Dental Health In Cats

Photo credit: Flickr

Photo credit: Flickr

Although hygiene of our own teeth is understood as something that is necessary and we accept it as a daily routine, we often forget that our pets also need to be taken care of. Unfortunately, owners of cats usually don’t take this seriously and they visit the vet only when cats experience serious health problems related to irregular dental care. It is therefore very important to take care of the cat’s teeth and to familiarize with the consequences if you don’t.

Hygiene habits

A cat needs to get used to dental hygiene as soon as possible. The golden rule is a daily brush cleaning with special toothpaste for cats in order to remove lime deposits on the teeth and gums.

If you regularly implement these measures, you will significantly reduce the possibility of a serious health issue.

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Adult cats accept brushing much harder and sometimes it takes a lot of time to get them used to it. On contrary, the kittens need less time to accept teeth cleaning, just because they are used to doing it since they were little. It is very important to be assertive and to introduce this hygienic measure gradually, over a long period of time.

Common Problems

One of the most common problems resulting from neglect of care dental care is the formation of tartar, mineralized layers of calcium carbonate and phosphate, which are deposited on their surface over time. These deposits contain a high percentage of bacteria that often cause bad breath and other serious problems (gingivitis, tooth loss). These problems can be very painful for the cat, to the extent that they may lose their appetite or stop eating altogether.

Dental products

Toothpastes intended specifically for cats can be bought at veterinarian or nearby pet store. These products are ideal because they contain a smaller percentage of fluoride, which in large quantities can cause problems with the kidneys and thyroid. Besides these toothpastes often smell like meat, so cats gladly accept them. These preparations have antibacterial properties, to prevent the formation of plaque.

There is a special kind of cat food, which, with the use of brushes and paste, contributes to cleaning teeth. This cookie for cats is very tough and does not melt as soon as it comes into contact with saliva. Its surface is rough and it acts as a kind of sandpaper removing every trace of dirt and food left from the previous meal.

It should be noted that this type of food is suitable only for healthy cats, and not for the ones that have problems that require a special diet. The latest in this line of products is designed for washing teeth and you basically put it in water bowl every 24 hours. All these products can be used in combination with each other and they will provide the best protection against dental disease if you use it on daily basis.