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Tip - 41 - Cat teeth
- Cat dental care
Just like humans, cats
have 2 sets of teeth. The first set is called the milk teeth
or deciduous teeth and they start to come in when the kitten
is about 4 weeks old. They continue to come in until all 26 milk
teeth have appeared, usually by 6 weeks. These teeth are non-permanent
and they begin to fall out from 11 weeks until 30 weeks. This
is a time which is similar to teething in human babies, so the
kitten may have sore gums, may do a bit of complaining and may
eat less due to pain. During the time when the milk teeth are
falling out, new permanent teeth are coming in until all 30 of
them have developed and have replaced the milk teeth usually
by 8-9 months. A vet visit should be done at this time to make
sure all the teeth have come in properly. Occasionally, 1 or
more of the milk teeth don't fall out, or extra teeth are present.
This can cause gum and tissue problems due to the crowding of
teeth in the mouth. Behavioral problems may also occur due to
the fact that the cat is in pain. Seek veterinary care if this
is the case with your cat.
Brushing a cat's
teeth
Bad breath in a cat
is usually a sign of tooth/gum problems and ranks as one of the
top reasons people seek veterinary care for their cats. Like
humans, cats need to have their teeth inspected by a vet twice
yearly and brushed daily if they are to maintain good oral hygiene.
Although cats are not naturally fond of this activity, it is
important to start the tooth brushing routine between 3-6 months
of age (but better late than never) due to the fact that by age
three 85% of cats have some sort of periodontal problem.
Start with a child's
toothbrush, a finger brush or a pet toothbrush (available at
many pet stores including the one on this site) and use a specialty
toothpaste or something tasty like pâté that is
safe to swallow. Do not use human toothpaste, it is not good
for cats. Start VERY slowly, gently brush 1 or 2 teeth and
reward the cat for not squirming with a GOOD food reward. Try
again the next day and go slightly longer. Reward again with
food. If the cat starts to squirm stop the activity and do not
give a food reward. Try to anticipate the cat's tolerance
level and end the activity with a food reward before the cat
starts to squirm. Gradually increase the length of time until
hopefully, by two weeks you can brush all the teeth, top and
bottom and front to back.
Tip: Try brushing first thing in the morning before you give your cat any
food.
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