Dear Dr. John,
I have two five-year-old cats, and they were just given clean bills of health. A few days after the vet visit, one of them started drooling a lot and shaking its head. It stopped for a week and has just started up again. I almost feel silly calling my vet when we were just there, so I write to ask what could the possible causes be? The cat is still eating, acting normal otherwise, and still roughhousing with his brother. Could it be something in the food or a tooth problem that just developed after the visit to the vet? M.B.
Dear M.B.,
There are many reasons why a cat drools a lot and even though your cats were just examined recently, things can change in a matter of a day. The most common cause for cat drooling is dental disease. This can mean a painful tooth, food or something stuck between two teeth, gum disease or irritation. In the rough play between the two, there may also have been some mild trauma to the mouth. The fact that the drooling resolved for a week and started again could mean that it will pass but if it persists much longer or recurs again, I would have your cat evaluated again.
There are also other reasons why a cat might drool excessively. Sniffing a strong odor may cause a cat to drool as can stress. If you have any flowers or plants in the home, be sure that the cat is not chewing any of them as it can cause drooling or even ulcers in the mouth. Strangely enough, cats can also drool for many other reasons including being excited or very happy. Even certain medications can make cats drool.
One other cause is nausea. Even though your cat may still be eating, he may have some nausea issues that may need to be diagnosed as to the cause and have it treated appropriately. In short, there are so many causes for the drooling and if it continues then your veterinarian should take a look. If you do end up taking the cat in, you may want to take photos or videos of the drooling for the doctor to see as it may provide some clues. Good luck!
Dr. John de Jong is President of the World Veterinary Association. He owns and operates the Boston Mobile Veterinary Clinic and can be reached at 781-899-9994.