Why Is My Cat Drooling?

Drooling (ptyalism) in cats is fundamentally different from drooling in dogs. While many dogs drool as a normal breed trait, cats typically don't — so drooling in a cat almost always means something is wrong.

The one well-known exception is "happy drooling" — some cats drool when they're extremely relaxed, usually while purring and kneading. If your cat has always drooled during cuddle time and is otherwise healthy, this is a harmless idiosyncrasy. But if this is new behavior, investigate.

Dental disease is the #1 cause of pathological drooling in cats. Feline dental conditions include periodontal disease, tooth resorption (FORL — a painful condition unique to cats where the body dissolves its own teeth), and stomatitis (severe oral inflammation). Cats with dental pain often drool, drop food, eat on one side, or paw at their mouth.

Nausea from any cause triggers drooling. Cats who are nauseated (from kidney disease, liver disease, GI problems, or medication) will often drool, lip-lick, and have a decreased appetite before actually vomiting.

Toxic plant ingestion is a common cause of sudden drooling. Lilies cause drooling followed by potentially fatal kidney failure. Dieffenbachia and philodendron cause immediate oral pain and drooling from calcium oxalate crystals.

Oral foreign bodies (string caught around the tongue is a classic) and oral tumors also cause drooling and should be checked for.