Why is My Cat Foaming at the Mouth? (Is it RABIES?)

Why is my cat foaming at the mouth? Every pet's nightmare!

Seeing their cats foaming at the mouth can only make many cat owners think of their worst nightmare! 

Rabies!

While rabies can also cause a cat to foam, there are other factors that may potentially be to blame for it. 

My cat once foamed at the mouth after licking some anti-flea spray on her fur! It was super scary but she was quite okay after a minute or so.

Here are six reasons why mouth-foaming happens in cats and some tips on how to reduce the frequency of drooling.

Why is My Cat Foaming at the Mouth? (in short)

Cats foam at the mouth when they experience nausea, anxiety, rabies (late-stage), viral infections (such as calicivirus), or dental problems.

Ingesting bitter medicines and poisoned food can also cause gobs of drool hanging from the corners of a cat's mouth.

The same may happen during a seizure or an allergic reaction to flea medicines.

1. Rabies Virus

Having their pet infected with rabies is one of the biggest fears of any cat owner. 

While the virus may reside in the animal's body for weeks and months, it is only in the late stages when the first symptoms appear and you find out that your cat is rabid. 

One of the clear signs of rabies is foaming at the mouth. You should also expect excessive drooling, aggression, and behavioral changes in your cat. 

Calm cats will become overly excited and nervous, while extrovert cats will become passive and unfriendly.

If you notice your feline foaming at the mouth, it's not necessarily rabies. 

Look for other symptoms that suggest that your cat is rabic. Unfortunately, rabies in cats cannot be treated. 

There is a chance, though, to save your kitty, if it has its vaccines up to date and hasn't yet reached the late stages of the disease. 

So if your cat has been vaccinated against rabies before catching the virus, a booster dose will significantly increase its chance of survival. 

Sadly, if felines start to manifest rabies symptoms before getting vaccinated, there is no way they can be saved. 

To relieve their suffering, their owners should agree to humane euthanasia.

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2. Nausea

If your cat has been vaccinated, it is less likely to reach the late stages of rabies and begin to release foam out of its mouth. 

The next time you see your furry friend foaming, it might be related to other factors, such as nausea. Nausea in your cat can occur from a variety of causes, including pregnancy, motion sickness, dizziness, and illnesses including gastritis and diabetes. 

Symptoms that accompany nausea include fatigue, loss of appetite, foaming, lethargy, excessive swallowing, and contractions of abdominal muscles. 

If you notice these signs along with foaming, be sure your cat is nauseous. While it's not as severe as rabies, nausea deserves a serious approach from you. 

Sometimes sickness and kitty discomfort is caused by food poisoning, kidney disease, pancreatitis, or, again, gastritis. If you notice signs of gastrointestinal distress, seek immediate veterinary help.

A common cause of Nausea is pregnancy. 

Nausea can also happen in the early stages of a cat's pregnancy. 

So if your feline experiences morning sickness expressed by vomiting and loss of appetite, chances are she is pregnant. 

Don't worry, though, as it's a natural process that comes as a response to the hormone surge and body changes, and should last for a couple of days. 

If your cat keeps vomiting, consult a vet.

3. Anxiety

Mouth foaming can be also caused by anxiety. 

Your cat may become anxious about the separation from its human companion or fellow cat, social rejection, or environmental changes. 

If you move to a new house, your kitty will not feel comfortable at first and become stressed.

More versatile cats will get used to the new home quickly, while timid ones may experience the worst forms of anxiety with symptoms like trembling, panting, foaming at the mouth, and hiding from people. 

Another scenario your cat may foam out of fear is when it meets an unfamiliar cat, dog, or person.

It will behave extremely vigilantly, avoid encounters with the stranger and isolate itself while exhibiting some physical signs too.

Most of the time, anxiety is down to a matter of environment, so to fight it back you have to bring a change in the cat's surroundings. If your cat got too anxious and doesn't seem to get used to the new environment, try to remove or reduce the stressful element. 

