Suddenly your feline drools and acts like there’s something stuck in their mouth?
Usually, this behavior occurs because of tooth-related issues, including tooth cavity, tooth abscess, or gum infection.
Your vet can solve any dental or oral issues that cause your cat’s weird behavior, so don’t worry. Just call your vet’s office and ask for further guidance.
The vet will first check your feline’s teeth and conduct a dental test; in the best-case scenario, their teeth will require cleaning.
Other possible reasons for your cat’s weird mouth movement include asthma, a high breathing infection, or maybe a foreign object stuck in their mouth.
Either way, you should call your vet’s office and schedule a vet appointment immediately.
In today’s article, I will discuss why cats act like something is stuck in their mouth or throat, so let’s dive right in.
Why Is My Cat Acting Like Something is Stuck in Her Mouth?
Cats usually act like something is stuck in their mouth because they’re experiencing common tooth-related issues.
Such issues include tooth decay, tooth abscess, or gum infections. Or perhaps they ate something that irritated the inside of their mouth.
More serious causes include asthma, a high respiratory disease, or foreign particles stuck in their mouth.
Let’s discuss some possible reasons for your cat’s weird behavior.
1. Hairballs
Bezoar represents a collection of partially digested material that accumulates in the stomach. In some cases, the material the cat ingests isn’t digested entirely and causes blockage in the stomach or intestines.
Common bezoar in cats is hair because they regularly groom themselves.
Hairballs collect in your cat’s stomach, so giving your cat food for hairball control is crucial.
Most of the hair goes through your cat’s digestive tract without problems. However, if some hair remains in the belly, hairballs will form. Typically, your cat will throw up the hairballs. In case they don’t, they will experience stomach irritation.
In this case, your can might drool and cry while coughing out hairballs. Or vomiting. Once they remove the hairballs out of their system, they will stabilize.
If you’re worried about your cat, call your vet and ask for further advice.
2. Foreign Objects
Hairballs can cause stomach upset and discomfort in cats, but they’re not a serious problem. Foreign objects, on the other hand, can pose a danger.
Maybe your cat has swallowed a foreign object and experiences irritation, especially if it’s a larger one. If it’s small, it will probably pass through without issues.
However, if it’s something bigger, it’s likely to get stuck in your cat’s mouth or throat. In this case, your cat isn’t in immediate danger.
They’re probably just annoyed and want to remove the stuck piece, so visit your vet and solve the issue as soon as possible before it escalates.
3. Asthma
If your cat coughs or chokes continuously, maybe they have asthma. Feline asthma is a common problem, so don’t panic.
The asthma attack in cats resembles the asthma attack in humans. Their respiratory tract inflames and strains, causing difficulty breathing.
If you suspect your cat has asthma, schedule a vet appointment immediately. Your vet will conduct tests and provide helpful advice if your cat has asthma.
Extra tip: Never smoke in front of your asthmatic cat.
4. Heart Problems
If your feline coughs or acts like there’s something stuck in the mouth or throat, it might experience heart issues. So, visit your local vet clinic as soon as possible and help your feline feel better.
If coughing continues for too long and no other causes spark weird mouth movements, maybe they have a minor or major cardiac arrest, which requires immediate medical attention.
Less serious causes include consumption of something bad that’s causing your cat heartburn. In this case, you can give your feline some water. Call your vet for further assistance if your cat doesn’t get better.
5. Infections
If your feline acts like they have something stuck in their mouth, another reason for this behavior can be sickness due to some infection.
Mouth or throat infections happen because of parasites in the mouth, resulting in a visibly upset and weeping cat and weird mouth movements.
It’s possible that your feline has lungworms and needs medical attention, as they’re fatal parasites that can cause infections in the respiratory tract. If you suspect this is the case with your cat, schedule a vet appointment immediately.
6. Allergies
Cats, just like people, can be allergic to food or particles in the air, like dust, plants, cloth materials, etc.
Therefore, if your cat acts like they have something stuck in their mouth, they might experience allergic reactions.
Moreover, felines can be allergic to washing liquids in your household. Some soaps and detergents can cause your cat’s wheeze and cough.
If you suspect your feline is allergic to something, call your vet immediately and ask for advice or visit your local vet clinic as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, try to remember your cat’s past activities and food intake and determine what caused the allergy.
If you can’t remember what your kitten ate or did recently, don’t worry. Your vet will conduct allergy tests, determine the right cause, and provide treatment.
