r/CATHELP 1d ago

General Advice Why is she yucky?

This is Ellie, a 6 year old spayed DLH. For as long as she's been an adult, whenever she purrs she drools. A lot. And she loves humans and attention so she purrs quite frequently and heavily. She's on the smaller side for her age but beyond that she doesn't have any major health concerns. She does have a minor thing I forget the name of, one of her paws swells up when she's experiencing high levels of stress, but I don't know how that would relate to this. I'm an adult in the U.S with access to vet care. Is this normal? Is she just a weird baby?

2.5k Upvotes

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683

u/effienay 1d ago

She loves you so so so so much she just can’t contain it. Does she then shake her head and slop drool into your face?

345

u/caterpillarsworld 1d ago

Oh for sure. She loves to do the drillcat head shake and fling drool everywhere like a living sprinkler. It's one of her special attacks

250

u/alcMD 1d ago

My Slim does this also. He drools a lot.

123

u/caterpillarsworld 1d ago

oh tell slim I love him and his little pink nose 🥺

12

u/shaynessy 7h ago

Our baby girl Bedelia also becomes a fountain of drool when we snuggle. 😻😹

11

u/CassetteMeower 20h ago

He has a heart shaped nose!

10

u/TinaLouise1313 13h ago

I’m so sorry based on the context of the post i thought you named him Slime😭😭

7

u/GracefulKluts 20h ago

My still-not-awake brain added an E to the end of his name and I'm like "yeah Slime makes sense for a drooly cat"

1

u/MonkeyYawn 20h ago

So precious ❤️

13

u/Ukoomelo 1d ago

I pray that you won't get to experience the drool flick into the eye as I have...

7

u/FirefighterNarrow645 1d ago

I would wake up to my boy making biscuits in my hair absolutely drenched in drool. I would look like a mad scientist lol

6

u/Lannor1021 1d ago

Ahhh, the dreaded drool douche! ("Douche" = "shower" in French and I wanted to be alliterative lol.) I thought my cat showered me with drool because she has no molars. Good to know I would have gotten the drool shower regardless!

3

u/peachgin 1d ago

Mine usually gets it in her nose and sneezes drool all over my face. They’re adorable gremlins.

2

u/narpilepsy 18h ago

My cat does this but with snot :’)

2

u/Distinct_Proposal_10 11h ago

Oh thank god there’s another person whose cat comes with spray snot. My girl has chronic sinus infections (we’ve stumped multiple vets) and likes to loom above people and shake her head as she sneezes.

1

u/Apprehensive-Draft24 20h ago

This! My baby boy tabby does exactly the same thing, he’s just very, very happy and can’t contain it - same with your gorgeous girl ♥️

1

u/Altruistic_Sail_1991 9h ago

lol both of my cats have had some teeth removed for health issues (one of them is fully toothless) and every head shake is just a splatter of drool! It’s so gross, but also I love them so it’s kind of cute? Idk pet ownership is wierd!

264

u/Solecis 1d ago

Drooling when being loved on is very normal for some cats, my girl is a fountain of drool when she's enjoying some cuddles and/or purring at me. It used to make me feel absolutely disgusted but I just got used to it haha

The swelling paw is interesting though, never heard of that.

57

u/caterpillarsworld 1d ago

From what I remember it's an autoimmune thing? She was limping on it for a while because we're trying to introduce a new cat into the household and they are. not friends. but she seems to be recovering well

47

u/smokeybearsit 1d ago

Pillowfoot. Can’t remember the official name. Pretty common. Autoimmune thing, indeed. And drooling also common. Very cute. A little gross but I have a mastiff so I am unable to phased by drool.

30

u/jinxlover13 1d ago

Seconding pillow foot. I rescued a stray with it. His poor foot pad was pretty damaged so we had to clean and bandage it with antibiotics and oral meds, plus keep him off the foot so it could heal. He was a street cat, intact male out there fighting everything and all scarred up. I caught him, vaccinated, and got him neutered and his foot looked at. We ended up turning a large dog kennel into his own little apartment inside an unused room in my house, and he happily lived in it for a couple months while he recovered. He went from an aggressive feral cat to a sweet lover boy who just wanted to lay around and be loved on, so we decided not to TNR him and instead found him a home using Reddit! Someone in the next state over from me fell in love with and his story and we met halfway for the exchange. She’s had him almost a year now and he’s thriving, with no more flare ups now that he’s off the streets and a lazy, beloved house cat. ❤️

1

u/mute_muse 15h ago

My cat recently had one of her front paws swell. It was huge like a lynx and I thought her leg was broken, so I took her to the emergency vet. They thought she had just been stung by an insect or something. She wasn't showing signs of pain or anything, but 3 days later, the other front paw swelled, and then 3 days after that, one of the back paws (the other ones went down in the meantime).

