Why is my cat making chewing motions with nothing in his mouth lately?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It is possible that Oscar was bitten inside the mouth by an insect such as an ant or bee and this has caused oral pain / irritation. As long as he is eating and drinking ok and the behavior resolves, I would not be too concerned about this. I would monitor him for the next 2-3 days and if the problem resolves, I would not worry about it any further. If the problem persists or worsens, I would have the veterinarian recheck the mouth. He may need to be sedated to have a complete oral examination to make sure something is not stuck in his mouth like a small piece of material like wood, glass, metal, etc. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be happy to help you further.

From your description it sounds like a tooth decay issue. Cats will "chatter" their teeth when they are in pain. Sometimes dental issues are not apparent on a physical exam, but are very obvious on dental x-rays. I would ask your veterinarian if a dental cleaning would be appropriate for Chippy. While she's asleep for her dental cleaning, she could also have x-rays of her skull done if no dental issues are found. To send video, you'll need to set up a consultation, but I honestly don't think it would make a big difference in this situation. Best of luck to you and Chippy!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sam. I recommend that he sees an emergency veterinarian today. He needs to be examined. If there is a smell coming from his mouth, I worry that he has a wound. If he is painful, then he will not open his mouth. There are also other causes of not being able to use the mouth properly such as infectious and inflammatory conditions. The veterinarian will examine him and may recommend some testing. Based on these results, treatment can be started to help him feel better. I worry that he will become dehydrated from not eating and drinking properly. This may need to be addressed as well. I hope this information helps!

If your cat is otherwise acting normal and eating fine I wouldn’t worry too much about this. Keep an eye on your cat and watch for drooling any swelling or soreness in the mouth or any reluctance to eat. If you notice any of the signs then you may want to have her checked out. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Yes, there could be an issue with her teeth or jaw. I suggest you get her to your vet for an exam. If you could take a video with your phone of the behavior she is exhibiting that would be good. That way you can show the vet what she is doing since she may not do it during the exam.

I recommend to have Loki examined by his veterinarian today. The skin it’s self looks infected and the fact that he is opening and closing his mouth is concerning for either the infection affecting the interior of his mouth, a foreign object stuck in his mouth, and infected tooth or a significant pain. He needs an exam to know what the underlying cause is. I hope he starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I'm sorry to hear that Lucy has been feeling so poorly. Teeth chattering is commonly associated with oral pain in pets. Without examining her and performing dental x-rays, I can't conclude the precise cause of her pain. At this point, the best course of action is to take Lucy to her vet for an exam. She will likely also require a sedated oral examination with dental x-rays to get to the bottom of this situation so that proper treatment can be started. I hope that she feels better soon!