You're petting your cat, they're purring away, and then you feel it—a wet spot on your leg. Or maybe you find a little puddle of saliva where they were napping. Cat drooling can range from a cute, quirky habit to the first red flag of a serious health crisis. The hard part is knowing which is which. Let's cut through the confusion. Most drooling falls into one of seven categories, and your job is to spot the clues that tell you which one you're dealing with.
What’s Inside This Guide
- The 7 Main Reasons Cats Drool
- The Dental Problem Deep Dive
- Red Flags: When Drooling is an Emergency
- What to Expect at the Vet
- Safe Checks You Can Do at Home
The 7 Main Reasons Cats Drool (From Harmless to Critical)
Not all drool is created equal. Context is everything. Here’s the breakdown, moving from “no big deal” to “call the vet now.”
| Cause | Typical Signs & Context | Urgency Level |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Contentment & Purring | Mild, occasional drooling during intense purring, kneading, or cuddling. Cat is completely relaxed, eyes half-closed. Stops when activity stops. | Low - Normal for some cats |
| 2. Nausea & Upset Stomach | Often precedes vomiting. Cat may lick lips, swallow frequently, seem restless or hunched. Can be from hairballs, dietary indiscretion, or systemic illness. | Medium to High - Find the cause |
| 3. Dental & Oral Disease | #1 medical cause. Look for bad breath, pawing at mouth, difficulty eating, red/inflamed gums, or visible tartar. The American Veterinary Dental College states most cats show signs by age 3. | High - Requires professional care |
| 4. Foreign Object | Sudden onset. Cat may gag, retch, paw frantically at mouth. A piece of string, bone, or plant material could be lodged. | Emergency - Immediate vet care |
| 5. Trauma or Mouth Injury | Drool may be blood-tinged. Could be from a fall, fight, or chewing on something sharp. Check for broken teeth, cuts on tongue/gums. | High - Needs assessment |
| 6. Toxin or Poison Exposure | Sudden, excessive drooling (often thick). Accompanied by other neurological signs: vomiting, wobbliness, seizures, lethargy. Common culprits: lilies, human meds, certain cleaners. | Absolute Emergency - No wait |
| 7. Underlying Systemic Illness | Chronic drooling paired with other symptoms. Kidney disease (increased thirst), liver issues (jaundice), respiratory infections (congestion). Acts as a secondary symptom. | High - Diagnostic workup needed |
That table is your first reference point. Now, let's get into the nuances you won't find in most basic lists.
The Dental Problem Deep Dive: It's Almost Always the Mouth
If your cat is drooling and it's not clearly from pure bliss, put dental issues at the top of your suspect list. It's staggeringly common. Here’s what vets see most often:
Gingivitis and Periodontal Disease
Plaque buildup leads to inflamed, red, painful gums. The saliva production increases, sometimes as the body's response to pain and inflammation. The drool might have a slightly metallic or foul smell if there's infection present.
Tooth Resorption
This is a huge one that cat owners often miss. These are painful lesions that erode the tooth, often starting at the gum line where you can't see them. The cat drools because it hurts, but they often continue to eat because they're hungry, leading owners to think nothing's wrong. A study cited by Cornell Feline Health Center suggests over half of adult cats will have at least one.
Oral Masses or Ulcers
Lumps, bumps, or severe ulcers (like from calicivirus or kidney disease) can irritate the mouth, triggering drooling. These require a vet's hands and eyes to diagnose.
The takeaway? A dental exam is non-negotiable for persistent drooling.
Red Flags: When Drooling Means "Go to the Vet NOW"
Don't second-guess yourself with these combinations. Time matters.
- Difficulty Breathing: Open-mouth breathing, wheezing, blue-tinged gums.
- Neurological Signs: Stumbling, head tilt, seizures, sudden blindness, extreme lethargy/unresponsiveness.
- Suspected Poison Ingestion: You saw them chew a lily leaf, get into medication, etc. Contact ASPCA Animal Poison Control or your vet on the way.
- Trauma: Hit by car, fell from height, got in a fight with significant injury.
- Profuse, Non-stop Drooling: Soaking their chest fur, creating puddles.
What to Expect at the Vet: Be Your Cat's Advocate
You've decided to go. Good. Here’s how the visit will likely unfold, so you can be prepared.
1. The History: The vet will ask detailed questions. Be ready with answers: When did it start? Is it constant or intermittent? Is the drool thin or thick? Any change in appetite, water intake, or litter box habits? Did you notice any bad breath or pawing at the face?
2. The Physical Exam: They'll check your cat's vital signs and then do a very careful oral exam. This often needs to be gentle, as a painful cat won't cooperate. They're looking for plaque, red gums, broken teeth, ulcers, and foreign objects.
3. The Next Steps: Based on the exam, they may recommend:
- Dental Cleaning & X-rays: The gold standard for diagnosing hidden dental disease. Requires anesthesia.
- Bloodwork & Urinalysis: To screen for underlying diseases like kidney failure or diabetes.
- Imaging: X-rays or ultrasound if a foreign object in the digestive tract or a mass is suspected.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. “What's the most likely cause based on what you see?” “What are we ruling out with this test?”
Safe Checks You Can Do at Home (And What to Avoid)
Before you panic, do a safe, calm assessment.
- Observe from a distance first. Watch their behavior: Are they eating? Drinking? Grooming normally?
- Do a smell test. Gently bring your face near theirs (if they allow). Foul odor? That's a big clue.
- Offer a favorite treat. Watch how they chew. Do they drop it? Chew on one side only? Hesitate?
- Gently lift the lip. In a calm cat, you can look for obvious redness, swelling, or broken teeth. Don't force it.
And here's the critical “don't.”
DO NOT stick your fingers deep into a drooling, potentially painful cat's mouth to “feel around.” You could get badly bitten, push a foreign object deeper, or cause more injury. Your job is to gather clues, not perform surgery.
Drooling is a symptom, not a diagnosis. It's your cat's way of signaling that something is off, from “I'm utterly blissed out” to “I am in crisis.” By understanding the seven main causes and learning to spot the accompanying signs, you move from a worried pet owner to a prepared caregiver. Start with observation, use the table as your guide, and when in doubt, let a professional take a look. Your cat’s comfort—and health—depends on you reading the signs correctly.
January 20, 2026
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