Excessive drooling

[rumpled]

My boy cat, Ozzie, who normally drools when he is happy, all of a sudden today started to drool buckets! It was so bad that I thought my hubby dropped a glass of water. You pet him and his chest is soaked.

I got a flashlight, opened his mouth and checked, but nothing is visible. He is eating crunchy treats as well as soft food. He is behaving fine - no sneezing, playing fine, etc. I am terrified that he will dehydrate given how much water he is drooling out.

We have no plants, and I can't really figure out what he chewed. Normally is it the other one who routinely eats rubber bands, drinks boiling hot water (I don't give it to her, she sits by the instant hot and drinks the drips!), and attacks even our wooden chairs. So I would expect her to have a stomach/mouth issue, but he is usually the good one.

I plan to call the vet in the morning and get an appointment ASAP - but wanted ideas if anyone has them. Thanks.

[rumpled]

Thanks for all the help - just to update - they seem to be back to normal. They were playing ambush this morning. What is was, no idea.

[Libby2999]

Happy much? Hahaha, well I'm thinking he just got either a tooth ack or not feeling very well (tummy hurt). I can tell when my peachie poo is sick cuz he looks dead and won't even run when you open the door.

[zodiacqueen]

I know how frustrating this must be for you.  Spending all that money, and you STILL don't know jack!!!  I'm sorry that you're going through this stress right now, and hope you'll get that eureka moment soon.  You so deserve it!!  =)

[rumpled]

Josie's tests all came back normal - so that is good news - sort off - in that she is not obviously sick, but it leaves the mystery.

They don't go out, so they have not had a flea treatment since they were babies. I have not changed laundry detergents as I have allergies. I did spray the house about 3 months ago for ants - but I put them in a room, and sprayed, and then let it dry per the instructions - but it was not anytime recently. No new food. I told the vet what they get. I do get growth hormone so the styro cooler and gel pak cooler things were out before garbage - but the cooler was not chewed and the gel paks were, but they are non-toxic (I did take those in to show to the vet just in case). He said no. I have been all over trying to figure it all out - but I can't find out the dang source. I am sure that at some time there will be a eureka moment. I will keep looking - it is driving me nuts. Spent a lot of $$$ to not know a thing... Ack! But I want my babies to be healthy and safe.

[zodiacqueen]

Wow.....I just get back from work and expected to see that your kitty was a-okay now!!  Now, I come to find out that your other cat is now drooling, too.  How strange!!!

It's got to be something that they're both exposed to.  No doubt about it.  

What about flea treatments?  Laundry detergents?  Any spray insecticide?  A new food?  

Think super hard on what the cats have been exposed to right before this happened!  

[rumpled]

Thanks for the list!
I don't use glue in my jewelry - chain maille just uses rings that you close with pliers, and the other stuff, I do in a room where I lock the cats out so they can't get the wire - which is like the stuff that holds up bridges, only much smaller scale - but made the same way. Josie was x-rayed and nothing metal showed up. But both cats - if there is an envelope open - they lick it - ewwww! That does not happen a lot once we see something like that, we take it away.

Generally, we are just using a swiffer (no stuff) and pledge every so once in a while - and I put bitter apple stuff where she chewed to get her to stop once we saw it. Ozzie does not chew on the wood and he was the first one sick so the wood I am thinking is not the issue. It is driving me nuts!

I got blood tests for Ozzie too - including pancreatitis - just to rule that in or out.

I give them treats rarely (bad, bad mommy!) but I could not find recalls on them either.

I grew up with cats - had them all my life - never had a problem like this... I feel awful.

[opus88]

this is an excellent list all from the same petmd site....may give you some more clues?

http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/mouth/c_ct_ptyalism

let us know what you find out at the Vets.....man, what a time for those unforeseen expenses...I hear ya.♥

[opus88]

tying to search for different ideas. ran across this, since you said you make homemade jewelery is it possible it could be a fine thread or chain? something to tiny to show up on an xray...was the xray done of the esophagus?

http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/digestive/c_ct_esophageal_obstruction

[opus88]

this is a puzzle..............Jade is on the right track, with both cats coming up with this symptom it HAS to be something in their environment!!!
-what kind of treats? no recalls there either?
-the legs of the dining chairs..........what do you use for a furniture polish??? or oil? many of these are very toxic to cats.
keep searching, its something they are getting into or eating, so alot of expensive Vet tests won't be very conclusive....IMO.
best♥

[Jade59]

I'm picking up on the envelope glue.  That's a bad taste right there.  Or maybe the cats are licking jewelery with glue on it?  Wow, I've never had a totally indoor cat so I've never had to deal with wire chewing or plastic eating.  That must stress you out.  Well hopefully the vet will find something; this certainly is a mystery.  Obviously though, your cats are getting into *something.*  

[rumpled]

We have no plants - we do have a pot of dirt from a dead plant - which I am going to get rid of asap - but that has been around for a while.