If it's not possible, give your cat a separate area where the stressful element doesn't have access. 

Equip the area with familiar toys, decorations, a litter box, and a feeding bowl so the cat feels comfortable and doesn't have to leave the room. All until it calms down and feels better with the new house and the new pet. 

If your kitty's anxiety gets out of hand, ask your vet to prescribe some medications.

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4. Dental Problems

Sometimes dental problems cause not only pain but also foaming at the mouth. To make sure that the foaming is associated with dental and gum disease, you have to look for other telltale symptoms. 

Dental disease includes swollen gums, tumors, red gums, foul-smelling breath, lack of appetite, and tender gums that bleed easily. 

Whether it's a tooth abscess or gingivitis, your cat may start to droll and foam at the mouth among pain and other mentioned symptoms. 

Once you notice the foam coming out of your cat's mouth, do a quick check-up of your cat's teeth.

Pet your kitty for a while to calm it down, then gently pry its mouth open. Once all teeth are exposed, look over the teeth and gums. If you notice gum redness, inflammation, tooth decay, or blood, there is a high chance that the foaming is caused by a dental issue. 

Has your cat been checked by a vet to get it diagnosed and receive proper dental care treatment? 

Many vets will recommend you brush your cat's teeth regularly to prevent infection and tartar build-up. 

While you may not be comfortable with it, toothbrushing will help keep your cat healthy and save time and money on treating potential dental conditions later. 

Remember, prevention is the best cure.

5. Poisoning

Poisoning can cause severe stomach aches and compromise the digestive system's normal functioning.

Your cat may get poisoned in several ways. 

Medications that are not supposed to be taken orally can cause your cat to foam at the mouth if it accidentally ingests them. 

Bitter medications can also trigger a negative reaction in your cat's body due to their repulsive taste. You want to serve these medicines in a way that your feline doesn't feel disgusted after ingesting them. 

Besides, your kitty may get poisoned by spoiled food, poisoned animals caught outside, or household products, like ingesting shampoo, soap, window cleaner, and so on. 

To prevent it from happening, secure your shampoos and cleaners well and keep them out of your cat's reach. 

Also, check the cat food's expiration date. 

Kitty may have eaten something which is poisonous to her, such as laundry detergents, drain opening liquids, human antidepressants, onions, garlic, or even some types of house plants.

If your feline shows signs of poisoning, such as salivation, discomfort, vomiting, abdominal pain, foaming out the mouth, and difficulty breathing, contact your vet.

6. Seizure

Cat's seizure is pretty similar to a human's, so when your cat experiences it, you will know that. 

The cat will pass out, display uncontrollable body shaking, and foam at the mouth. 

If you notice your kitty having a seizure, get them to a vet. 

He will give you medications to decrease the frequency of fits and treat the underlying conditions that cause them.

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Cat Foaming at the Mouth After Medicine?

Mouth foaming is a common occurrence in cats after taking medications. 

It usually has to do with the bitter taste of the medication or difficulty swallowing, which makes the cat's mouth produce more saliva. 

Although sometimes it can be an allergic reaction to the medicine. 

To make your cat drool less, try to mask the bitter taste of the pills or ask your vet whether there are other ways of administering the drug (injection, pill gun, flavored liquid).

Why is My Cat Foaming at the Mouth? The Verdict

Why is my cat foaming at the mouth? Well as you can see a cat foaming around the mouth can be caused by a number of factors. 

Not just Rabies! 

If you notice foam cascading out of your furry fellow's mouth, there is no certainty it's rabies yet. 

So keep calm and look for other tell-tale symptoms specific to this disease. 

If you don't find any rabies-related signs, breathe a sigh of relief and keep searching for the cause of the foaming. 

There are other factors that can make your cat release foam through its mouth, including anxiety, nausea, teeth issues, and ingestion of spoiled or bitter-tasting foods and medications. 

Unlike rabies, these conditions are much easier to deal with since they have effective medical treatments and antibiotics.

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