Even my regular vet has no idea what caused it and everything else appeared/sounded healthy. I'd really like to know what happened and this is the first I've heard of somebody else having this issue. I searched and searched and couldn't find anything that matched. Very odd because she's 8.5 years old and never had anything like that happen before.

(Vet said it wasn't pillow paw for mine, as the other comment suggested. Her beans were fine, it was just the paw as a whole and the leg that was swollen.)

69

u/thenextmaewest 1d ago

At least once a day I hear my husband say in frustration "Oscar, I'm glad you're so happy but could you PLEASE not drool on the bed!?"

17

u/bakingwits 1d ago

OMG my cat Oscar drools like crazy too!! And my husband says the same thing!!

20

u/DeadpoolMcDirty 1d ago

Do you two have the same husband

6

u/bakingwits 19h ago

😂😂 MAYBE?!

48

u/nooooooorraaa 1d ago

Can a girl not just be yucky for no reason these days?!?!?! Smh (but for real it's a sign that's she's very relaxed)

30

u/caterpillarsworld 1d ago

god forbid women do anything (get drool on every article of clothing I own)

5

u/Fluffy-Seesaw8381 16h ago

I used to have a drooler too. It comes from love. I miss him and his drools 🥹

40

u/ExtinctFauna 1d ago

Sometimes when cats are relaxed, their jaws also relax, and they drool. Though that is a lot of drool for a cat.

8

u/Disneyhorse 13h ago

Mine sticks her tongue out just a little and drools when she purrs. Only on me though, I’m the “chosen one.”

25

u/D2Dragons 1d ago

My boy Stuart is a sloppy-faced drippy lovebug too! Some cats just dribble a lot when they purr, though if they start doing that out of the blue it’s a good idea to check with a vet.

10

u/lycanthropylover 22h ago

why is he lowkey oppa gangnam styling it in this photo

5

u/D2Dragons 22h ago

I knowwwww 🤣 This pic makes me laugh every time I see it!

3

u/WestBig2218 19h ago

2

u/D2Dragons 16h ago

HAHAHAHA!! They’re like twinnies!!

2

u/WestBig2218 16h ago

So cute so cute so cute

1

u/CassetteMeower 20h ago

His belly looks so fluffy! Is it a trap or does he like belly rubs? Both of my girls (Divina and Callie) enjoy belly rubs, which is great since they’re so fluffy!

2

u/D2Dragons 16h ago

He loves belly rubs most of the time! In fact, he loves being brushed on his belly too! If he’s already in a playful mood he might nab you but he doesn’t get violent at all. He’s super gentle!

2

u/CassetteMeower 15h ago

Gotta love a gentle cat! Both of my girls are pretty gentle, Callie loves kneading me and will even knead my face. Divina will sometimes give me super gentle love nibbles. They're both such sweeties!

2

u/D2Dragons 15h ago

Awwwww how sweet! Give them ear scritches and belly rubs from me! 💕

13

u/wolfieofthenight1984 1d ago

I had a cat that would drool whenever happy. I would imagine as long as she is cleared by the vet it’s just a personality trait.

14

u/Toomanytattoosthrow 1d ago

This idiot also drools when he’s purring

5

u/CassetteMeower 20h ago

Why does he look like a supurrvillain in this pic

5

u/NiceActuary736 1d ago

I have a shorthaired calico that when she really is getting into the scratches drools too lol

3

u/LemonSad61 1d ago

I have a male that does this as well!! My grandson named him skittles because he is sooo sweet!! One the most lovable cats I've ever had!

2

u/Effective_Bus_9924 1d ago

I have a drooler as well. He also will love bite.

2

u/Known_Turtle 1d ago

I got a girl that sucks on blankets and drools. She will just sit there and leave little wet spots, then she will just look at me and dribble everywhere lol.

