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My cat won't stop drooling for days and isn't eating. What's wrong?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Persian | Female | unspayed | 10 months and 3 days old | 14 lbs

My cat won't stop salivating. She has been drooling for three days now. It seems she is not wanting to eat. We did give her milk via syringe and she did have boiled meat on her own but she still keeps drooling and it won't stop. She hasn't ever drooled this much! What might be wrong with her?

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Davis

Veterinarian

Published on November 15th, 2018

From the photo her tongue looks like it may be swollen with a blister on the tip. Excessive drooling for several days can be from a burn on the tongue, something caustic that irritated her mouth, or something stuck in her teeth. Please give her wet food with added water, and continue to give water by syringe if she’s not drinking. I recommend a veterinary exam to find the reason for her symptoms, and get treatment. The mouth has a good blood supply so most mouth problems will heal quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Adee.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA
Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer
Published on January 1st, 2017
Poor Tim. Excessive drooling can be caused by nausea, or by a problem in the mouth such as severe dental disease, an infection, or an oral growth or tumor. I would definitely recommend taking him to the vet as soon as possible for an exam. He/she can do a complete oral exam under sedation as well as blood work or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what needs to be done to treat it.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on June 25th, 2017
Drooling from the mouth is either a sign of severe teeth/gum disease or nausea, you will need to take her to the vet ASAP in order to have the oral cavity checked first, if the mouth looks healthy then she will need to have a blood test done in order to find out what is causing this.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on November 1st, 2016
Blood near the mouth and drooling can point to a serious dental problem I suggest you take her back to your veterinarian for a recheck and exam of the mouth. She may also be teething, which can cause drooling. There are some infections, such as with Calicivirus or autoimmune disorders which cause mouth ulcers which in turn cause drooling. So this needs to be investigated and treated properly. Please make an appointment with your vet ASAP.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on December 23rd, 2018
I would be worried because excessive drooling isn't normal. It could be Princess broke a tooth while on her adventures away, and that would cause the blood you saw around her face. I would take her into a vet as soon as possible to get checked out. Best of luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My cat is drooling for days. What causes it? Can I treat at home?

Unfortunately, drooling can be caused by a number of issues which is why it is important to seek out veterinary care, especially if it has been ongoing several days. Drooling can be related to nausea caused by stomach upset or illness, problems with the mouth, tongue, or gums such as infections or broken teeth, or issues such as something caught in the throat or mouth. While a bland meal of some boiled chicken may help with minor nausea, the fact it has been ongoing for days is cause for concern and warrants a vet visit. If you're having trouble affording veterinary care, this site can help give you some ideas/options so that Baby can get the help he need: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/having-trouble-affording-veterinary-care

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My cat is drooling and not giving affectionate bites. Is a vet needed?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Drooling that lasts more than 2 hours is an indication to see the vet. Broken tooth, mouth ulcers, electrocution (does she chew cords?) toxin, GI upset, foreign body, and more can all cause this - and all need some degree of medical attention. Best wishes to you and Malsle!

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Why is my cat drooling, has mouth sores, and won't eat or drink?

Cats can develop something called gingivostomatitis as well as feline oral resoptive lesions. These are both very painful and require antibiotics and sometimes steroids as well as dental procedures to correct. Also if there's any possibility she chewed something like electric cord or plant that can calls the signs as well. I recommend Dusk be checked out by a veterinarian as soon as possible. This is to prevent her from becoming dehydrated and malnourished from not eating. Do not give her any human medications as they are very toxic to cats and I'll make the situation worse.

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My outdoor cat has something stuck in mouth, drooling, can't eat.

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Why is my senior cat drooling thick, sticky, foul-smelling saliva?

Typically excess salivation is either caused by nausea or pain (oral or abdominal), although this is not an all inclusive list. There can still be oral disease present, especially if these missing teeth were not removed but fell out. Cats can get resorptive lesions of their teeth which can be really painful and the changes can be hard for owners to detect. They can also get lesions in their mouth (stomatitis, a mass, ulcers, etc.) that an owner may not see. Additionally diseases of other body systems may cause drooling (kidneys, gi, etc ). I would recommend your kitty seeing a vet for a thourough oral exam and blood work to start. A good oral exam will likely require sedation and perhaps dental xrays. Additional testing may be recommended based on the case. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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

Hello. I am concerned that Snowball may have some issues with the tissues deeper in his mouth. There is a condition called stomatitis, which can cause bleeding, inflammation & significant pain. Your cat will be reluctant to eat as it hurts to swallow. Your veterinarian can discover the cause of the blood & hopefully make some recommendations for treating Snowball & hopefully get him feeling better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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My sick cat is drooling, won't eat, and has a sensitive nose. Why?

It sounds like your vet diagnosed her with an upper respiratory infection. Depending on the virus that causes this, the signs can appear in the eyes, nose or mouth. There is a virus called calicivirus that can cause sneezing and ulcers in the mouth. These can be quite painful and make the cat not want to eat. I typically recommend feeding a canned diet so she can lap it up rather than chew it. A/D is a good diet for this. It is made by Hill's and is available by prescription through a veterinarian. I also will sometimes prescribe pain medication to keep them comfortable and eating while they have ulcers in their mouths. I would recommend calling your veterinarian in the morning to discuss these things. We don't want her to go too long without eating.

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