put a washcloth or tissue paper under their mouth so the flooring, carpeting, or sofa covers do not get stained. Hopefully, this guide has given you an idea of how to look for the causes behind why cats drool and the appropriate actions that should be taken to deal with their drooling.
