Most of the time, cats keep their mouth wide open to detect aura and pheromones. The process is referred to as the flehmen reaction.
Cats can detect odors, after which the smell is put into perspective. Thanks to a gland on the top of their jaws.
To access the ethmoid cavity around the vomeronasal gland, they must open their jaws and for passage of airflow via it.
The process enables cats to identify other cats’ domains, meals, and close partners and kittens.
As cat parents, we often get entertained by numerous darndest displays from our feline companions.
Besides restless jumping around the house, kneading, bunting, and continuous meowing, the manner kitties leave their mouths open is another usual cat behavior that may seem odd to humans.
While wondering why the cat leaves its mouth ajar, especially when sniffing or smelling something, you still get entertained by the grimace on its face and wrinkles on the cat’s nose, especially as the pull-back on its upper lip creates a funny face.
Cat survival largely depends on scent and smell detection using multi-millions of sensors in their nasal and dental regions.
Therefore, keeping their mouths open for advanced sniffing enables flehmen’s response to take place easily.
Kittens breathe in via their vomeronasal gland, a different olfactory organ situated in the anterior section of the nasal cavity, to conduct their perceptions of smell and taste.
Smells are processed by this organ, which also communicates with the brain.
Unlike other canines, which frequently let their lips hang open out of instinct, felines usually hang their jaws to get a precise reading on a scent.
Processes that Keep Kitties’ Mouths Open
When felines leave their jaws agape, their general tasks include odor review, taste assessment, and smell evaluation.
Specific use of the flehmen reaction to cats include:
- Detecting pheromones for intimacy that may have been left in pee, especially when marking territory by tom cats.
- Transmission of intimate desires to other kitties around.
- Evaluate different kitties within the proximity for threat and safety analyses, mating, and breeding purposes.
- In the case of a queen cat that lets its babies out for training and hunting, the mother cat can open its mouth for the location of the kittens,
- To investigate and evaluate its surroundings.
Other Non-Flehmen Reasons Cats Do Open Mouth
- Cat’s chattering at prey like a bird. Mouth-opening at such an instance often expresses the excitement of finding the prey or the frustration of missing the prey.
Cat’s weird mouth movement associated with chattering is often noticed when the cat is outdoors or when an indoor cat is playing at a spot it can view objects or preys outside.
- Having food particles (like hard kibbles and bones) stuck in your cat’s throat and mouth.
The irregular mouth movement is often accompanied by pawing at the feline’s mouth; you may even see some gagging or retching.
Such does not always constitute a worry as a few movements of mouth up and down by the cat clears the kibbles and hairs glued in the cat’s teeth.
- Stress from rigorous exercise.
- Dehydration from hot weather.
- Pain, anxiety, and shock.
- Asthma, anemia, bronchitis, hyperthyroidism, heart disease, heartworm, or respiratory infections.
Can a Cat Mouth-Opening be a Symptom for Heath Concern?
Cat’s occasional mouth opening has been identified as a normal process.
However, there are exceptional cases where it is done to express discomfort around the mouth.
When a feline is experiencing pains in the mouth due to swollen cavities or gums, the cat may keep its mouth open to control the pain.
A difficulty in the air passage, like short breathing or an unusual growth around the throat, will impede your cat’s ability to voice out. When the agony becomes unbearable, your kitty can as well keep the mouth ajar.
In dental and throat pains, there are always other clear signs that the cat is not in good shape.
Since felines are so good at hiding illness, this could be your first sign that something isn’t right.
Kitties can also open their mouth when they attempt to bite to express their fury.
Cat Occasional Mouth-Opening Differentiated from Panting
For cat mouth-opening for flehmen response, your feline friend keeps the mouth open in a natural and seamless manner to make the smelling sensors work naturally.
Opening of mouth by a cat here is to put the vomeronasal organ to work.
However, panting is usually a sign that all is not right with your cat because it involves an irregular stressful breathing rhythm, and it is common in senior cats.
This particular symptom could mean everything from respiratory distress and overexertion to a serious emergency.
Panting can also signify that your cat is struggling for air and may need immediate oxygen supplementation.
Medical issues can cause panting, including heart failure, cold, asthma, cancer, fluid build-up in and around the lungs, lung cancer, seizure, bronchitis, feline asthma, pneumonia, or a tumor.
Whatever the cause of the panting, it is best to visit a vet as soon as possible to evaluate the likely causes.
As much as I’m an advocate of home remedies for my pets, there is little or nothing you can do from your end. Just calm yourself and the cat suitably.
However, if you think the panting cat is overheated and can’t readily access your vet, use a wet towel to moisten the cat’s body.
A blood test to screen for heartworm, infections, anemia, and diabetes may be ordered when a vet visit is made.
A chest ultrasound or X-rays may be used to check for liquid around the cardiovascular system.
Remedies to Cats That Do Not Close Mouth
Unlike a dog that commonly leaves its mouth open for emotional expression and regulating body temperature, cats rarely keep their mouth open for long.
The first thing is to get your cat back to a relaxed and playful mode to overcome anxiety, as the mouth opening can be panting.
Another step you can quickly take to ease your kitty is to check for nasal blockage, which sneezes, and coughing may accompany.
If so, do it well by distancing it from the causes of the allergies like specks of dust, chemicals, and possibly, cleaning agents.
Other specially formulated veterinarian products are also on the market to assist the feline companion in overcoming anxiety.
These include oil, vest wipe, and other common products you can only find in pet clinics.
Where the frequency of your cat’s mouth opening is becoming worrisome, try to first look through its mouth, especially the tongue, teeth, and gum.
A dental assessment of your may appear not easy if you do not know how to proceed. However, a physical examination of the feline’s dental area can reveal if there is any reddish parts or swollen portion on those organs.
The best bet for your fury feline is to access a proper medical check for possible inability to close the mouth.
The medical history of the kitty can also be of help here.
After the diagnosis, the vet will ascertain if medications alone can solve the problem or if it involves other medical procedures to address unusual dental issues like open-mouth jaw locking, mandible fracture, and other related dental cases.
Other Mouth-Related Disorders Cats Suffer
Some disorders have been listed as reasons cats keep their mouths open. Even though the list is not exhaustive, other dental-related unfavorable conditions in cats include:
- Bad breath (halitosis)
- Loose or missing teeth
- Swollen and bleeding gums
- Difficulty with eating
- Pawing on the teeth
- Visible tartar
- Excessive drooling.