Dental care for cats is often overlooked. This is a mistake as tooth decay and gum disease is a very common problem in cats, especially as they get older.
Don't ignore your cat's teeth: why it matters
Dental problems can be extremely painful and cats will often continue to eat despite the discomfort. Neglecting your cat’s dental health can lead to expensive vet bills. A build up of tartar in your cat's mouth can even lead to gingivitis (painful, inflamed gums) - where bacteria can enter the blood and cause problems such as kidney disease and heart disease in more serious cases.
Symptoms to look out for:
Cats don't show pain in the same way we do so it's important to look out for signs. Take your cat to the vet if they show any of the following symptoms:
- Bad breath
- Mouth pain
- Eating less
- Chewing one side/ prefer dry
- Tartar and/or sore gums
- Wobbly teeth
- Drooling
- Swollen face
- Weight loss
How to look after your cat's teeth:
✓ A yearly check up at the vets
✓ Dry food and dental treats can help keep your cat’s teeth strong
✓ Chew toys can help keep gums healthy and break down plaque buildup
✓ If your cat lets you, try brushing their teeth
✓ Supplements and specially formulated dental treats
Start brushing as a kitten
Although not always easy, it is beneficial to brush your cat's teeth often and get them professionally cleaned at the vet once a year. If you start brushing your cat's teeth as a kitten (from age 6 months, after their adult teeth have grown), then your cat is much more likely to get used to it. You can read more on the exact method of how to clean their teeth here.
However, we know it can be difficult to brush a cat's teeth, so alongside your regular vet visits, we've explored a few products that might be beneficial and offer a stress-free way to look after your cat's teeth.
Tried and tested cat teeth health products:
bogadent Plaque-Stop for cats
Bogar’s anti-plaque powder is 100% natural and works to dissolve plaque and prevent it from reforming. It’s designed to be easily applied: sprinkle 1 measuring spoon per 5 kg body weight once daily in wet food or on moistened dry food. A measuring spoon is contained in each pot.
Bogar has a fantastic range of cat dental products - all readily available to purchase on Amazon.co.uk.
Clever Cat Dental Wand
We recently had the pleasure of testing the Clever Cat Dental Wand, which went down a storm with our two cats, Gus & Bella. We're very much looking forward to the launch of the Clever Cat Dental Wand, which combines the fun of a play session with a stress-free way to clean your cat's teeth. You can find out more about the Clever Cat Dental Wand here.
Use cat toys to strengthen your cat's teeth
There are many cat toys that encourage your cat to chew, which keeps their teeth healthy as well as having fun. For example, catnip or silvervine dental sticks are extremely appealing to your cat, enticing playful behaviour whilst promoting dental health.
A subscription to Gus & Bella Box could be a great way to discover new cat toys to keep your cat happy, healthy and entertained each month. Each box is carefully curated to a cute monthly theme, and filled with toys, health products and goodies for cat owners too!