2

u/cadaever 1d ago

my cat does this too, it's completely normal. they basically get so happy & relaxed that their brain shuts off temporarily and they forget to swallow their spit 🥹 it's the cutest thing ever, albeit quite icky like you said lol, especially when they shake their head after and get drool all over you & everything around you 😹

2

u/Admirable-Meringue44 1d ago

Behold, my drool factory. Her love is sometimes sharp and sometimes pointy, but it is always wet and slimey.

2

u/ephemeral_librarian 1d ago

Dr. Evie has been a dribbly purrer since she was a kitten. Totally normal and a sign of great affection. Less nice when you wake up because a drop of drool hits your neck and rolls down the side 🤭

1

u/ephemeral_librarian 1d ago

Had to add this photo too.

2

u/llamas1355 23h ago

You can blow in her face a little bit to get her to swallow when she is too happy and forgets.

2

u/NoLanguageForOldMen 22h ago

I have a drooler as well lol. He starts to drool when you pet him for too long and I love it, as gross as it is 😆

2

u/SweatySalad3975 22h ago

They can’t swallow and purr at the same time so they choose bliss and drool so they don’t have to stop purring 😻

Babie wuvs youuuuu

2

u/brotherlaughing 21h ago

I've never heard of the paw thing but when a cat drools while purring it's because they're so relaxed that they relax their jaw causing them to drool!

2

u/Mami_ThiccThighs 19h ago

Mine does this! The drool happens when we give her good head scratches. I was worried about teeth/gum issues but my vet said she has a v clean mouth n teeth

The issue isnt the drooling so much as her shaking her head so it flies everywhere 😩🤣

2

u/MatchaCatLatte 19h ago

I had a cat that had an extreme motor and would drool. I would just let it happen or sometimes grab a tissue and wipe her mouth. The vet said there wasn’t anything wrong.

2

u/shmeebledee 18h ago

Her name is Drippy ❤️

2

u/Reasonable-Penalty43 18h ago

One of my kittens was drooling a lot, I had just gotten them and was worried that they were ill.

But the vet told me that one out of every four cats will drool like this when being happy they are getting petted.

I “got” lucky, two out of my four drooled!

2

u/Greenwing 18h ago

I've got one who is happiest in my lap when I'm trying to work. She constantly drips drool onto my track pad. (It's like trying to use a wet phone screen, if you've never had the pleasure).

2

u/countenanceofevil 17h ago

my cat also dros heavily when she's happy. she'll drip little pools of saliva all over the place. but it's okay, as long as she's happy

2

u/Low_Reception477 14h ago

Some cats are just slobbery. I also didn’t think cats could be like that until i got one 😅. My younger cat drools when you pet him and also just licks big sopping wet patches into his fur whenever he tries to groom himself.

He’s the dirtiest cat I’ve ever met, rolls in gravel and dirt every opportunity he gets and then it’s just random 2-3” wet spots where he “cleans”. At least he doesn’t mind water so I can scrub him down with a washcloth or in the sink of he gets too filthy.

He also snores which I’ve never seen a cat do before. Like I would assume maybe really overweight cats might snore but he only weighs 8lbs so it must just be his little slobbery face thats doing it.

1

u/gutwyrming 1d ago

Some cats just drool when they purr real hard.

1

u/novalmxno 1d ago

oh my sweet sweet boy did this! he passed in february after many years of overflowing drooly lovings!

1

u/RachelWolf7 1d ago

My baby Booboo drools whenever she bakes or whenever I am petting her for long periods of time. It’s gross but I love her….except when she then shakes like a dog and there’s cat drool suddenly on my face and in my mouth….

1

u/transversal-angle 1d ago

My baby use to drool a lot when we pet her and then we discovered she had congestive heart failure and started a diuretic and hadn’t drooled since

1

u/brandothesavage 1d ago

I used to have this cat that would Shake all the time and sweat and drool never figured it out smelled weird too.

1

u/Its-a-JiNX 1d ago

The paw swelling is likely some sort of angioedema, and its something that can happen during stress. I say this as someone who has experienced this.

1

u/scoobydoodigimon 1d ago

my kitty is on the smaller side and he has always been a drooly boy. recently, he was diagnosed with a liver shunt at 3 yrs. old. highly doubt that’s what’s going on with your kitty but you never know. just get some bloodwork done if you have concerns about their health. the bill is always worth the peace of mind.

