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

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 6 lbs

Peanut has viscous foul saliva. No apparent oral issues other than missing teeth. She is approx 14. For past 3 months eats wet, grain free food and eats well. Is alert and active. Prior to this was eating dry food, losing weight and hair was dull with many Matt's. She has medium to long hair. On wet food weight has stabilized and hair is much improved. Still drooling the nasty saliva. Her extremities have sticky hard clumps and her face around her mouth is syrupy and brown. I add probiotics.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. B. DVM, DACVIM (Oncology)

Answered By Dr. B. DVM, DACVIM (Oncology)

Veterinarian

Published on October 19th, 2018

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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Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Christie Long, DVM

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

    Published on April 14th, 2017

    There can be several causes of excessive salivation in cats. Certainly, liver problems can cause this, however blood work would easily confirm whether there is definitively a liver problem or not. If liver values are elevated, then further testing would need to be done to determine exactly what is causing the problem in the liver - infection, inflammation, cancer, etc. If the liver is OK, then other possibilities include severe nausea (caused by a number of GI and non-GI problems), ingestion of a toxin, or dental disease. If the medication the vet you saw is not helping your cat, I would urge you to seek a second opinion.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on July 21st, 2019

    No, it is more likely that he has a dental issue or some kind of problem inside his mouth. I suggest you get him to the vet for an exam. Cats cannot go too long without eating or drinking or their liver starts to get damaged.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Vet Q & A
My senior cat is drooling thick sticky saliva. Is it a health concern?
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.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
Why is my cat drooling thick, stinky saliva with jaw problems?
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.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My cat has thick drool, matted fur, and bad breath. What's the cause?
I am sorry Castor is not feeling well. I would recommend taking Castor to the vet for a really good physical exam. It is possible Castor has a bad tooth, infection in her mouth, upper respiratory infection, or even a problem with her esophagus/stomach. Typically drooling is related to nauseas, hyper salivation, pain in the mouth or trauma to the mouth. It is important she has a good exam to determine the cause and start proper treatment
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
Why is my cat drooling excessively with no clear vet diagnosis?
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!
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Vet Q & A
Why is my 16-year-old cat drooling and losing teeth? Is it normal?
One of the major causes of drooling is dental disease, and if teeth are falling out then I imagine there is a fair bit of tartar and redness. We do have to consider Elvis's age though, and I wouldn't be rushing to anaesthetise a 16 year old to clean his teeth unless he was really suffering. If he is still managing to eat I would let him be, if you think he is in pain you can take him to the vet and try pain relief and antibiotic shots. You could try brushing his teeth if you want to. Finally kidney issues are common in older cats and can cause drooling so you could have his bloods checked, however I suspect it is the teeth.
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Why is my old cat drooling after starting hyperthyroidism meds?
It's not likely to be any of those meds that is causing the drooling, the two main options are kidney failure (common in old cats and in cats with hyperthyroidism) or a gum/teeth disease. i would recommend taking Sekani to the vet in order to get it checked, i recommend repeating a blood test to also check the kidney function.
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Vet Q & A
My cat is drooling a lot. What are the possible causes and concerns?
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Drooling is often a sign of nausea. This can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. If this continues or she develops vomiting, I recommend that you have Callie evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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