Picture this, you’re spending quality time with your cat while lying on the sofa. You gently graze its soft fur and pet its head. After a while, you notice a small wet area near the cat’s mouth. Did your cat just drool? Probably because it’s in its happy place. But now you’re both curious and concerned. Why does my cat drool when it’s happy? Is there anything wrong with my feline friend?
If this is you, then we’ve got you covered. This article will clear out both your curiosity and concern regarding your cat’s drooling due to happiness.
Happiness and Other Reasons which makes a cat drool?
If you’re not aware of what counts as drool, it’s when your cat’s salivary glands produce saliva faster than it can be swallowed, and the cat subconsciously lets it drip from its mouth.
Unlike their pup friends, cats don’t normally drool. And when they do, it’s usually a mechanism to indicate a cat’s feelings.
Most times, a cat drools because of:
- Stress and anxiety:
This is a very common reason as cats can have weird bodily mechanisms for different things. But if it is stressed and is facing anxiety, then it will probably show other symptoms like diarrhea and loss of appetite.
- Happiness and euphoria:
This case is not to be worried about. When your cat is happy and drools, it means it is comfortable with you and likes your company. What’s not to like?! It would be concerning if the drooling continued long after. We’ll get to this part in a bit.
- Illness or problem of some sort:
If your cat excessively drools around the house, don’t be flattered because it’s probably not because of you. Cats with dental problems or mouth infections tend to drool a lot, and they need to be treated for it. Infection can spread to other cats in the house, so your vet may prescribe antibiotics to your cat.
While you can easily figure out the reason based on the situation of your cat in the present as there are other signs to back it up, it may not be obvious in the case of a disease.
Rest assured, drooling is a natural process that as a cat owner, you will notice your cat going through multiple times in their lives.
Should my cat drool when it’s happy?
If your cat drools when it’s happy, that is fine. But, if it doesn’t drool, then there is nothing to worry about.
Like we mentioned above, drooling is a natural and subconscious process, and cats can not control it.
However, if it isn’t showing signs of happiness and is still drooling excessively, it can be worrisome as it could indicate your cat is being inflicted with some disease.
It is advisable to take note if you see your cat drooling even if it is happy, because if you see it drooling at irregular times, you may have to consult your local veterinarian.
Many vets also recommend getting your cat checked for oral infection the first time you see it drooling, so there is no room for diseases in the future.
Is drooling harmful to my cat?
Despite common belief, drooling itself isn’t harmful to your cat, if it is only done during happiness. It should also be in a moderate amount.
If you see a lot of drool or saliva in the area where the cat is sitting, there could be other things that cause this.
For example, if your cat ingested something it wasn’t supposed to like a pin or a small bone that got stuck in its body, showing you that it needs medical attention immediately. So, take care while feeding your cat any bony diet such as fried chicken.
It could also be that your cat has some respiratory issues or ulcer formations that can spread to the rest of the body.
But again, happiness is not equal to pain, and when your cat drools a little when around you, it means nothing but affection.
Happy cat drools but it smells
In some cases, you may notice that your cat’s breath and drool both smell bad. Drool and cat saliva is supposed to smell neutral, meaning no smell.
But if it smells bad, this is a sign that your kitty could be suffering from the early stages (or later stage) of some disease.
Some diseases that cause bad breath in cats are:
- Kidney disease
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Diabetes and breathing problems.
Many happy cats drool, but drool smelling bad is not a common sign, so you must take this seriously and refer to a vet as soon as possible.
Old Cat drools when happy
Drooling isn’t exceptional to young kitties, old cats drool when they’re happy too.
If you have an old cat, however, you have to take extra precautions to see if it’s drooling is a symptom of a disease.
Older cats are more prone to diabetes, liver disease, and even oral cancers, so it is vital that this is taken care of in the early stages or it could prove to be life-threatening later on. So what you feed to your old cat is also important to make sure it doesn’t get unwanted diseases.
Just like younger cats though, if their drool starts to smell bad or they start to drool excessively, that’s when you should keep an eye on them.
Remember, go to the vet as soon as you see symptoms of disease, because there may still be time to save your old cat from a terminal illness.
What should you do when your happy cat drools?
Now that you know what drooling is, why it occurs, and is it safe for your cat, it’s time to know what to do when it does happen.
Logically, if your cat is laying on you and drools, you will feel something damp and immediately reach out for a tissue or towel to wipe it off. Make sure not to use baby wipes on your cat to wipe drool either from the cat’s face or from something because it could be harmful to your feline friend.
You should also take it as a sign to start noting the frequency of its drool, so you know for sure that it only drools when it’s happy.
Moreover, you should still make it a point to get your cat checked by the vet for its oral health every 6 months. This is to ensure that it has no dental issues and ulcer problems, and regular check-ups also eliminate drooling because of sickness.
If you made a visit to the vet and your cat got diagnosed with a bacterial infection, then you should use disinfectant to wipe its drool to prevent the spread of bacteria around the house. You can also use a spare piece of cloth to soak up the drool when your cat is sitting with you.
Is there any way to avoid happy drooling?
If the drool isn’t cleaned up or stopped, it can become a crisp puddle of dry saliva on your comfy sofas or mattress. No matter how much you love your cat, you probably don’t want that.
So the next time your cat is drooling and happily asleep next to you, you can slightly poke it and wake it up and that should stop the drool for the time being.
However, if you don’t want to wake them up from a peaceful sleep, simply soak the sheet of material in some soapy water and gently rub it with a cloth. Coldwater also works well.
It should come out in no time.
Just make sure no pets are around you if you use strong chemicals like hydrogen peroxide.
Other than that, the only drooling you should want to stop is the infectious kind, for which once treated, your cat should already stop drooling.
Conclusion
Finally, keep in mind that your cat isn’t aware that it’s drooling when it’s happy, it’s just enjoying the peacefulness of being around you without a care in the world.
Cat drooling when happy is not something to be worried about, it’s when it drools at unusual times and places that should make you concerned.
Moreover, if you can squeeze in a dental appointment for your cat once or twice a year, it could save your cat from a lot of future problems, and drooling too.
Lastly, if you’re not sure about whether your cat is drooling from happiness, illness, or anxiety, you are better off making that visit to your vet.
Please do not risk your cat’s life and visit your local veterinarian immediately.