My 17-year-old cat

Question
Hi.  I inherited a cat almost 2 years ago.  She is the most passive sweetheart in the world.  For about 2 weeks now, she has been very vocal wanting outside, drooling every once in a while.  Her appetite is fairly normal but she seems to have lost weight.  I was cleaning around her mouth today and noticed swelling at the corner of her mouth and don't know what to do.  I can't afford the vet until next week but want some direction as to what could be going wrong until I can get her to the vet.  She is 99% indoor.  We let her out for exercise and to eat grass daily but we stay basically on top of her to protect her.  Any ideas?  Thank you so much for your time.

Answer
Mallory,

There are a number of things that could be happening. It is possible that your cat has come into contact with something toxic such as a pesticide or herbicide if your neighbors spray their lawns with chemicals. The drooling could also mean that she has a severely infected tooth that is causing her pain. An abscessed tooth may not seem serious to a person, but given that your kitty is geriatric any infection is cause for concern. Dental infections can spread throughout the body's organs and cause issues with their kidneys, liver, heart and digestive system. It is also possible that your cat may have chipped a tooth and have an exposed root. Either of these possibilities are quite painful and require immediate attention. The fact that your cat has obviously lost weight is a major concern because it gives a clue as to how serious whatever is bothering her is. Cats don't like to show that they aren't feeling well because they have evolved to protect themselves from predators. When it is obvious that your cat isn't feeling well things are actually much worse than they appear. I would recommend that you speak with your family vet and explain the situation, some clinics will allow you to pay by post dated cheque especially because they wouldn't be waiting too long for the account to be settled. The sooner that your cat can be treated by a vet the better because this has probably been going on for longer than you have known. If you have ever had a toothache you will understand how uncomfortable your cat may be. Unfortunately while human beings can understand why they are in pain and we have over the counter products to alleviate our discomfort until we can get to the vet, cats don't have the understanding of why they hurt or the luxury of safe over the counter medications to soothe the discomfort. All that your cat likely understands is that she is in pain and it isn't going away. Due to your cat's advanced age the fact that she has lost noticeable weight is a serious concern as cats who are elderly aren't as resilient as younger cats. I do hope that you have found this information helpful. If you have any further questions or concerns, or you would simply like to send an update my way please don't hesitate to contact me again.