When your Maine Coon drools over you, you might ask why does my Maine Coon drool?
Maine Coon oral hygiene is incredibly important. Although potentially harmless, and a sign the feline is happy or growing old, Maine Coon drooling should never be ignored. This is because cat drooling can signal the presence of an underlying life-threatening condition e.g. periodontitis, or kidney disease.
Despite many Maine Coon specialists encouraging you to take a more laissez-faire attitude regarding your Maine Coons oral health in regards to this matter, I cannot stress enough that you shouldn’t.
Instead, owners should always be alert to the top 11 reasons why Maine Coon drooling occurs, detailed below.
To protect your Maine Coon cats from harm, keep reading to discover why Maine Coon cats drool over their owners. Learn the causes, and treatments to reduce Maine Coon drooling.
Why Does My Maine Coon Drool?
Although some of the reasons why Maine Coon cats drool are nothing to be feared, drooling might also be an early sign of some darker health issues.
Therefore, if you’ve noticed your cat drooling more often than usual, please ask your veterinary professional to check your Maine Coon for signs of underlying health issues.
Owners of this magnificent feline are best placed to notice minor changes in their cat’s behavior and health.
Therefore, to help you determine if your Maine Coons drool is something to worry about, take a look at the table below, listing 11 key reasons why Maine Coon cats drool:
| Reason | Description |
|---|---|
| Happiness | Some Maine Coons drool when happy and content |
| Oral Issues | Maine Coons are susceptible to oral hygiene issues i.e. gum disease |
| Anxiety and Stress | Anxious cats might drool more often. Limit situations they find stressful, such as traveling |
| Heat Stroke | When a cat is unable to cool their bodies, enough |
| Acid Reflux | Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) causes gastric liquids in the stomach reaches the esophagus |
| Respiratory Infection | Watch the cat closely for excessive drooling, sneezing, runny eyes, and nose |
| Cat Pancreatitis | Common digestive tract ailment. Causes increased salivation |
| Poisoning | Many household cleaning products are toxic to your Maine Coon cat |
| Foreign Objects | Check your Maine Coon hasn’t got a foreign object stuck in their mouth or throat |
| Mouth Ulcers and Tumours | Salivary glands within the mouth triggered, by mouth issues |
| Old Age | Cats are more likely to drool as they age |
With so many factors to consider, it can seem like a mammoth challenge to determine why your Maine Coon has begun drooling.
Let’s take a look at the different reasons in greater detail below.
1. Happiness
Although Maine Coon cats are not known for being big droolers, some owners will discover that their Maine Coon will drool simply because they are happy and content.
Therefore, if you notice your feline companion purring loudly as you stroke them, drooling over your hands and clothes as they do so, this might simply signal that they are a massive sense of happiness.
2. Oral Issues
Many owners do not realize that they need to brush their cat’s teeth on a regular basis, since the oral hygiene requirements of cats are often overlooked.
Although cat teeth brushing might sound like an unusual pastime, think seriously from your own perspective, whether you would be happy to not brush your own teeth?
The oral hygiene of your treasured Maine Coon cat should not be overlooked, since food residues left covering a cat’s teeth lead to tartar. If left for too long, this eventually leads to a sticky plaque buildup over Maine Coons teeth.
This is dangerous for your cat’s gums and can lead to a life-threatening condition known as periodontal disease.
Therefore, whilst brushing your cat’s teeth might not have been your first thought when buying your Maine Coon kitten, it definitely should be now!
Read my article Maine Coon teeth to discover how to start brushing your Maine Coon cat’s teeth today!
It is important that owners introduce the concept of brushing teeth to their Maine Coon cats whilst they are still kittens.
This is because younger Maine Coons are easier to train and less stubborn!
In cases where your precious feline is older, think seriously before introducing the process of teeth brushing since this might severely stress your cat out, and you!
Failure to cater to your Maine Coons oral hygiene will negatively impact their overall health levels, due to the following oral health issues:
- Halitosis
- Gingivitis
- Tooth Resorption
- Stomatitis
- Periodontal Disease
Halitosis
Food residue becomes trapped in-between cats’ teeth and gums.
Residues interact with bacteria within cats’ mouths, which then rot. Owners often notice an offensive smell.
Gingivitis
Cats’ gums become inflamed when their immune system releases toxins in an attempt to attack the plaque (sticky bacteria) that has stuck to the surface of cats’ teeth.
80% of cats aged 3+ are affected.
This stage is reversible if identified early enough.
Tooth Resorption
Occurs when cats tooth structure starts to break down, from the inside.
Affects 30-70% of cats.
Stomatitis
Affects male and female cats, of any age.
Characterized by painful inflammation of cat’s gums and mouth. Causes ulcers to develop in the cat’s mouth.
This issue is reversible if identified early enough.
Periodontal Disease
Also known as ‘gum disease’.
This disease has three stages:
- Halitosis
- Gingivitis
- Periodontitis
Periodontal disease is where the bony and soft tissues in cats’ mouths are impacted, leading to periodontal ligament damage, bone loss, and/or receding gums.
This stage is irreversible.
3. Anxiety And Stress
Although one of the most laid-back cat breeds in the world, your Maine Coon companion is more prone to stress and anxiety than you likely realize.
Owners should therefore take measures to limit possible causes of stress to their feline friend.
