CATDOLL : The cat suddenly licks its mouth frequently

1. Cats will lick their mouths after eating. Cats will lick their mouths after eating or drinking water. This is normal.

2. There is bitter food in the cat's mouth or the owner feeds medicine. Cats lick their mouths frequently to increase saliva secretion and use swallowing movements to eliminate the bitter stimulation as soon as possible.

3. The cat has foreign body trauma, such as fish bones stuck in the mouth. The owner needs to open the cat's mouth to check whether there is a foreign body stuck in the mouth. The cat will show interest in eating dry cat food or hard snacks, but will choose not to eat due to oral discomfort.

4. Cats are very sensitive. When raising cats, you need to be careful not to scare them. Excessive fright will cause cats to have a series of stress reactions. After the stress reaction occurs, it will directly lead to a decrease in the overall resistance of the cat, and the cat will lick its mouth all the time. It may also have symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and depression.

5. Cats tend to lick their mouths when they are nervous. When cats are nervous, they will do subconscious actions, such as going to a new environment, cutting their nails, etc., to relieve tension by licking their mouths, which is called a "replacement reaction."

6. Cats will feel uneasy due to changes in environment and smell. If a cat always looks at one place and licks its mouth, it may be caused by too much stress.

7. Cats lick their mouths frequently, which may also be because they are sick. Cats are prone to dental calculus and stomatitis, and in severe cases, ulcers may occur, making it difficult for cats to eat. Stomatitis can also cause bad breath in cats, and the taste of saliva will change, so they will constantly want to lick their mouths to clean.

8. The cat is nauseous and wants to vomit. This is often seen in cats with gastrointestinal diseases. When a cat is dehydrated or nauseous, it is likely to lick its mouth constantly and may also drool.

9. Cats have obsessive-compulsive disorder. If a cat licks too frequently, regardless of the location or occasion, it may be suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder.

10. There are wounds or bites on the body. Cats licking the bites on their bodies will also prompt them to lick their mouths all the time.

11. Smell an interesting smell. Sometimes, the floor and table in our daily life will inevitably be stained with chemicals, dirt, soap, etc., which will produce some strange smells and attract cats to lick their mouths.

What to do if your cat licks its mouth but doesn’t eat:

1. Be alert to stress reactions. Cats may have stress reactions when they are frightened, resulting in symptoms such as not eating or drinking, frequent licking of the mouth, and lethargy. The owner needs to pay attention to whether the cat has been vaccinated, changed the environment, bathed, or frightened. If so, the pet owner needs to slowly calm the cat down. After the cat's stress reaction slowly subsides, it may eat normally.

2. Choose the right cat food and feed it regularly. If the owner finds that the cat does not eat because of the cat food, you can buy some high-quality cat food to feed the cat. If the cat eats, there is no need to worry too much. The owner also needs to feed the cat at a fixed time. Uncontrolled feeding will cause the cat to not eat or drink at mealtime.

3. Supplement beneficial bacteria and digestive enzymes. Cats may not eat because they lack beneficial bacteria and digestive enzymes in their bodies and their intestines do not move and digest. Owners can feed cats beneficial bacteria and digestive enzymes to help them digest food.