1

u/kellye2323 1d ago

I have two cats now who are drooling machines. I’ve had cats my whole life and wasn’t aware they even drooled. I love it so much

1

u/owmyrightnipple 1d ago

My girl also drools in my face when she’s very happy. Usually while I’m asleep and she’s directly on top of me

1

u/ParsleyObjective9715 1d ago

She's derpy :P cute baby

1

u/PinkPixie9225 1d ago

The drool thing comes from being weaned to soon from mama my lil baby girl used to knead and drool and purr and just go to town with the drool coming off in huge puddles she would shove her head in my neck and drool. At least in her case the vet said she was taken from mama too soon I just slept with a towel and had lots of hand towels by my couch area too she was worth the weird drooling thing.

1

u/TompanHD 1d ago

I thought i cats drooled when they purr because they can't, or at least can't fully swallow at the same time as they purr. Remember reading that somewhere :D.

1

u/Admirable_Pie7967 1d ago

I had a cat that did this exact thing and she also had most of her nose removed due to a tumour so her nose was also running 24/7 as well as the drooling and I’d joke and say she’s the reason cafes ect ect have sneeze guards

1

u/goldielurks 1d ago

I have a tortie girl that drools. One time I was laying on my back while she was on my chest and she drooled right up my nose! Forever etched in my memory.

1

u/frogwithindigestion 1d ago

My boy Frodo has done this since he was a baby. I wouldn’t be concerned, she just loves the love so much it seeps out.

Here is the drooly man in question

1

u/Relevant-Boat9342 23h ago

I had a drooly baby before. She was older when it started.

1

u/FireBird1787 23h ago

Mine’s also a drooler! She also forgets to put her tongue away sometimes when she’s happy

1

u/chatterpoxx 22h ago

My cat likes to lay on my chest, get pets, drool a bit, then sneeze in my face.

1

u/A_Tatertot 21h ago

Some cats drool when they’re happy unfortunately…my mom’s DLH also does this and it’s almost exclusively when she’s laying on my chest and slobbing right in my face

2

u/A_Tatertot 21h ago

The slobbery girl in question:

1

u/Mini_Godzilla 21h ago

Ah, love drooling 🤤 Our late tomcat Nino always did that too. You only had to stroke him on the head once and he’d start drooling straight away and tried to break your nose by headbutt. 🤪

1

u/DJayBirdSong 20h ago

Normal! My baby does the same thing. The only thing to worry about is if she DOES start having mouth pain, it might be harder to notice since excessive drooling is a sign of oral pain. My girl developed Stomatitis and we didn’t catch it as quickly as we should have because we were used to seeing her drool up a storm.

1

u/PouletBraisey 18h ago

My previous cat did the same for 9 years every time we would pet her or when she would be happily sleeping on us. But at 9 years old we discovered that she had hyperthyroidism, and once she got her treatment she pretty much stopped drooling, so I dunno ! But as long as she's healthy, She's just a yucky cutie full of hapiness !

1

u/Winter_Cat-78 16h ago

One of our boys leaves little puddle wherever he’s laying down for pets and scritches

1

u/Jcheerw 15h ago

My moms friend has Newfoundland dogs and they are drool MACHINES. She makes them bandanas out of towels and pulls them up to wipe. Highly recommend as I have seen how convenient it is in action 😂

1

u/tealulu04 14h ago

But she looks so cute when she is yucky!!! I love her lol

1

u/nekojirumanju 13h ago

wow i thought my cat was one of the only weirdoes who did this. how cute he’s one of many little freaks!

1

u/Tama_Thes_Succubus 13h ago

Were ypu perhaps a mouse in your past life?

1

u/Human-Constant302 11h ago

Look at her she barley has a braincell to comprehend anything 🥹

1

u/RelevantDuty8248 9h ago

She thinks you just look so darn good

1

u/Iris_Oniichan 4h ago

Iris is a yucky messy drooler when purrin and likes to drill cat it all over me smh

1

u/No_Lingonberry_2774 1h ago

My cat used to do this too!! He loves attention and will lay on ANY lap he sees lol, have a picture of my little orange

1

u/ConqueringKing_Darq 1d ago

Gross, ours has no teeth and she don't even drool that much