my cat licks like he can't swallow. When he eats he coughs drool. I got him to eat a tiny bit of food with gravy so he doesn't dehydrate. can't seem to see anthing in his mouth, he just licks and looks like his tongue gets in the way. he seems to be distressed a bit about the whole thing. Any ideas? Optional Information: Age: 7; Male; Breed: tabby cat Already Tried: cat lax.
He might have a dental issue ranging from a broken tooth or periodontal disease to an abcess. He could have a sore in his mouth or esophagus from being injured chewing on something or a resurgance of a disease like herpes or calicivirus that is causing oral sores. This could be a dental issue called stomatitis too or even just nausea making him unwilling to eat. I would get him in to a vet to have his mouth and general health checked. You can read about dental issues in cats here http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/dental.html and here http://www.dentalvet.com/vets/cats/feline_stomatitis.htm and about viral diseases that can cause mouth sores here www.marvistavet.com/html/feline_upper_respiratory.html Your cat might even have some thread or string wrapped around its tongue causing the problem. Hope this helps you!