My outdoor cat has white cotton in her mouth. Should I be worried?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ingestion of cotton stuffing from toys and such can be an issue if it causes an obstruction in the intestines. This can be extremely uncomfortable and even result in a torsion or perforation. Fortunately, if it a small enough amount, it will typically pass. I recommend keeping a close eye on Jasper for vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or lethargy as these may be signs of an obstruction. I’m happy to answer any other questions you may have!

Hello. You should try to get her into a carrier, box, or something that will restrain her & get her to a veterinarian. If you cannot get her to the vet, she will quite sick if she is unable to eat. Once she is at the vet., she can be sedated & a thorough oral exam will be done. Hope all is OK. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You can ask as many questions you like! I would take her into a vet to be safe, as these strings can often get caught in a cat's mouth around the tongue. The other problem with strings is that they can cause a linear foreign body. If you can get her into a vet now to induce vomiting, then you can prevent an obstruction from happening. The vet can also check her mouth to see if it's stuck in there.

Nausea is a common cause of [drooling](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/drooling/) or foaming at the mouth. There are several other causes as well, such as [dental disease](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/dental-disease-1), oral trauma, tooth abscess, [stress](https://www.petcoach.co/article/10-signs-your-cat-is-stressed), tumors in the mouth, [stomatitis](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/gingivitis-and-stomatitis), poisoning, and even rabies (rare if your cat is vaccinated for it). In the absence of other signs, such as [vomiting](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/vomiting/), I would be concerned that this drooling and foaming at the mouth may be caused by a dental problem, such as a broken tooth or a tooth abscess. You should take Petunia into your vet for a health check and mouth exam. It would be a good idea to get her in a soon as possible (not an emergency, but first thing Monday) because if it is a dental problem, it will be very painful, and she will likely stop eating. Your vet can rule out other causes of these symptoms at the exam.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It happens that a longer piece of thread or yarn can tangle around the base of the tongue or gets stuck above the soft palate. It could be the case in Delta. Ife the yarn has tangled up around the tongue, you should be able to see it if Delta lets you open her mouth wide. If it got stuck above the palate, you won't be able to see it. It is not much that you can do at home to help her. She should be seen by a vet for sedation and throat examination.

When a mucous membrane such as the tongue or gums turns white we have to assume that blood supply to this area is compromised. Make sure that the actual tongue is white and that there is not just a film over the tongue that is white. I would highly recommend taking Minnie to your vet for evaluation immediately. I hope that your fur baby will be ok. Best wishes and take care!

I'm sorry to hear that your cat isn't quite right. I would be concerned about a tumor or polyp in her throat/mouth, or possibly that she's retching, without actually vomiting. I would agree that getting her to the vet soon (in the next few days, as possible with the holiday) would be wise.