Cats have inflamed gums or gingivitis more than people, says veterinarian Dr. Pamela Meuller of World of Animals in Philadelphia. If you notice that your cat is yawning a lot, it's probably a good idea to take it to the vet as soon as possible. Many cats with severe trauma to the face or jaw will require surgery to fix any breaks in the skull or facial bones. Happens exactly once per yawn as shown in video. A little late to the party, so obviously if you took kitty in last night I'm too late, but I also don't think this is an emergency vet type situation either. He was only grooming himself on his chest when it happened so suddenly. 1 Reaction. The temporomandibular joint is the hinged point in the jaw that is formed by the temporal and mandible bones, collectively known as the jaw joint. I am disabled without an income at the moment, cannot afford to take her to vet until the 20th. What seems fine now might develop into something much worse. Thanks! Especially watch out if the drool (or your cats water dish) is tinged with blood. However, it might be necessary to see a vet if their discomfort lasts for more than a week. Epidemiology. and grinding. Get practical pet health tips, articles, and insights from our veterinary community delivered weekly to your inbox. When cats are chattering, theyll move their mouth in a rapid chewing motion. numbness of the face. Duration: Started about a month ago. Many of us have had food stuck in our back teeth, and no matter how much floss or how many toothpicks we use, we cant seem to dislodge whatever is stuck. More than likely it is TMJ. 2. taktak | @taktak | Oct 5, 2017. Until the wound heals, and the swelling goes down, your cat will strangely move its jaw. This painful condition causes cavity-like holes in the teeth, eats teeth away or turns tooth roots to bone. If left untreated, gum disease can lead to tooth loss. Mueller says that the first step is a professional cleaning. If your veterinarian has an MRI machine in the clinic, this may be the recommended image technique. For example, if your normally sweet-tempered Maine Coon unexpectedly bites you when you go to rub their face, that abnormal aggressive behavior might be a reaction to pain. Plaque is a film of bacteria, saliva, leftover food material, and dead cells. My little girl, who is about 3 years old now, has on the past two days begun opening and closing her mouth and making a strange clicking noise. Shen, Y. F., Younger, J., Goddard, G., & Mackey, S. (2009). This is where the teeth dont align and fit together as they should. Moreover, jaw abnormalities can predispose cats to develop three of the issues I have discussed already: Periodontal disease, gingivitis, and oral trauma. The oral area, from the lips to the throat, is inflamed with this illness. This could result in excessive yawning or teeth grinding. By: Dr. Sarah WootenUpdated: November 4, 2022. 6 Excessive Yawning or Teeth Grinding (bruxism) Reluctance to eat, drooling, or odd mouth movements may all be signs that your cat has this condition. jaw moving to the side when opening. This can lead to jaw popping or clicking. By: Dr. Sarah WootenUpdated: January 28, 2022, Home / BeWell / 10 Signs of Oral Problems in Cats. However, malocclusions can make it painful for your cat to eat food. While head shaking or head tilts commonly are associated with ear problems, a cat in pain from dental disease may also shake their head excessively or tilt their head to the side of the mouth where the problem exists. In general, if a cat doesnt feel well, they stop grooming. Cats yawn when you look at them because they want your undivided attention. This may be the result of a decreased oxygen level in the blood triggering the body to take a deep breath to replenish it, re-energizing taxed muscle tissues. The exact cause of a person's TMJ disorder is often difficult to determine. X-rays remain a valuable tool in the diagnosis of TMJ disorders, and your doctor will be likely to use this type of imaging to get a better view of the bones and joints in the face. Let me know if you like what you have read or if it has helped you with a problem. When clicking a link here and buying, we may be able to make a small commission, at no additional cost to you. This is especially true if they yawn and then meow, hiss, growl, or make any other noise. Is the ketogenic diet right for autoimmune conditions? Reluctance to eat, drooling, orodd mouth movementsmay all be signs that your cat has this condition. This helps us offset the costs of running this site, so thank you for your support! While cat chatter is the most common reason why your cat is making weird mouth movements, there are other causes including some serious conditions, such as feline orofacial pain syndrome and periodontitis. Should I be urgently concerned? What is the latest research on the form of cancer Jimmy Carter has? Helen Jablonski contributed to this article. However, when she comes inside she wants to be the center of attention, running around the place, stopping and staring intently at people, whining, clawing the furniture wanting you to play with her, and now has turned to yawning to get attention. With 2 cats who have both had many many dental issues and eventually had all their teeth removed (and each surgery did cost more than $2k, unfortunately), there was months of build up to the actual event; very little was urgent in the sense other issues can be. Its most often a dental sign seen in cats who have resorptive lesions on their teeth. TheCatSite.com is a community of cat lovers dedicated to quality cat care and cat welfare. Can diet help improve depression symptoms? This explains the strange and comical expression without making these weird mouth movements, cats can only smell using their noses. All wounds need to be treated and potentially stitched together if theyre too large. However, there are also some more concerning explanations you should also be aware of. It doesn't always result in a mahoosive vet bill. What has come of your kitties, did they over come this cracking sound? Two of the most common forms of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, both of which can result in cartilage damage in the TMJ. For many cats, gingivitis ispreventable with regular brushing. Chattering typically happens when a cat eats, washes their face or grooms. Is It Normal for Cats to Lose Their Teeth? The results of these tests are often found to be normal, especially if no other concurrent disease is present. Usually seen with