Why does my kitten have bad breath and drool when he purrs?

Question

Hello, I'm a bit worried for my kitten. I noticed a white bump on his gum (cf. attached pic) & his breath is bad compared to what it used to be. He seems to be drinking and eating (dry & wet food) without problem and is bothered when I look at his teeth but not agressive. He's teething so I was wondering if something could have gone wrong and get infected? There's no liquid. Also he used to purr very loud younger, now when I pet him he breathes very heavy/snorts and drools. Thanks a lot. Pet's info: Cat | Maine Coon | Male | unneutered | 7 months and 3 days old

Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH · Accepted Answer

The area that I think you are concerned about is the lighter colored and thicker area on the bottom lip. That is a normal part of the bottom lip that is thicker than the surrounding area because it is where the upper canine tooth hits the lip. He should have a similar thickened area on the other side, but the coloration may be different. Cats with Orion's coloration can be varying pigment along their lips and gums, so some areas will be pink while others will be dark. That is not a reason for concern. At 7 months of age, Orion should have all his adult teeth. If you are noticing bad breath, it would be worth having your veterinarian examine his mouth to make sure he doesn't have any retained baby teeth that are causing a problem. Finally, it is very common that cats will drool when they purr, but most cats do it from kittens. If Orion has just started drooling when he purrs and has a change to his purr, it would be worth having your vet palpate his throat, lymph nodes and larynx to make sure everything feels normal. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Why does my kitten have bad breath and drool when he purrs?

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