Dental care for cats can be really difficult – in fact, it can be a nightmare, we all know! But it really can be done. So you’re aware that it’s not just you – that we all struggle, we asked some of our vet bloggers how they care for their cats’ teeth…
What is your cat’s dental care regime?
Samantha Coe MRCVS
My cat loves Hill’s T/D biscuits and these help to reduce calculus building up on his teeth. Occasionally he gets a descale and polish for his teeth under general anaesthetic. Many people worry about general anaesthetics for routine dental cleaning for their pets. However these short cleaning procedures are generally very safe and keep my cat’s teeth healthy.
Cassandra Longhi Brown MRCVS
Annual check up when I take them into work for their vaccinations. I value my hands, so I don’t look inside their mouth too often!
Lawrence Dodi MRCVS
I don’t brush his teeth, though I did initially try. I feed my cat Royal Canin dry food designed for dental care. If needed I will do a scale and polish to remove any build of plaque that isn’t being resolved by the dry food. I check my cat’s teeth on a regular basis so that problems aren’t missed.
Lizzie Youens MRCVS
To my shame – non-existent!! The Hills dry kibble is marketed as being excellent for dental hygiene. I would ideally brush their teeth as well, but have had many failed attempts. Must do better! I do check their teeth regularly and have been lucky so far, but I am aware as they got older that their teeth may need more attention.
Louisa Marcombes MRCVS
I was hoping you weren’t going to ask that! It’s Non-existent for Kitty. I guess before she came to live with us, the benefits of good oral hygiene had not been explained to her. The only place that I can check her mouth is at the clinic, so she gets a good check when she is in for her annual booster. I think as she is getting older (we guess her age is about 9), I will need to check her every 3-6 months to make sure she is not developing any dental disease that could be causing her pain.
Sarah Cooper MRCVS
Sadly not as good as it should be! I feed good quality food to help their teeth and check their teeth regularly. I know that I should really be brushing them daily but it’s not something we have quite managed to work into our routine as yet.
Sarah Hunter MRCVS
The diet that I give Tiffin has dental benefits in that when the kibble is crunched and breaks down it cleans the teeth. I think it would be difficult to brush a cat’s teeth but if Tiffin was starting to develop problems then I would have to try it!
Can you share your stories?
How do you manage your cats’ dental care? We’d love to know in the comments!
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