My cat has blood in his drool and won't eat. What should I do?

He needs to be seen by a veterinarian. He looks like he really doesn't feel well from the photo. The red spots on the tongue could be ulcerations (due to a toxin ingestion or kidney disease for example) or they could be cancer (very common in cats). This is not something you can fix at home. Please get him to a vet as soon as you can. Best wishes.

Bob is a very handsome boy! From your pictures, he actually looks swollen to me under his jaw line, which could be his lymph nodes. These could be swollen due to an infection, such as a severe dental problem. That could also cause him to cough and sputter. It also isn't normal that his mouth is hanging open. Given that this has been going on for a couple of days and the appearance of the swelling of his jaw line, it would be best that he is seen by a vet as soon as possible. The vet can diagnose what is causing his symptoms so he can be treated. Please take him into a vet now.

I am so sorry Boxer is having a problem. I don't see Boxer's age listed, and some possible causes are more likely in older cats; but I will answer as though we are answering for a cat of any age. (If Boxer is 8 months old, for example, I"m not terribly worried about cancer). If the blood and fluid is, indeed, coming from his airways, I would be concerned that he may have a severe allergic bronchitis or asthma, tracheal irritation resulting from an frequent heavy cough, or he may have pneumonia, lung cancer, or even heart failure. The other possibility is that the blood and drool may be coming directly from the mouth, and we are incidentally seeing it come out when he coughs. Take a peek in his mouth as much as he will let you (but don't risk getting bit!). Severe gingivitis, cancerous oral tumors, or a diseased tooth could all result in intermittent bleeding from the gums. Regardless, get Boxer in to see your vet so he can do an exam. X-rays of his chest will likely be recommended and will help your veterinarian determine the next steps in both diagnosis and in treatment. If heart disease is suspected, an echocardiogram (sonogram of the heart) and starting heart meds may be recommended. If asthma or allergic issues are suspected as the cause for the cough, a steroid may be recommended. Your vet will be able t help you decide the best path moving forward to see if Boxer can get some relief from this cough. I hope thats helpful for you! Thanks or asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Bad breath and inflammed gums in an older cat can be caused by gingivitis or stomatitis. This is a severe inflammatory disease caused by a reaction of the body's immune system to plaque on their teeth. It is extremely painful. I would recommend that Snowball be checked out by a veterinarian for treatment before it gets worse. If Snowball is a young cat or kitten, then there may be another cause, like oral trauma from eating something or an infected tooth. All of these should also be evaluated by a vet as soon as possible before they have a chance to get worse.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At this point this would warrant reevaluation. This could be something else such as a mass which is why it has not resolved or perhaps an abscess that is not sensitive to the antibiotics that were used. Your veterinarian can reevaluate this and treat according to that. Good luck and have a great day!

I would be most suspicious of a calicivirus infection causing these signs. Calicivirus is a vaccine preventable disease that is mostly seen with kittens. This virus will cause ulcers in the mouth, which will cause it to bleed a little. This disease is often self-limiting, but can cause severe ulcers in certain cases, so it will definitely be good for the vet to check them in the next day or two. It's likely not an emergency though, so they should be fine to wait until then. I hope that helps and all is well with the cats.

Oh poor Peeka! Thanks for entrusting us with her health today. The clinical signs you describe while general and not necessarily specific, they indicate at least 2 things: nausea and possibly pain. There are certain diseases that can cause these signs such as pancreatitis and GI foreign body ingestion. These are only a few possibilities. I highly recommend that you have Peeka evaluated by your veterinarian so that a diagnostic plan can be formulated based on her physical examination. This will likely include bloodwork and abdominal radiographs and/or ultrasound. A treatment plan will follow based on the findings. Make sure that Peeka is drinking water to avoid dehydration. Keeping my fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.