As I understand it, the only time it may be necessary to brush a cat's teeth is for bad breath, or if they do not eat dry cat food. The dry cat food causes them to crunch and chew tartar away from their teeth.

 

I do feed my cat dry food. That makes sense cause the food is cleaning while they eat. I've also seen tartar control cat treats so I could use that too.

Thanks!

 

I find my kiten likes his teeth cleaned Every morning as I clean my teeth, he gets his baby toothbrush and chews away as I brush. I don't use any special toothpaste as he seems happy just chewing on a plain, wet toothbrush! Evry morning he sits waiting for his brush

 

I find my kiten likes his teeth cleaned Every morning as I clean my teeth, he gets his baby toothbrush and chews away as I brush. I don't use any special toothpaste as he seems happy just chewing on a plain, wet toothbrush! Evry morning he sits waiting for his brush

 

I have a very different opinion. Brushing your cat's teeth is a daily necessity! Just like humans, the tartar can build up very quickly. Imagine what your teeth would look like if you didn't brush them even once in 15 years :wink: .
If you don't brush, this greatly increases the chances of cavities which are very painful for the cat. Before I started brushing my cats' teeth, Levi, my 6 year-old had 3 teeth removed and Cleo, who was 2, had a single tooth removed. The surgery for both my kitties cost about $1000. IF you brush the cat's teeth, you are less likely to have to put them through the expensive surgery or atleast you will need a dental cleaning less often. Sometimes, despite brushing the teeth, your cat will still require surgery, because it is impossible to remove all the tartar with just a brush. It also really depends on the cat and it's genes. Levi, despite brushing, has a cavity starting just a year after I got his teeth cleaned!
Contrary to popular opinion, dry food does not clean the teeth. Studies have shown that the amount of tartar build up is almost equal if your cat eats either wet or dry food. DrJean, a forum member here who is a vet, likens this to flossing with Triscuits (sp?). So eating dry food does not mean you don't have to brush. It is still of the utmost importance.

 

I have never brushed my cats teeth before. Her breath is very bad, so we are gonna buy some toothbrush and toothpaste and start brushing them. I used to think that you didnt need to brush them.

 

Most cats in the US eat only dry food, yet dental disease is *the* most common problem seen by veterinarians; present in 80% of the animals they see. I have seen thousands of cats who ate only dry food, yet had plenty of tartar, cavities, and periodontal disease. I have pulled tens of thousands of rotten, painful, abscessed teeth from these cats.

Dry food does not clean the teeth. That is a total myth that lives on through the claims of the dry food makers and ignorant veterinarians. I recently posted some of the research on this, which says that at best, dry food tends to produce slightly less tartar than wet food. Actually, cats can create tartar without eating any food at all! Tartar control treats also do not clean the teeth, even the FDA says so (with a few exceptions, but you won't find them at Safeway or Petsmart).

Only BRUSHING cleans the teeth! The veterinary dental association recommends daily brushing. Problem: most people won't do it.

If your cat's breath is bad and there is already dental disease present, brushing now won't do anything except polish the tartar. Have the cat's teetch professionally cleaned by your vet, then get started with the brush.

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

 

I brush their teeth at least every second day. I'm not sure how good I do it though. Sometimes they try to escape and it's difficult to brush their teeth. I use the brush you put on your finger.

 

If your cat's breath is bad and there is already dental disease present, brushing now won't do anything except polish the tartar. Have the cat's teetch professionally cleaned by your vet, then get started with the brush.

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

Ok, and will she be awake or asleep for them to do that?

 

I'll make an appointment to get my cat's teeth cleaned. I'll try to find my finger brush and start doing this. I'm really glad I asked this question. It's not something some people really think about. I've had my cat since she was a kitten and I want the best for her.

Thanks!

 

For the vet to do a dental the cat must be fully anesthetized. At least, I haven't yet come across a cat that will say "ahhhh" for me! :lol:

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

 

 

dr jean: you havnt met my cat yet, click link below for proof

http://www.catforum.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=892

 

OMG!!!!
your cat looks soo laid back!!!!!!
dressed as an easter bunny!! LOL its amazing! thats one handsome cat you got!

 

hehe thank you, he is a siamese-ragdoll-bluepoint cross (from what iam told) what do you think he is?

 

Tigurius, I wish all my patients were so cooperative! :lol:

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

 

hehe thank you, he is a siamese-ragdoll-bluepoint cross (from what iam told) what do you think he is?

I was also going to guess ragdoll. Were you just *told* that he was a siamese-ragdoll? Bluepoint is a color, not a breed. And yes -- I think that is bluepoint.

Back to the subject -- If I brush my cats teeth every other day, how often do they need a professional cleaning?

 

It will really depend on your cat. Some cats are more prone to tooth decay than others. From what I have seen, cats that don't get their teeth brushed can need a dental every 2-3 years if their owner is willing to pay for it. I don't know how many years is the average for a cat whose teeth are getting brushed. Regardless, with brushing, your cat is less likely to get cavities and need extractions in addition to the dental cleaning. Extractions increase the price and cause the cat considerable pain.

 

Tigurius, that's a great picture! I love it!

 

My vet keeps telling me I need to brush the cats' teeth. However, at 10 and 5 years of age, I'm not sure they'd be too cooperative!

I brush my dogs' teeth, but that's a whole different story....

Any tips on getting older cats used to dental care??

 

I should get a dental cleaning for my kitty and then start with the brushing. Anyone have a rough estimate on what this costs?

 

My vet charges 110.50 for each cat. If they need extractions it's usually between 10 and 30 dollars depending on how hard it is to get out.

 

Whoa, you've got a bargain there! In Denver an average cat dentistry is about $300, extractions extra.

It's pretty useless to ask about prices on the internet because they vary so radically from one community to the other. Call around and ask; vets' offices get these calls all day long and most will be able to give you a rough estimate off the top of their heads!

Cats whose teeth get brushed daily should need little or no professional cleaning. Otherwise, depending on the cat, they may need a cleaning every 6 months to every 5 years. That's why an annual exam is so important--so someone's keeping an eye on that mouth!

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

 

Whoa, you've got a bargain there! In Denver an average cat dentistry is about $300, extractions extra.

Maybe that's because my vet sucks. :x I'm definitely not happy with mine right now -- I'm switching as of today. I wouldn't trust my current one with anesthesia -- that's for sure!

 

Well that's a definite possibility!

Some vets who charge a lot, are really worth it. They have adequate staff, proper monitoring equipment, more experienced or skilled doctors. Some just charge a lot because they can.

It's really important to find a vet you can talk to, who respects your needs and desires, and that you feel confident in. Never hesitate to ask questions--if the doc does not answer them fully or seems to make light of your concerns--find someone else!

For those of you who don't or can't brush your cats' teeth, don't despair. I don't do mine, either! But, I do sedate them once a year and give them a quickie cleaning. So far, they're all young enough that I can get away with that. A once a year cleaning is adequate for most cats, although dental disease tends to get worse as they get older, so more frequent check-ups (at least) might be smart.

Cheers,
Dr. Jean