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Tip
61 - Drooling cats - kneading cats - Cats that drool and knead
Occasionally
adult cats will drool while they are being petted, massaged or
while nuzzling into
fabrics. This drooling is usually accompanied with the kneading
of the cat's paws. This
paw
kneading
action
is identical to that performed by nursing kittens and it is
this behaviour that the cat is reproducing involuntarily in
adulthood.
Those adult cats that do drool/knead, often choose sweaters, coats
or other clothing reminiscent of their original
suckling
environments. There, the nursing kittens kneaded their paws on
their mothers, to stimulate milk flow from
their teats. The anticipation and smell
of the milk caused the kitten to salivate and drool.
Even
though the reason cats drool and knead is in response to the
warmth and good feeling they're getting off of
the petter or sweater,
some people find that this is a behaviour that they'd like
to
correct.
This
is
difficult
since
it is so primal and involuntary.
It would be like trying to correct a human being for salivating
at a summer barbeque. If the cat drools on you, get or wear older
clothing or
place a dishtowel on your lap. It would be best in
this situation,
to keep
valuable/cherished clothing items AND/OR the materials
that
the
cat
finds 'droolable'
locked
away safely.
If your cat is not a drooler/kneader as described
above, then sudden drooling normally indicates a problem. The problem
can range from to a chipped/cracked tooth or gum infection (the
more common reasons), to poisoning or a foreign
object lodged in the throat. Try gently checking your cat's mouth
and look to see if you can spot the problem. Maybe there is a splinter
or foreign object you can see and easily remove it without hurting
the animal. If not, then it's time to visit the vet and diagnose
the severity of the condition.
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2006
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