7. Dental Disease
Less serious causes for your cat’s unusual behavior include a cavity or other dental issues. However, just because they’re less serious causes doesn’t mean you should let your kitten suffer.
There’s also a possibility that your cat has a new tooth inside. In this case, your cat is likely annoyed by the “imposter.”
If you suspect this is the case with your feline, provide a chewing toy that will relieve your cat from teething.
In case of other issues (gum or tooth problems or another dental disease), visit your vet as fast as possible and address the issue.
8. Feline Orofacial Pain Syndrome
The feline orofacial pain syndrome is a rare pain disorder in cats, especially Burmese with behavioral symptoms of tongue mutilation and oral discomfort. (*)
If your cat acts like something is wrong with their mouth and you suspect they have this type of disorder, visit your local veterinary clinic immediately.
Cat Trying to Get Something Out of Mouth: Is It Serious?
As I already explained, felines use their mouths and tongues to explore surrounding things and environments. Unfortunately, their habit of exploring the unknown can get your cat into trouble and jeopardize their overall health.
If your cat swallows things that aren’t passable through their esophagus or upper digestive tract, these foreign items can get trapped in your feline’s esophagus or airway, disrupting airflow or digestion.
The foreign body can also irritate or damage the esophagus or airway of your feline, so immediate medical attention is required.
Call your vet immediately if you suspect your kitten has ingested something that has blocked, irritated, or damaged internal organs.
Remember that pharyngeal or esophageal blockage is a serious problem that can cause death, depending on the position and size of the foreign body.
How To Know if My Cat’s Mouth Hurts?
Domestic cats hide their pain as that’s their way of protecting themselves out in nature; hence cat owners have difficulty determining if there’s something wrong with their cats.
The only person who can easily determine if your cat’s mouth hurts is your vet. They will conduct specific tests and determine if there’s a dental issue or something more nefarious in question.
Common symptoms of cats that experience mouth pain include:
- Excessive drooling
- Repeated pawing at the mouth
- Dropping food while eating
- They display signs of resistance when you touch their mouth or face
- Lack of interest in hard or dry foods
- Chewing slowly
- Bad breath
- Swollen gums
If your kitty displays any of the symptoms above, visit the vet’s office and have your vet examine your cat’s mouth. Early prevention will relieve your feline’s pain and prevent the issue from progressing.
How To Know if a Cat Has Something Stuck in Throat?
When cats have something stuck in their throat, they behave differently, depending on the position and size of the foreign object.
If the blockage happens in the esophagus, your kitten will probably gag, paw at their mouth, experience hypersalivation, and have difficulty swallowing.
If the blockage occurs in the airways, your kitty will display obvious symptoms, such as choking, difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, etc.
Most cats experiencing these obstructions usually swallow something like a piece of string, bottle cap, toilet paper, or small toys.
Alternatively, the blockage can be a result of fast eating.
Typically, airway or throat blockage requires immediate medical attention. So, if you suspect your furry friend has ingested something that resulted in blockage, call your vet immediately.
Cat Acts Like Something is Stuck in Throat: Symptoms
Felines with foreign bodies in their throats act differently.
Their behavior depends on the location of the obstruction as well as the size of the particles. Now, let’s look at the symptoms of esophageal obstruction and learn how to address this issue properly.
Symptoms of esophageal obstruction:
- Regurgitation
- Repeated attempts to swallow
- Gagging
- Drooling
- Inflammation or infection
- Difficulty breathing
- Choking when swallowing
- Coughing
- Lung disease
- Weight loss, lack of appetite, and lethargy if the foreign body is stuck for too long
How Does Esophageal Obstruction Happen?
Usually, cats that experienced esophageal or airway obstruction ingested or sniffed the foreign body purposely or accidentally.
Some cats consume things they find threatening. Others consume small toys during playtime, especially strings, yarns, and other similar items.
Additionally, if your cat eats kibbles quickly or doesn’t chew properly, they can develop airway blockage. Your vet can promptly determine the cause of obstruction by performing a few tests, so visit the vet immediately if your cat acts weird.
Diagnosis of Esophageal Obstruction
Once you reach your vet, you must provide the medical history of your cat’s health, possible causes for the obstruction, and symptoms.
You should disclose everything you believe your cat might have ingested that could have become stuck in the throat, such as bones, yarn, string, buttons, caps, etc.
Your feline will undergo a physical exam. Your vet will also take X-rays of your cat’s esophagus and chest. They can also use their endoscope to examine the interior of the esophagus.
