Salivation is a normal function of the digestive system of animals, it is necessary for the digestion of food. Typically, the owner does not notice an increase in cat saliva separation that occurs before and during meals.
This becomes visible during nervous excitement or if the room where the animal is located is too wet or hot. This is all normal for cats, and in this case there is usually nothing to worry about. Salivation may also
increase when traveling in a car, eating certain foods, or taking medication. All these episodes pass as soon as the annoying factor ceases to act.
However, if the cat is drooling in other situations, this suggests that salivation is increased due to pathological reasons. It can be both problems with the digestive system, and completely different diseases. Let us consider in more detail what are the reasons that the cat is drooling.
With diseases of the oral cavity this happens very often. Salivation causes injuries, inflammation, swelling of the oral cavity, including pathologies of the salivary glands themselves, and dental diseases. Gastritis and liver disease sometimes cause a cat to drool from his mouth. When foreign bodies enter the throat and esophagus the cat has difficulty swallowing, including saliva. As a result, it stands out.
The cat also salivates for diseases accompanied by vomiting and nausea: it can be infections, poisoning with household chemicals, sour food, poisonous plants and other toxins. Cats sometimes lick the medicinal products applied to it for external use from the coat, including tick and flea sprays. Medicines can cause salivation both due to direct irritation of the oral mucosa, and as a result of a general toxic effect.
Finally, rabies is a serious illness in which a cat is drooling. Moreover, it is fatal and can be transmitted to humans. The pet will also have other symptoms: aggression, a change in habitual behavior, water and photophobia, appetite disorders, cramps, impaired coordination.
Usually, in diseases, in addition to excessive saliva, there are other symptoms - in the aggregate, they form a clinical picture of the disease. If salivation lasts more than half an hour, it is better to consult a veterinarian to diagnose pathology and help the animal.
The doctor will do tests for viral infections and other diagnostic tests, evaluate liver function by biochemical blood counts.
They begin therapy with getting rid of the main cause that caused increased salivation, after which this phenomenon disappears.
For some problems, you can try to help the cat yourself. If a foreign body is stuck in her throat, and it is visible when opening her mouth, you can try to remove it with your hands or tweezers. After you need to treat the oral cavity with a disinfectant solution (for example, potassium permanganate). In cases where the pet has minor damage to the oral mucosa, you can lubricate them with Lugol's solution.