my cat is drooling

Question
Just this morning our 1 1/2 year old male cat began drooling. He seems to be drinking more water that usual, but not constantly. He tries to keep his mouth shut, but whether sleeping or just sitting still, he starts dripping and pretty soon there's a puddle directly below his mouth. He tries licking his lips to keep them clean, but can't stop himself, apparently. He shows no other sign of discomfort and is doing everything else normally. At least that I know of. He is an outside cat and has been neutered. Thanks.

Answer
Hi, Natasha.  You need to get your kitty to the vet!  Drooling is a definite sign something's going on, especially when he's drooling this heavily.  It can indicate sores in the mouth, gingivitis, nausea, poisoning and upper respiratory infections.  Also, if you bathed him or applied a powder or flea treatment to his fur, the taste can cause drooling.

There are many causes of sores in the mouth and nausea.  This may include viral infections, parasites, diabetes, kidney and liver failure, pancreatitis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease to name just a few.