Q: I have had more than one cat that drools while being petted, particularly when the petting gets them purring. What’s that about? Is it something I should be concerned about?
Emerson Tremblay
Scituate, Massachusetts
Dear Mr. Tremblay,
A: You don’t need to be concerned. Drooling is simply part of a supremely happy response. Consider that cats immediately start purring — and sometime drooling — when given high doses of opioid painkillers following surgery. They are no doubt relieved and feeling good. The same thing goes on when you pet a cat just right.
Veterinarians believe it has to do with the release of endorphins, opioid-like chemicals in the brain that cause a feeling of contentment. The signs expressed by a cat’s body include purring and sometimes, salivating. The eyes might flutter, too.
Of course, context is everything. A cat might also drool when feeling stressed or anxious. Thus, if your cat seems uncomfortable being petted, consider the drool a signal to stop.
You’ll know. It’s hard to mistake the relaxed, sometimes euphoric, response of a cat who’s enjoying a petting session.
