8 Reasons: Why Do Cats Foam at the Mouth?

Seeing foam at the cat mouth makes the owners worry because this is not a commonly occurring condition in felines. So Why do Cats Foam at the Mouth?

It may irritate the pet owner while watching their kitty foam at the mouth or drooling excessively. As a result, they might think of rabies, nausea, dental and other infectious diseases.

It is evident that light drooling may be normal. It would be best if you watched for excessive vomiting do consult with a licensed veterinarian in extreme situations.

Do your cat foaming at the mouth? Due to medication? Is it making out bubbles of liquid medicine or spitting out tablet medicine?

This article is a comprehensive guide about Foam in the cat mouth. Reading the article till the end will clear all your queries regarding this feline condition.

Why do cats foam at the Mouth?

According to veterinarians, several factors can cause foam in the cat’s mouth, like dental disease, poisoning or intoxication, epilepsy, stress, viral infections, or even rabies. Other reasons may be excitement, stress, fear and anxiety, an excessive amount of saliva or hyper-salivation, vomiting, and overeating, which can be considered harmless.

8 reasons for cats foaming at the mouth

Possible reasons for foaming at the mouth may include the following.

1. Excessive stress, Fear and Anxiety

If your cat is foaming at the mouth, it may be because of excessive stress. A feline feel stressed while bullying or abusing and separating them from its partner.

A cat may feel frightened for several reasons, like shifting them to a new house, socializing with other pets in the same home, hearing disturbing sounds around them, and experiencing fearful situations that can lead them to cause foaming.

Anxiety may be another reason behind your cat drooling. They may be anxious due to emotional distress, separation, injury, or illness and moving to a new location.

However, their anxiety levels can be reduced by determining its cause and drugging them accordingly.

2. Rabies

Foam in the kitty mouth may be the sign of deadly virus Rabies. Rabies is a deadly virus that affects the brain and nervous system of the victim.

Other possible symptoms of a rabies in cats are agitation or aggression, behavioral changes, muscular imbalance, and of course, form in the mouth at the mouth.

It would be best if you observed all the possible symptoms in your beloved pet before declaring them a rabid victim. Unfortunately, there is no remedy available for the said disease.

However, no need to worry if your cat has been vaccinated against rabies and other viral infections.

3. Nausea

If your kitty has nausea, the first symptom they will experience is fatigue and foam in the mouth.

The reasons behind this disease can be carsickness or gastrointestinal upset, Kidney and liver disease, medicines having a high risk of opposite reaction, pregnancy, and loss of appetite, diabetes, and anxiety.

If your feline has motion sickness, they should feel better by regaining their balance.

You need to consult a veteran for investigating and curing the disease. You can use Gabapentin for motion sickness in felines.

4. Dental Conditions

Suffering from dental diseases may lead your animal to foam at the mouth. If your cat has happened to break a tooth, suffer gum disease, or stomatitis, they may not only experience pain in the mouth and bad-smelling breath but also may begin to foam at the mouth as the disease gets severe.

A cat seldom gets cavities because of its teeth layout. However, if your feline has a dental infection, you need to book an appointment for a veterinary check-up.

Your veteran may likely suggest dental hygiene in case of dental-related issues. Although this may feel awkward, you need to take care of your pet and brush their teeth. Surely, this is indeed in favor of your cat’s health.

You can use vet recommended Dental Kit for cats to overcome with the feline dental issues.

5. Poisoning

Many household products can turn poisonous for your kitties, such as swallowing a washing soap or bleach, medicines administered incorrectly, consuming venomous animals, and contaminated water.

If you suspect something similar, you need to seek emergency veterinary care.

Bitter-taste food and medicines may also cause your pet drooling at the mouth. Flea such as medications applied directly to the skin may also cause your cat to start licking.

You can use an e cone to prevent your feline from licking the body.

Lastly, your cat may be vulnerable because of some hazardous plants and animals, such as pyrethrums, poisonous toads, snail, bait, etc.

6. Seizure

A sudden and involuntary action of electrical shocks within the brain results in seizures, which is very common in humans and cats. It is a common neurological disorder occurring in the cerebrum of the brain.

It is easy to guess if your cat has a seizure because its symptoms are similar in humans and animals. Your pet will collapse and fall on the floor, lose consciousness, violently tremble and shake the head, and of course, foam at the mouth.

If you witness your cat showing signs of seizure disorder, then there is no need to be anxious because medications are available in the market to treat cat seizure disorders.

7. Dehydration

Dehydration is a phenomenon in which you lose more fluid than you consume, or your body does not have enough fluid to perform normal functions.

If you live in a high-temperature area, your cat can suffer from dehydration. A dehydrated cat may foam at the mouth, particularly on a hot and sunny day. If this happens, you need to encourage your feline to take as much water as they can. 

8. Underlaying Health Issues

Besides all the above reasons, foam in your cat’s mouth can be a symptom of any underlying issue. If you observe continuous drooling, foam at the mouth or excessive salivation for a long period.

Ensure to contact your veterinarian if there are some underlying issues your pet is suffering from.

Why do cats foam at the mouth when given Medicine?

The majority of cats foams at the mouth when medicated. Foam in the feline mouth due to the use of medicine is caused by many reasons such as allergic reaction to the medicine, bad taste, difficulty in swallowing, fear and stress etc.

Some medicine also increases thirst and thus create foam in the cat’s mouth.

Treatment of Cat Mouth Foam

Foaming at the mouth may be caused by several potential reasons; it is highly suggested to seek help from your veteran. If you are certain that your cat is not exposed to anything harmful, there is no need to worry.

Your veterinarian might get through extensive physical examination or maybe clinical tests for the victim, and after identifying the cause, he may be able to treat it accordingly.

Your pet doctor may suggest taking care of mouth hygiene due to dental-related issues. As the age progresses, it is most probable that they may catch dental diseases or weaken their teeth.

Remember, never use dental medicines and products for your cat intended for human use.

Foaming at the mouth due to poisoning requires immediate help. You need to investigate what toxic element might your cat has consumed.

Immediately contact ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435

If you cannot identify it, charcoal is highly suggested for immediate help as it helps absorb toxins in the stomach. But use this under the supervision of a professional pet expert or veterinarian.

When reacting to some medication, it is common for them to foam against adverse reactions and bitter-taste medicine. In such cases, you need to wait patiently until the body absorbs the medicine and starts feeling better.

Contact the relevant consultant in case of odd situations.

Sadly, there is no effective treatment against rabies in cats; euthanasia is suggested. The law requires the Veterinarians to report any animal suffering from rabies to regularity authorities.

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Cat foaming at the mouth but acting normal

If your cat is foaming at the mouth but acts normal, there is no need to panic. It might be because of less appetite, heatstroke, stress, fear, and anxiety.

Conclusion:

If your cat is suffering from mouth-foaming, there might be several reasons which could cause the effect. It is not necessarily rabies, but you need to seek immediate veterinary help for safety purposes. After giving them proper health care, your cat will definitely start feeling better.

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