acute pain, a cat may try to get the pain out of their mouth by pawing at it. Your vet will be able to remove the object with tweezers to ensure this doesnt happen. As a last resort, surgery may be required. Your pain may be due to a combination of factors, such as genetics, arthritis or jaw injury. One or more episodes (once a month to several times a day, ranging from a few seconds or minutes to many hours or days) of open-mouth jaw locking after yawning, grooming, playing, eating, or vocalizing. My jaw pops every time I yawn, and usually when I chew, or do anything that requires opening my mouth past a certain point. If I'm walking up and I see her yawning, I stop until she's done, then continue and she'll shake her head. This has to be one of the silliest things youll ever see your cat do! By: ishane Diagnosis and Treatment. Depending on the cause of the inflammation, the swelling might last for a couple of days or until your cat gets proper treatment. Your email address will not be published. If head shaking happens in conjunction with drooling or another sign on this list, dental problems are the prime suspects. TMJ is the name given to the joint where the lower jaw hinges to the skull. 6 Ways to Keep Canine Teeth and Cat Teeth Healthy. [12] While having your jaw wired shut is a major inconvenience, it may prevent you from having another painful jaw dislocation in the near future. He does not seem to be in any pain. After surgery, you should expect your cat to feel sore. An X-ray or CT Scan may be needed to determine the cause, such as TMJ, he says. Some people may require medical treatments instead of, or in addition to, these home remedies. To combat this, try consciously relaxing your tongue during your "yawn" Also Read: Cat Suddenly Lethargic and Weak: Causes & Treatment Frequently Asked Questions Why do cats yawn at you? If a person's jaw was clicking I wouldn't treat that as an emergency, and I don't think cats are SO different from us that a clicking jaw would be vastly more worrisome. I guess I'll wait it out a while since he is healthy, eating, growing and playing normally.Just felt like venting my two cents worth since no one else had any good answers either. What Dog Yawns Mean. Remember, if your cat grinds its teeth, he is likely experiencing pain and requires veterinary care. It often occurs when a cat is in pain due to an underlying medical issue, says Dr. Alexander M. Reiter, head of dentistry and oral surgery at University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. 00:00, Fri, Mar 4, 2011. Cats do get TMJ issues, often they will come and go of their own accord. Eating and behavior are both normal. VIP Cat Chatter! Dr.Barbara 30+ years of experience 2,814 satisfied customers Dr.Barbara, Expert Dr.Barbara : I can tell he is uncomfortable. It is the second most common musculoskeletal pain behind low back pain. This causes pains and discomfort within the mouth region, and so your cat wiggles their mouths strangely. After your cat gets its teeth cleaned, its recommended that you start a regular brushing routine to help prevent further damage to your cats teeth from gingivitis. Can poor sleep impact your weight loss goals? All rights reserved. Best food forward: Are algae the future of sustainable nutrition? Your Kitty Needs More Air. At the appointment, your vet will try and figure out the cause of the inflammation. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen may reduce swelling and relieve jaw pain. I'm not sure what that could beyour best bet is to take kitty to vet and make sure you have no future complications. No. My cat is 5 months old and just developed a cracking sound when he yawns. He does have a small (what seems to be a floating abcess) but the vet thinks is a gland, underneath his chin bone.) Unfortunately, I cannot make a video myself. It is also possible that your cat is making weird mouth movements because of an injury to the soft tissue inside the mouth. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable. Ive read all the comments and noticed many of the other kitties on here that had this issue where around the same age. Posts: 3600. If your cat isnt acting strangely and if they are still breathing like normal, they should be fine. My Oreo is just one of a kind. OP, your post has NOT been removed. They will chatter at the window whenever they spot prey outside and will stare intently at the target. JavaScript is disabled. There are many different brushes and kinds of toothpaste on the market. If your cat loses some teeth, it will be okay! Other signs and symptoms of oral infections include: Antibiotics or other treatments may be necessary to treat oral infections. Access the worlds largest online veterinary resources, written by leading experts for 14 days. While your cat recovers be that with or without veterinary help keep a close eye on your cats wounds. At other times, it results from problems in the functioning of the temporomandibular joints or the joints that connect the jawbone to the sides of the skull. Therefore, cats with this condition have inflamed gums, sides of the cheeks, the uppermost part of the throat, and the tongue! He was recently diagnosed with Liver disease when his bloodwork came back with high enzyme level. Should I go to the vet now, or first thing in the morning (8am)? This is a form of mutilation, and you need to use a cone collar to stop your cat from injuring itself. Cats and humans may be prone to yawning when cooling down after energetic activity. Myofascial pain syndrome in the jaw can lead to jaw popping. You may have to get her a playmate to help take some of the energy off. I really enjoyed reading all the comments. If that is not in the cards, you will have to play with her more. If the cat can drink try pureeing some food with water so the cat can lick it up instead of chewing it. While not being able to open your mouth fully is the most common symptom of lockjaw, it's not the only symptom. Your cats bad breath can be caused by periodontal disease, tooth resorption, infection, cancer or any number of mouth, tooth or gum disorders, all of which are likely to cause pain. When this joint isnt working properly, it can make a clicking or popping sound. The best part about this explanation is that it iscompletely normal! TMJ is the name given to the joint where the lower jaw hinges to the skull. Jaw locking can last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. Spontaneous correction sometimes associated with an audible 'click'.