If you’ve ever had a canker sore or ulcer in your mouth, you know how uncomfortable it can be to eat and talk. Sores in your young cat’s mouth can cause a lot of the same issues. Your cat’s oral ulcers could have an infectious, immune or traumatic cause.
How to spot mouth ulcers or canker sores
Ulcers in your cat’s mouth will appear as a red and inflamed sore in the cat’s mouth. These sores can be on the gums, tongue, the back of the mouth or under the lips. Canker sores in cat mouths can be very small, as in several millimeters in size, or they can be quite large.
Signs of mouth ulcers in cats include:
- Visible sore(s) in the mouth
- Hypersalivation
- Difficulty eating or grooming
- Bleeding in the mouth
- Bad breath (halitosis)
- Swelling of the lip
- Resistance to having the face touched
What causes oral ulcers?
Young cats or kittens could have ulcers in their mouth for a variety of reasons. We’ll cover a few causes that you should know about here.
Calicivirus or herpesvirus
Calicivirus and herpesvirus are infectious viruses that cause upper respiratory signs like conjunctivitis, sneezing, nasal discharge and oral ulcers. If your cat has signs of a cat cold while also having sores in their mouth, calicivirus is often suspected, but herpesvirus can also cause this. The sores of calicivirus are commonly noticed on the tongue.
Calicivirus and herpesvirus are included in the FVRCP vaccine that cats get. While the vaccine may not prevent all cases, it does reduce length and severity of disease. Some cats with herpesvirus or calicivirus can become chronic carriers and show recurring signs.
Rodent ulcers and eosinophilic granulomas
A rodent ulcer, also called an indolent ulcer, is a component of eosinophilic granuloma complex (EGC), which is thought to be a hypersensitivity reaction (allergic response). This ulcer is most commonly found on the upper lip of the cat and can range from small to very extensive. Rodent ulcers often bleed.
Eosinophilic granulomas, which are also part of EGC, can also form within the mouth. While these often appear as raised pink plaques elsewhere on the body, within the mouth, these can appear as ulcers.
Although EGC can occur at any age, it’s more likely to develop in cats over 2 years of age.
Stomatitis
Stomatitis is a very painful condition in which the mucous membranes of the mouth (gums, tongue, inner surfaces of lips, floor and/or roof of the mouth) become inflamed. Cats with stomatitis often have sores all over their gums, lips and in the back of their mouths. The young cat’s gums are likely to bleed with very slight trauma, like brushing teeth or eating kibble.
Stomatitis in cats is currently thought to be caused by an overreaction of the immune system to the bacteria in dental plaque. Cats with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) are more likely to develop stomatitis.
Stomatitis can develop at any age, but it generally develops after the adult teeth grow in and progressively worsen as the cat ages.
Electric cord injury
Electric cord injuries can lead to a burn in the mouth. Importantly, biting an electric cord can also cause severe breathing issues (pulmonary edema), cardiac arrest and death. Cats should not be allowed to chew on cords.
Other conditions that can cause ulcers in a cat’s mouth but are less common in young cats include kidney disease, oral cancer and exposure to radiation therapy. You should also be aware that some toxins or chemicals, including some plants, can cause sores in the mouth.
How to treat and prevent mouth ulcers in young cats
There are several steps you can take to prevent your young cat from getting mouth ulcers. Keep in mind that some cats will still develop mouth ulcers despite appropriate preventative steps due to conditions like EGC.
- Keep your cat’s FVRCP and FeLV vaccines up to date as recommended by your VCA care team.
- Keep your cat indoors to avoid exposure to FIV and FeLV.
- Avoid any known allergens and consider allergy treatments for cats with environmental or food allergies.
- Keep electric cords tucked away and train your cat not to chew on cords.
- Practice effective oral hygiene with your young cat, including regular tooth brushing, providing dental chews or water additives, using dental wipes and/or feeding dental diets.
- Take your young cat to their annual wellness exam to monitor for any chronic health issues.
Learn more about dental cleaning in kittens, which is recommended annually for maintenance of good oral health.