These exams will help your vet determine what’s causing the obstruction, locate the foreign body, and act accordingly.
They will also estimate how much their esophagus has suffered from the obstacle.
Other regular tests include chemical blood profile, full blood count, electrolyte panel, and urinalysis. And typically, the bloodwork will come back normal.
Treatment of Esophageal Obstruction
First, your vet will remove the foreign particle. If it’s not deeply set in the throat, they will use the endoscope I just mentioned to remove the particle.
It’s a small non-invasive tool with a camera and tongues and can be helpful in these situations. If the item is deeply set in the throat or your cat’s esophagus is damaged, your vet will perform surgery to remove it and repair the esophagus.
If your feline’s esophagus is severely damaged, don’t worry. Your vet will prescribe 10-14 days of antibiotics and other medications to help recovery.
Moreover, during recovery, you may insert a stomach tube into your cat to keep the esophagus safe while enabling your feline to eat and maintain a healthy weight.
Recovery and Post-Recovery of Esophageal Obstruction
You must take your cat back to the vet’s office for a checkup several days into the recovery. Your vet will check if the throat is healing properly.
After the initial checkup, you will have to revisit the vet clinic one more time (a few weeks after the procedure) to ensure everything is okay.
If your feline starts vomiting during the healing process, has breathing and standing issues, or shows any abnormalities or unusual behaviors, you should notify your vet immediately.
Complications can arise when a feline’s esophagus has ensured severe damage, so pay close attention to your feline’s behavior during recovery.
Additionally, if your feline had surgery for the esophagus obstruction, they will likely feel sore for a while until the surgical site recovers completely. However, don’t worry because your vet will provide medications that minimize your cat’s pain.
Your job is to arrange a peaceful resting place where your kitty can rest and recover comfortably.
Set up your cat’s bed in a part of your house away from other pets, small kids, and heavily frequented entryways.
Your cat will need a quiet spot to recover comfortably.
Moreover, ensure your cat has food bows, water bowls, and litter boxes nearby, as they won’t be able to move easily.
Lastly, give your cat medication as instructed by your vet. Or follow the instructions on the package.
What To Do if My Cat is Choking?
Choking requires immediate medical attention because you only have a few minutes to take action and save your cat’s life.
Some cat owners try first-aid methods at home. However, I strongly suggest visiting your local veterinary clinic as soon as possible.
If you feel you must use first aid methods at home or on the way to the clinic, try the Heimlich maneuver or manually remove the foreign body.
First, you should determine what causes the blockage by looking at the mouth.
Remember that your cat will likely scratch you and possibly self-harm as they panic in this situation. So, make sure you restrain your cat properly.
If you see something visibly stuck in your cat’s throat, like a bone, stick, or food, you can try to remove it with tweezers.
Don’t push the particle if it’s visibly stuck at the back of your cat’s throat. Otherwise, you risk sticking it even deeper into your cat’s throat.
If you notice a string, don’t try to pull it out because this could cause damage to the fragile tissue and cause additional harm.
The best thing you can do when your cat chokes is to visit your vet’s office as soon as possible. Your vet can quickly and safely take care of the issue.
You should take your feline to the vet’s office even if you successfully removed the foreign object to ensure your cat is safe.
How To Protect My Cat From Mouth and Throat Issues?
Cats usually use their mouths and tongues for exploration. They’re curious animals, hence the popular term “curious cat.”
However, this unsanitary habit of theirs can cause different problems. And although you can’t completely eliminate this habit in cats, you can prevent it in different ways. For instance, you can closely monitor your cat’s behavior.
Moreover, remove anything that can trigger allergic reactions in your feline and offer toys that will keep your cat amused and won’t lick, nibble, or sniff things around your home.
Also, take your furry friend for regular vet checkups so you can detect any issues on time and take immediate action.
Cat Making Weird Mouth Movements: Final Tips
For many reasons, cats can act like something is stuck in their mouth or throat.
And while some reasons aren’t dangerous, others might indicate severe issues and require surgery, such as having a foreign object set into the throat.
However, don’t worry because your vet can handle these issues. So, take your cat to the vet as soon as you notice unusual symptoms and weird behavior associated with your cat’s mouth.
Lastly, ensure your feline friend never experiences such issues by closely observing their playtime. They shouldn’t come in contact with items that can get stuck in their nose, mouth, throat, or end up in their belly and cause issues.
*image by Wirestock/depositphotos