A cat that is drooling and refusing food almost always has something causing mouth pain, nausea, or both. This combination of symptoms is not normal feline behavior and typically points to a problem that needs veterinary attention. The most common causes range from dental disease and mouth injuries to toxic plant exposure and viral infections, and some of these are time-sensitive emergencies.
Dental Disease and Mouth Inflammation
The single most common reason a cat drools and stops eating is pain inside the mouth. Cats are prone to several dental conditions that make chewing agonizing, and unlike dogs, they tend to hide discomfort until the problem is severe.
Gingivostomatitis is one of the most debilitating. It causes severe, chronic inflammation of the gums and the moist tissue lining the mouth. The immune system overreacts to plaque on the teeth, triggering swelling and ulceration that can spread rapidly from one tooth to the surrounding area. Cats with gingivostomatitis show extreme oral pain, swollen and bleeding gums, excessive salivation (often blood-tinged), bad breath, and pawing at the mouth. Some cats appear eager to eat but physically cannot. Left untreated, Cornell’s Feline Health Center notes, the condition can become so painful that a cat starves.
Other dental culprits include fractured teeth, tooth root abscesses, and a condition called tooth resorption, where the tooth structure breaks down below the gumline. Any of these can produce enough pain to cause drooling and food refusal simultaneously. If your cat’s breath smells unusually foul, that’s a strong clue that the problem is in the mouth.
Something Stuck in the Mouth or Throat
Cats are notorious for swallowing thread, rubber bands, small toys, and plant material. When a foreign object gets lodged in the mouth, caught around the base of the tongue, or stuck in the throat, the result is sudden drooling and an immediate refusal to eat. You may also notice your cat pawing at its face, gagging, or acting restless.
String and thread are particularly dangerous because they can wrap around the base of the tongue while the other end trails into the stomach or intestines. This creates a sawing motion as the gut tries to move the string along, potentially cutting through tissue. If you see string hanging from your cat’s mouth, do not pull it. That can cause serious internal damage.
Toxic Plants and Household Chemicals
If the drooling started suddenly and your cat has access to houseplants, poisoning is a real possibility. Two plant families are especially important to know about.
True lilies (Easter lilies, tiger lilies, Asiatic lilies) are extremely toxic to cats. Early signs include decreased activity, drooling, vomiting, and loss of appetite, all appearing within the first 12 hours after the cat chews on any part of the plant. These lilies cause kidney failure, and without treatment within 18 to 24 hours, the damage can be fatal. This is a genuine emergency.
Peace lilies and calla lilies work differently. They contain tiny, sharp crystals that directly irritate the mouth, tongue, throat, and esophagus the moment a cat bites into the plant. Signs appear almost immediately: pawing at the face, drooling, foaming, vocalizing from pain, and sometimes vomiting. These plants rarely cause organ damage, but the mouth pain can be intense enough to keep a cat from eating for hours.
Beyond plants, household cleaners, essential oils, and certain human medications can all trigger drooling and appetite loss. If you suspect your cat ingested something toxic, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) immediately.
Viral Infections
Feline calicivirus is a common respiratory infection that often causes painful sores inside the mouth. It typically starts looking like a cold, with sneezing, nasal congestion, and fever. As the virus progresses, it can cause inflammation and ulcers on the tongue and the lining of the mouth. Cats stop eating because of the combination of congestion (they can’t smell their food) and the pain from oral sores.
Most cats recover completely from calicivirus within a few weeks, but some develop a chronic form of gum inflammation that makes eating painful long-term. Kittens, elderly cats, and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for complications. If your cat also has discharge from the eyes or nose along with drooling and appetite loss, a respiratory infection is likely.
Nausea and Internal Illness
Not all drooling comes from the mouth. Nausea from any cause can trigger excess salivation in cats, and a nauseated cat won’t eat. Kidney disease, liver problems, gastrointestinal blockages, and pancreatitis can all produce this pattern. Cats with these conditions usually show other signs too: lethargy, vomiting, weight loss, or changes in litter box habits.
Liver problems deserve special mention because the liver plays a central role in processing toxins. When liver function drops, waste products build up in the bloodstream and cause nausea and excessive salivation. A vet can check liver function through blood work and imaging.
How to Safely Check Your Cat’s Mouth
A quick look inside can sometimes reveal an obvious problem, like a red, swollen gum, a visible sore, or a piece of string. Choose a time when your cat is calm and relaxed, not during play or around mealtimes. Settle into a comfortable position with your cat facing you, ideally in your lap.
Gently feel along the upper and lower jaw for swelling, lumps, or signs of pain. Then carefully flip the lips up to look at the gums and front teeth. Healthy gums are pink and firm. Red, swollen, bleeding, or pale white gums all signal a problem. If your cat tolerates it, try to look further back at the tongue and throat, but stop if your cat becomes distressed or tries to bite. A thorough oral exam in cats often requires sedation even in a veterinary setting, so don’t force it.
After the exam, give your cat some praise or a small reward so the experience stays positive.
Signs This Is an Emergency
Some combinations of symptoms mean you should get to a vet within hours, not days:
- Possible lily exposure: Any contact with true lilies requires immediate veterinary treatment, even if symptoms seem mild at first.
- Lethargy plus vomiting: A drooling cat that is also vomiting and unusually inactive may have a toxin exposure, an intestinal blockage, or organ failure.
- Pale or white gums: This can indicate shock, severe anemia, or internal bleeding.
- Difficulty breathing: Drooling combined with labored breathing could point to a throat obstruction or a chest infection.
- String visible in the mouth: Do not pull it. Head to the vet.
- Not eating for more than 24 hours: Cats that go without food for even a day or two risk developing hepatic lipidosis, a dangerous liver condition where the body floods the liver with fat stores it can’t process.
What Happens at the Vet
Expect the vet to start with a physical exam, paying close attention to the mouth, jaw, and salivary glands. Because cats rarely cooperate for a full oral exam while awake, sedation is often needed to check the back of the mouth, look under the tongue for hidden string, and evaluate every tooth for fractures or abscesses.
If nothing obvious turns up in the mouth, the next step is usually blood work (a complete blood count, kidney and liver values, and a urinalysis) to screen for organ problems. X-rays of the chest can reveal objects stuck in the esophagus or signs of infection. Abdominal ultrasound may be used to rule out intestinal blockages. For outdoor cats, testing for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is often recommended, since FIV can cause chronic mouth inflammation.
Treatment depends entirely on the cause. Dental disease may require tooth extraction. Foreign objects need to be removed, sometimes surgically. Infections typically respond to supportive care, pain management, and time. Toxin exposure may require IV fluids and monitoring. The good news is that most of these conditions are treatable, especially when caught early.