my cats abnormal behaviour

Question
my 7 yr old mixed breed (oriental) short haired black cat wont stop licking its mouth and sometimes will shakes its head like something is stuck in its mouth, i have tried looking in his mouth but he wont let me, there is always adequte water and food around for him so i dont think he is dehydrated and it doesnt seem to be hurting him but its been going on for over a week and am wondering if i should be concerned?

Answer
Hi Kathryn.  When a behavior comes on suddenly, it's usually a pretty good indication that there's something specific going on.  This sort of symptom can suggest that your kitty may have sores in his mouth, a bad tooth or possibly a growth such as a polyp or tumor in the mouth or throat.  Excessive licking around the lips could even indicate nausea.

If you can get someone else to hold his legs for you, you might be better able to get a look in his mouth, but if his mouth is sore, then that very well may be out of the question no matter how you try to go about it.  Truly the best idea is to have a vet look at him.