TL;DR: Drooling combined with respiratory distress is a life-threatening emergency indicating your cat is struggling for oxygen. Seek immediate veterinary care if your cat is panting, breathing with an open mouth, or has blue-tinted gums.
Why is my cat drooling and having difficulty breathing?
When a cat exhibits both excessive drooling (ptyalism) and labored breathing (dyspnea), it is a sign that their body is in significant distress. This combination of symptoms often suggests that the cat is unable to swallow properly because they are prioritizing the effort to move air, or there is an acute obstruction or systemic reaction occurring.
How urgent is it if my cat is drooling and struggling to breathe?
- This is a life-threatening emergency; respiratory distress in cats is often subtle until it reaches a critical crisis point.
- If your cat is panting like a dog, breathing with an open mouth, or has a bluish tint to their tongue or gums, they are not getting enough oxygen.
- You should contact the nearest emergency animal hospital immediately for intervention.
How can a photo or video help the veterinary team triage my cat?
- Providing a clear photo or a 5-second video of your cat’s breathing pattern and drool allows the triage team to witness specific respiratory efforts, such as abdominal breathing or an extended neck posture.
- Visuals of the consistency of the drool help the clinic prepare the necessary life-saving equipment before you even arrive.
Clinical Context (Merck Veterinary Manual)
Compromised breathing in cats manifests as an increased respiratory rate and effort, followed by a change in respiratory pattern. Cats may sit crouched on all four limbs with the sternum slightly elevated (orthopnea). Labored, open-mouth breathing and cyanosis indicate significant loss of pulmonary function and impending pulmonary arrest. Severe small airway obstruction presents with labored breathing, an expiratory push of the diaphragm, cyanosis, and anxiety; auscultation reveals high-pitched wheezes. Anaphylactic reactions, asthma, and bronchial obstruction from edema, mucus, exudates, or foreign material are common causes. Unconscious, apneic animals require immediate tracheal intubation, and any airway obstruction must be immediately relieved.
Chapter: Emergency, Anesthesia & Critical Care, Respiratory
Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th Edition (Page 1663)