Here are a few things you can do, to ease your Maine Coon’s stress:
- Quality Time: Spend plenty of time with your Maine Coon, since this highly sociable cat breed will become stressed and depressed if left on its own for too long. Read my article ‘Can Maine Coon Be Left Alone?‘ for more information on this.
- Cat Pheromone Plugins: A large range of cat calming plugins have been developed, to help destress and calm cats. This is my favourite one.
- Scented Cat Collars: Although I’ve never used one, my friend found this cat collar from Amazon, to be a great way of destressing her own cat, during their uncertain house move.
- Limit Travel: Not all Maine Coons are fans of traveling, so limit journeys in the car where possible, unless taking them to see the vet.
4. Heat Stroke
The Maine Coon cat is well known for its super dense and thick shaggy fur.
During the harsh winter climates this fur coat is invaluable since it keeps our beloved Maine Coons warm, and cozy.
You might expect your Maine Coon to overheat during the Summer months, with all that fur. But nature is an amazing thing that didn’t intend this to ever happen.
Instead, the cat’s fur begins to thin out as Spring and Summer approach, to help keep these gentle giants cool during the hotter months.
The remaining fur also protects the cat’s sensitive skin from the harsh rays of the sun.
Owners of Maine Coon cats must be extra vigilant during the hotter months of the year, to ensure their cat doesn’t develop heat-stroke.
This life-threatening condition occurs when these large cats are not able to cool their bodies as effectively, as normal.
Signs of heatstroke in cats include:
- Dark red gums
- Wobbly Gait
- Open-mouth breathing
- Rapid Pulse
- Drooling
- Blood in urine
- Diarrhea
Maine Coons drink a massive amount of water, every day.
It is vital therefore that owners ensure their cat has a constant supply of water, as this helps to cool their bodies sufficiently, and prevents them from becoming dehydrated.
We ensure our cat’s daily thirst needs are meant, by using one of these cat water fountains. They are reasonably priced on Amazon and are a great way of giving our cat access to fresh moving water.
If you are interested in learning more about your Maine Coons love of water, click here to read my article.
Owners suspecting their Maine Coon is suffering from heatstroke should immediately seek veterinary assistance. Whilst waiting to be seen, ensure the following:
- Give cat plenty of water to drink
- Turn cold fans on, if you have any
- Remove your cat from direct sunlight
- Keep your cat as calm as possible
- Move them to a cooler floor, if possible
5. Acid Reflux
Otherwise known as gastroesophageal reflux, this condition is more common in younger cats, though older cats do also experience it.
Acid reflux in cats occurs when they experience “an uncontrollable reverse flow of gastric or intestinal fluids into the tube connecting the throat and the stomach (esophagus)” (source 1)
Reflux can be painful for your Maine Coon, and likely to cause them to salivate massively (aka drool!).
They are also likely to lose interest in their food, and you may notice they have lost weight. And let’s not forget the inevitable bad cat breath that reflux can cause!
If you suspect your cat is suffering from acid reflux, contact your veterinary professional for advice on how to treat the condition.
6. Respiratory Infection
One of the key causes of Maine Coon drooling is respiratory infections.
These are sometimes harder to spot since your cat cannot tell you that its throat or sinus’ is infected.
If you suspect there is an issue, speak to your veterinary professional as soon as possible.
Watch out for the following symptoms of respiratory infection:
- Runny nose
- Frequent Sneezing
- Fever
Common treatment methods:
- Antibiotics
- Fever Medication
7. Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a common digestive tract issue whereby the pancreas becomes inflamed.
These potentially life-threatening health issues should not be ignored (source 1).
Always seek veterinary professional help, if you are concerned about your Maine Coon cat’s health.
Causes of Maine Coon pancreatitis include:
- Infection
- Metabolic Disease
- Cancer
- Trauma
- Toxic Exposure
Symptoms of cat pancreatitis include:
- Weight loss
- Excessive salivation (Maine Coon drooling)
- Diarrhea
- Yellow Gums
- Abdominal Pain
8. Poisoning
Many innocent-looking household cleaning products are actually more dangerous than you might think.
This is because they are poisonous to your Maine Coon cat if consumed.
Owners should therefore make sure they keep such items locked away, to ensure their Maine Coon cat does not come to any harm.
9. Foreign Objects
Maine Coon cats are well known for being curious souls.
They want to understand everything and know what is going on at all times.
Yet, this can sometimes prove fatal for a Maine Coon cat, that tries to chew on an object which then becomes stuck in their mouth, or worse, their throat.
If you’ve noticed your cat drooling and are wondering why does your Maine Coon drool, make sure to check their mouth for objects that shouldn’t be there.
For example, your cat might have a small strip of plastic lodged in their throat, which they thought would be fun to chew on earlier in the day.
10. Mouth Ulcers And Tumour
Maine Coon drooling can often be caused by an underlying health issue, such as a mouth ulcer, or tumor.
If you notice an issue in your Maine Coons mouth, ask your veterinary professional to take a look and assess the situation.
If you are interested to learn more about the key Maine Coon health issues, click here for more details.
11. Old Age
Older Maine Coon cats are more prone to drooling.
This is often the result of Maine Coon teeth and mouth issues. Click here to learn more about Maine Coon teeth.
Conclusion
When it comes to determining why does my Maine Coon drool, there really are a wide number of potential issues to consider.
If in doubt, always speak to your veterinary professional for guidance, since they are qualified to identify your Maine Coon cat’s health issues.
If you are interested in reading more about Maine Coon health issues, check out my article top 7 Maine Coon health issues.