MOUTH PROBLEMS IN CATS
Mouth disease is generally first noticed when your furry friend fails to eat. Generally not eating is caused by mouth pain, not the lack of appetite. Sometimes your cat will just sit beside her food dish, wanting to eat but not being able to because of pain. Not eating is a serious problem for cats, going 24 hours without food can cause changes in a cat’s liver functions. Another symptom is an unkempt appearance, because the mouth is so sore they will stop grooming themselves. It is abnormal if your cat has a persistent disagreeable odor from the mouth, drools consistently or has her mouth open continually; these could all be signs of diseases from stomatitis, gingivitis, cancer or kidney disease.
Gagging, choking, drooling all suggest a foreign object in the mouth, tongue or throat. The object may not be immediately visible and could be a cancerous ulcer inside the mouth. You should seek medical attention from your veterinarian if you notices these symptoms. About 10% of all feline cancer occurs in the mouth; Squamous carcinomas tend to start at the base of the tongue and are associated with exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke. Treatment requires surgery followed by radiation, if they are caught early. This isn’t a cure but will provide some additional quality time. .