How to take care of cat’s teeth
How to take care of cat's teeth
Teeth, like nails, are extremely important tools for cats. These not only serve them to eat, but are also useful when it comes to defending themselves from their attackers. Therefore, you must help your pet in its dental health. To do this, take note of how to care for the cat’s teeth.
Dental problems in cats
Unfortunately, dental problems are very common in felines, usually affecting 8 out of 10 cats over the age of three.
In addition, these problems can become very unpleasant and painful for the feline, and can even cause the inability to eat because doing so is very annoying.
Some symptoms of dental disease in cats
Among the most common symptoms and consequences of poor oral hygiene are:
Bad breath.
Brown or yellowish tartar.
red gums
Excessive production of saliva.
Gingivitis.
Cavities.
Loss of dental pieces.
infections.
When the inflammation of the gums is very severe, tooth decay or tooth loss occurs, the animal can drop food when trying to eat it, chew only on one side of the mouth or stop eating and, consequently, lose weight.
In addition, oral infections can be truly dangerous, since they can pass into the blood and cause the death of the animal.
For these reasons, it is essential to know how to care for your cat’s teeth and to take them to the vet regularly (once a year until they are 7 years old, twice thereafter) so that they can check them.
How to take care of cat's teeth
To take care of the cat’s teeth you must take note of these essential aspects.
Brushing
Without a doubt, brushing is the most complete and safest way to care for your cat’s teeth. However, we are not going to deceive you: it is not usually an easy task.
If already, many cats are not friendly when it comes to being picked up, imagine if you do it to try to brush them every day.
However, you have to try.
The ideal is to familiarize the cat with this practice since it is a puppy.
Get a brush and a special toothpaste for pets. Under no circumstances should you use the human one.
Smell and taste the pasta. Repeat this action several days so that they have that contact. Also let him take a close look at the brush.
The day you go to brush you cannot start fully. First pet him, play with him… In short, make him feel comfortable.
Once this approach has been achieved, you can start opening its mouth little by little, but continuing with the game, to see how long it lasts.
When he is more familiar with the fact that someone is touching his mouth, you can move on to brushing. Of course, always with patience and very gently, without forcing it.
To clean your cat’s teeth, always start from the top down. Normally, they tend to start with the frontal area, since it is the one that is closest “at hand”. However, it is quite possible that your cat will move and you will not be able to brush thoroughly the first few times. It’s okay, it will take a while, but the cat will get used to it.
The ideal would be to brush your teeth daily, but if it is not possible, do it at least 3-4 times a week.
Feeding
A good diet, which corresponds to a healthy and balanced diet, is key to the general health of your pet.
However, it is often said that wet cat food leaves more residue on your cat’s teeth than dry food, since dry food produces a scraping effect when chewed.
Other options
If after much trying you have not managed to get your cat to support tooth brushing and dry food is not what makes up its diet, ask your trusted veterinarian for other options.
For example, there are some snacks that are intended solely to improve breath and clean the animal’s teeth due to the friction effect they have on them when they bite.
In addition, in many cases the intervention of a professional will be necessary to clean your cat’s teeth. This will be done in a veterinary center under general anesthesia.
