Cat - pink saliva

[Simpo Two]

My cat (11, F) seems entirely normal, and like other cats likes to eat grass then come in the house and barf on the carpet. It's usually just grass and thick saliva.

However this morning I noticed the saliva was pink, which I think can only have been a trace of blood. The cat seems perfectly normal otherwise. Do I hope it goes away on its own or is it vet time?

[jmsgld]

Vet time, probably dental disease but various other possibilities from heart failure to bitten her tongue.

[Simpo Two]

jmsgld said:

Vet time, probably dental disease but various other possibilities from heart failure to bitten her tongue.

Thanks for the reply - she seems fine now fortunately.

How do heart issues lead to pink saliva?

[8bit]

One of ours (indoor cat) likes to chew on one particular houseplant, which invariably makes her sick. One day when cleaning up her latest plant reincarnation we noticed the liquid was very red indeed. Whisked her off to the emergency, out of hours vet (it was a Sunday) at no small expense to be told she'd likely burst a blood vessel in her oesophagus whilst vomiting. She seemed fine otherwise, as usual after making herself sick this way she skipped off to the food bowls and got stuck in.

As above, I'd get in touch with the vet to be on the safe side though.

[Simpo Two]

8bit said:

Whisked her off to the emergency, out of hours vet (it was a Sunday) at no small expense to be told she'd likely burst a blood vessel in her oesophagus whilst vomiting.

Well I never thought of that! Thanks for the input.

[jmsgld]

Simpo Two said:

jmsgld said:

Vet time, probably dental disease but various other possibilities from heart failure to bitten her tongue.

Thanks for the reply - she seems fine now fortunately.

How do heart issues lead to pink saliva?

Heart failure can lead to a build up of fluid on the lungs, some of which is coughed up, looks like foamy pink saliva...

[Simpo Two]

jmsgld said:

Heart failure can lead to a build up of fluid on the lungs, some of which is coughed up, looks like foamy pink saliva...

Thanks very much. Before I rush off to get the cat carrier, is there any treatment for the condition (if that's what it is) or is it a case of 'Sorry nothing we can do'?

[jmsgld]

Yes, most things are treatable. A single episode of pink stained saliva in an otherwise well cat would be far more likely some minor bleeding within the mouth - dental disease, injury etc. But without seeing the animal it is impossible to tell.
I would say that it would be worth a check up.

[Simpo Two]

Thanks James

[Simpo Two]

By way of an update - more pink saliva today, and a few drops of blood so it was off to the vets.

Spoke to the head vet; he thought the blood was due to repeated vomiting and suspected an overactive thyroid - enlarged gland, weight loss, vomiting. But it needed a blood test first and that confirmed it. So £313 later I now have a bottle of thyronorm, and we go back in 3-4 weeks. Expensive times.