Why Does My Maine Coon Drool?

One behavior the owners of Maine Coons find baffling or even worrying is the drooling their furry friends tend to exert. A salivating Maine Coon is nothing extraordinary and, most of the time, no reason for worries.

Why does my Maine Coon drool? Most often, a Maine Coon drools because she is relaxed and happy. So drooling might happen when you are petting your feline or playing with her. If she's young, it might be due to her teeth starting to grow.

In case the drooling of your Maine Coon doesn't stop, she might have medical problems such as oral issues, heatstroke, or poisoning.

Why Maine Coons Drool

A Maine Coon's drooling usually is harmless. It is often a sign of your feline being happy and content. But there are other, more serious reasons for a Maine Coon to drool, especially when it's constant.

Let's go over some of the less likely but more dangerous causes of Maine Coon cat drooling.

Your Maine Coon Is Happy

The most common reason for a Maine Coon to drool is happiness. If your Maine Coon drools while purring or kneading some soft cushion or your lap, it is very likely your furry sweetheart is happy and content.

You may also notice your Maine Coon cat drooling when playing with her. This behavior will happen a lot more frequently once your feline becomes older, but it's no need to worry about it in most cases.

Oral Issues

If your Maine Coon's drooling doesn't stop, no matter what she's doing, you should check your cat's dental health.

First, try to look for red or swollen spots on her gums or other obvious signs of dental health problems. It's also possible that tartar buildup inside your furry darling's mouth causes her to drool excessively.

If your Maine Coon is still very young, teething may be the reason for her drooling. It's a good idea to begin brushing your cat's teeth at least once a week as soon as possible while she's still young because it's generally a lot easier to build habits in younger cats than in older ones.

It's possible that if you try to implement this new habit into your older Maine Coon's routine, the consequences of the mental stress and overall struggle will outweigh the potential gain, and your relationship might suffer.

In the case of excessive drooling caused by oral issues, contact a veterinarian and get your cat's dental health evaluated and follow the vet's advice.

Is My Maine Coon Stressed or Scared?

Drooling in Maine Coons can also very likely happen due to - for them - stressful or frightening events. Such events could be a visit to the veterinarian or transportation in general due to travel.

Because of this, you should make sure to put something familiar to soothe them inside the carrier, like their favorite blanket and a plush toy. Talking to your cat and letting her see that you're nearby while traveling is also a great way to calm her down and show her that everything is fine.

Because of a Maine Coon's friendly personality, you should spend enough quality time with your cat for her not to become stressed or depressed.

But drooling doesn't explicitly have to happen while your Maine Coon is under heavy stress or anxious. Other signs could be forms of hyperventilation, such as panting or heavy breathing.

Because these cues overlap with those of overheating, you should be vigilant about your Maine Coon's state and keep her temperated so you can rule out this life-threatening condition.

Is My Maine Coon Too Hot?

If there is no reason for your Maine Coon to be nervous, a more problematic condition than nervosity - heatstroke - might be the case. Some of the symptoms are drooling, a rapid heart rate, diarrhea, heavy breathing (open-mouthed), dark red gums, a wobbly gait, and blood in the urine.

Heatstroke is especially dangerous because of the thick fur that is typical for a Maine Coon cat. Although the coat of this fascinating breed thins out during Summer and Spring and keeps just enough to protect the skin against sun rays, owners have to be cautious about this life-threatening condition.

If your Maine Coon is drooling and she's been out in the Summer in the direct sun for some time, be sure to keep it cool inside and maybe let her be in the sink or some other place with a cold surface. Also, aim to keep the water bowl filled so your cat's metabolism can work properly and cool her down.

If you think your Maine Coon experiences a real potentially life-threatening heatstroke, immediately see a vet and aim to keep her cool under all circumstances during transportation.

The veterinarian will consider possible treatments that you should then follow.

Is My Maine Coon Having Problems Swallowing?

You probably have already found out that Maine Coons are a rather curious cat breed. Due to this trait, it might sometimes happen that something finds its way into their mouth that doesn't belong there.

It's also possible that your cat doesn't like the new food you got her and therefore avoids swallowing. These kinds of situations may cause excessive swallowing, so be sure to check your Maine Coon's mouth.

Is My Maine Coon Poisoned?

Almost every household cleaning product is very poisonous, especially to the small body of a cat.

One of your jobs as a cat parent is to ensure that all the possibly poisonous fluids and plants are either kept locked away or at spots that are unreachable for your cat.

Also, train yourself to be particularly mindful about traces of cleansing agents that might otherwise be licked up by your curious Maine Coon.

What many people don't know is that a vast number of common plants are toxic for cats. To be sure whether there are any of these plants in your household or direct vicinity outside, check out the List of Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants (ASPCA).

Conclusion

If you catch your Maine Coon drooling onto your lap once again, she's most likely relaxed and happy to be around you. Especially when still being young, cats might be drooling due to teething.

If your Maine Coon's drooling happens outside of these circumstances, medical or mental conditions such as oral issues, anxiety or stress, heatstroke, poisoning, or foreign objects inside their mouth might be the cause.

To counter oral issues, cat owners should train their darlings to become accustomed to teeth brushing early on. Tartar buildup and red swollen spots on your cat's gums are clear signs of dental issues, so be sure to check your Maine Coon's mouth cautiously.

If your cat is already older and you're worried it could cause too much stress to her, consult with a veterinarian to get her dental health evaluated and follow the advice given.

In case your Maine Coon is stressed or anxious, it's generally best to soothe her with lots of pats, her favorite blanket, and a toy. To prevent stress due to depression and loneliness in your sweetheart, ensure to have enough quality time with her every day.

Heatstroke can be another rather dangerous reason for a Maine Coon to start drooling. Although this breed's fur thins out during Summer, direct sunlight can still be unsafe for your cat. Because of this, you have to be vigilant about your cat's body temperature and always keep her comfortably tempered during Summer.

Keep your veterinarian on speed dial, so you can react in time if you think your cat is not cooling down properly.

Drooling in felines can also be caused due to poisoning by plants or cleaning supplies. These should be locked away or at other unreachable spots. Here is a list of poisonous plants by the ASPCA.

I hope this article has helped you determine what the possible reasons for your Maine Coon's drooling might be. If there are any questions or concerns, please let me know in the comment section below!