Cat Dental Care

Much like humans, cats only have one set of adult teeth to last them their entire lives. Without the proper care, bacteria, plaque and tartar can build up in your cat’s mouth leading to dental problems, such as:  

- Bad breath 
- Problems eating 
- Tooth loss 
- And more!  

Between 50-90% of cats over the age of four are diagnosed with dental problems, but by caring for your cat’s teeth, you can help them from becoming one of them.  

Cats who are in pain rarely show many signs. This is a defensive measure from when they lived in the wild to protect them from larger predators. However, there are some clear signs that your cat is suffering from dental problems, including but not limited to: 

• - Bad breath
• - Lack of appetite 
• - Discoloured teeth (yellow or brown)
• - Drooling 
• - Difficulty eating 
• - Red, sore gums 

For optimal results, you should brush your cat’s teeth every day to remove plaque and bacteria. However, since many cats don’t like having their teeth brushed, lowering this to three times a week can still help prevent the leading causes of dental problems in cats.

Ideally, you should have your cat’s teeth professionally cleaned at least once a year to maintain good oral hygiene and prevent the build-up of plaque and tartar.  

However, having your cats professionally cleaned can be expensive, with appointments averaging between £150 - £400 depending on your cat’s dental health. 
 
While cleaning your cat’s teeth yourself may not be as thorough as getting it done professionally by a vet, it is a much cheaper alternative that can still improve your cat’s dental health.  

Many cats on dry food diets face fewer dental problems than those who eat only wet cat food. This is because the crunching of the kibble can have a brush-like effect that scrapes plaque from their teeth with each meal.

Foods like this James Wellbeloved™ Adult Oral Health Dry Cat Food, have a larrger kibble to encourage your cat to chew each morsel which then replicates to aid healthy teeth and gums.  
 
Dental vet foods for cats are also available but should only be fed to cats when recommended to them by a vet.