What should I do if my cat sticks out its tongue for a short period and doesn't retract it?

Considering that your cat sticks out its tongue for a short period and doesn't retract it, it could be due to hot weather, muscle relaxation, oral ulcers, periodontal disease, or other reasons. It is recommended to go to the hospital actively for examination, and make targeted treatments based on the examination results, which can effectively alleviate the symptoms. In daily life, you can let your cat drink more warm water, which not only helps the body replenish water but also accelerates the body's metabolism, which is beneficial for the recovery of the disease.

1. Hot weather

If it is a relatively hot summer and the cat's living environment is not cooled down, it may cause the cat to suffer from heat stroke, resulting in symptoms such as sticking out its tongue and gasping for air. It is advised to let the cat drink some warm water and use air conditioning to cool down the environment, which can effectively alleviate the symptoms.

1. Muscle relaxation

Usually, when a cat is sleeping, its entire body muscles are in a relaxed state, which may lead to a situation where a small part of its tongue sticks out. This is a normal physiological phenomenon, and owners don't need to worry too much. When the cat wakes up, its leg muscles will gradually recover, and the tongue will retract.

1. Oral ulcers

If a cat often eats hard foods like fish bones and fish hooks, it may puncture the oral mucosa and cause a pathological reaction, leading to tongue pain, redness, and swelling. It usually occurs along with symptoms of sticking out its tongue due to tongue pain. In this case, you can feed the cat antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs under the guidance of a doctor, which is helpful for relieving the symptoms.

1. Periodontal disease

If owners don't pay attention to cleaning their cat's mouth, it may cause a large number of bacteria to adhere to the surface of the teeth, stimulating the periodontal tissue and causing inflammatory reactions. Symptoms such as toothache, drooling, and loss of appetite may occur. In severe cases, the cat may stick out its tongue due to excessive pain. It is recommended to take the cat to a regular pet hospital promptly and seek targeted treatment under the guidance of a doctor, which is beneficial for relieving symptoms.

In daily life, you can let your cat drink more warm water, which not only helps the body replenish water but also accelerates the body's metabolism, which is beneficial for the recovery of the disease.