I do make jewelry and wondered if they ate some of my chain maille rings but none of my stuff seems to be missing and Josie did get x-rayed - it showed her lungs are not as clear as they should be (but she has not been coughing at all) and she is way was constipated - which again is weird as she seems to go daily. They are giving her fluids.
I use pressed paper litter with no scent... there are no food recalls on their food. They do chew on all plastic and Josie is eating so far, gnawing on three dining chairs (cherry), 4 collars, any plastic, envelope glue, assorted rubber bands that she either passes (we watch) or she up chucks on the sofa (nice!), etc etc. so she is the goat.

I am taking Ozzie back for a check up too. I told my hubby we have to cancel xmas... vet bills!

[Jade59]

Man, this is so weird.  My first thought was, do you have any plants the cats can get to?  Even just the dirt?  Because I'm thinking, when we tried to pill Jade last, it didn't go well and she drooled insanely from the taste so I wonder, could your cats be eating something that seems appealing at the time, but in fact, tastes awful and starts the drooling?  Look around your place for something you might not think of normally they could be chewing on.  Or licking. Of course, this is only a guess.  

Good luck at the vet!  

[rumpled]

Well. it just so happens that I wake up this morning and the girl cat is now drooling! So we are off to the vet. I will get blood work on her and the full work up. Crud! I can't believe it. I have been sick so nothing new has come in, no new cleaners... they have not been out. I don't know what is happening!

[zodiacqueen]

Thanks for the update.  Hopefully, things will be back to normal for good now.  But, if it happens again, I would get some full blood work to see what's going on.  

[rumpled]

Hello! Thanks for asking.
We opted not to do blood work if at this time he recovered, but if he gets worse, then I will take him back for an ultrasound and blood work. As for why, I still cannot figure it out - but the drool has slowed and today stopped I think... Ozzy is not a fan of pepcid (vet's orders) or the special food - ICK! - that is supposed to calm his tummy. His sister is on the same diet so they don't fight over the food and they are so disappointed with meals now... all the begging for naught.
I will keep an eye on him and his belly - see what happens and if he needs a return visit. It was awful. I could not sleep.

[zodiacqueen]

Glad to hear that he's doing a little better!  That is good news!

Does the vet have any idea why is abdomen is tender?  And, what did his blood work look like, if they were ordered?

[rumpled]

So far today he is doing much better. His drooling seems to be much less today and he still seems perky. Thanks for the link. I went all over and tried to think if he got something toxic but there has been no vomiting and he seems, well, ok despite the drool, oddly. He does still lick his lips though so some drool may still be happening. If he is not all right in a few days, I will take him back.

I also have to give him pepcid (1/4 a pill) and special food for a time. Which means both cats have to get the special food so they don't switch as they do right at the end.

[opus88]

how is kitty today? is the drooling still going on or did it just last a short time?
I found this older post in the archives(above)...interesting to read that it could possibly be due to an exposure to a toxic substance....
let us know how Ozzie is doing..I sure hope you find the reason.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Cats/My-cat-has-saliva-that-is-gel-like-coming-out-of-his-mouth/show/690721

[rumpled]

Well, the vet is not sure. Ozzie is at least eating and drinking so he is not dehydrated so that is good. The vet checked his mouth out too - nothing there. His tummy is tender so we are trying a shot of anti-emitic, anti-biotics, and a special diet for a few days combined with pepcid to see if it is nausea.

I feed both my cats high quality canned food only - so I find it very strange.

Gotta keep an eye on him. He was a very unhappy, hissy cat at the vet...while he is such a lovely teddy bear normally...

[zodiacqueen]

Hi, I've had cats a long time and haven't seen a cat drool as much as you describe.  I've seen the drooling w/ a bad tooth before.  Maybe that's what's wrong w/ your boy.  

Good luck, and please come back to let us know what the vet says.