Why does my cat drool excessively only when sleeping, but not awake?

This is totally normal! When a cats sleeps, the muscles in their mouth relax, leading to the drooling. This happens with humans too. And some cats can drool when purring. I had a cat as a kid who drooled so much when she was on my lap that I always ended up with a big wet spot. I hope this helps!

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Milo was drooling that may be a sign of nausea which can be seen with gastrointestinal conditions like gastroenteritis, pancreatitis or conditions such as kidney disease, among others. If it has only happened once, it is fair to monitor him for now as long as he is otherwise doing well with a good appetite and activity level. If this is a persistent issue, or he does not feel well, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck!

Even with no teeth the drooling is abnormal. I would be concerned that he has an infection or stomatitis of the mouth or possibly kidney disease causing him to be uremic- a build up of toxins in the blood that can cause ulcers and other problems. I would recommend getting him to a vet for evaluation and possible medications to help keep his twilight years comfortable.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Rocco. Excessive drooling can be the result of nausea, mouth pain or a bad taste in the mouth. I will typically treat with anti-nausea medication to see if it helps. If not, make sure that he is not eating anything that he shouldn't (plants, etc). Finally, I will anesthetize the patient for a thorough oral exam, dental radiographs and clean the teeth. I hope this information helps!

I would recommend that Meeyao be examined by a vet. The symptoms you have described could have many causes, including periodontal disease, stomatitis caused by an autoimmune disease or a virus such as FIV, a tumor in the mouth, a nasopharyngeal polyp, trauma to the inside of the mouth, or ulcers in the mouth secondary to kidney failure. Most of these are incredibly painful, and it is important to diagnose the cause so that the most appropriate treatment can be selected.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. She could be dealing with severe dental disease or other disease in her mouth. The drooling could also be a sign of nausea so I would also recommend having her blood tested to see if there are any systemic changes that could be causing the drooling / nausea. You may even consider adding in a probiotic such as Purina fortiflora which can be found online quite easily or at your local pet store. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.