Feline Dental Care

Proper care of your cat’s teeth is a critical part of responsible cat health care. When plaque and tarter build up on a cat’s teeth unhealthy bacteria start to outnumber the healthy bacteria increasing the opportunity for disease and various cat health problems. This bacteria can be absorbed into the bloodstream where it can circulate and start to accumulate in the liver, kidney or heart tissue.

Reduce Cat Health Problems

Keeping your cat’s teeth and gums healthy not only helps control bad breath it also helps prevent periodontal disease, joint problems and more serious cat health problems like liver or kidney disease and heart conditions. Inflammation in the mouth due to a high level of bacteria can become quite painful sometimes preventing the cat from eating properly and absorbing enough nutrients.

Cleaning Your Cat’s Teeth

Regular brushing is the best way to remove plaque and prevent feline dental disease. You can get cat toothbrushes and cat toothpaste at most pet stores or you can order them from online pet stores. You can find tuna or chicken flavored toothpaste making the whole process more appealing for your cat. NEVER use human toothpaste; only use toothpaste approved for pets.

Start slowly by letting your cat get used to the toothbrush without toothpaste (let her chew on and play with it). Also let get used to the toothpaste and maybe try putting some on your finger and rubbing it on her teeth. Then start gently brushing with the toothpaste. Try not to force this routine on your cat; you don’t want it to be a negative experience because it needs to become a regular routine.

Along with brushing you may want to look into other feline dental care products. You can find additives that can be put in the food or water to help control plaque buildup. Freeze dried dental treats are another good option. My favorite pet dental care product is PetzLife Oral Dental Gel which you can get at Only Natural Pet Store and Amazon. Of course regular vet check ups are also important for general cat health care as well as feline dental care.