Herding Cats at Home June 2005

A: Good for you for being concerned about your cats' dental health! Many health problems can start in your cat's mouth. Saliva plus food forms plaque --a sticky substance that clings to teeth and gums and mineralizes into tartar. Plaque and tarter combine with bacteria to cause infection, enamel breakdown, loosening and pain. Pockets of infection and pus can make eating highly unpleasant. A depressed appetite can cause your cat's overall health to suffer and quickly lead to serious complications.

Mouth infections easily travel throughout the body, settling into vital organs such as the heart and liver, possibly causing life-threatening complications. Regular tooth brushing can head off many of these potentially serious problems before they ever get started. Even middle aged cats like yours can learn to sit through regular cleaning -- with time, practice, patience and a positive attitude.

The only kitty toothpaste I've ever found that my cats like is called "CET" brand, and is available from veterinarians. It comes in fish and chicken flavors, and my kitties will fight to get a lick of it! However, they STILL don't like the toothbrush thing (and I did start them as kittens). My vet assures me that even if I don't get much brushing in, just getting the toothpaste in their mouths and near their teeth will help a lot.

I haven't been happy with any of the commercially available "cat toothbrushes" I've seen. Ask your own dentist for one of those tiny toothbrushes for back teeth -- they're actually smaller than "cat toothbrushes" and I find them easier to maneuver in a cat's mouth.

Speed -- and a calm, positive attitude -- are of the essence in feline tooth-brushing. If you seem hesitant or reluctant, they'll realize it and make your job even harder. Start slowly and quit when they've had just a taste, at first. Make it a FUN game, followed by active playtime and healthy treats.

But here's my REAL secret to clean kitty teeth -- treats! Yes, that's right, treats! But not just ANY treats. Our "treats" are "Hill's Feline T/D" ("dental diet" cat food, available from your veterinarian). It's a complete, balanced diet in itself, but we use the "crunchies "(which are rather large hard nuggets) as treats and rewards.

My guys all LOVE these things and they take a lot of active chewing and crunching to eat, which scrapes tartar off the teeth. So far, it's working great. My three 5-year-olds and my 2 three-year-olds all have beautiful pearly choppers. (Now, if I could only get my 19-year-old to eat T/D bites - she won't touch crunchy food of any kind.) My cats also get "indoor formula" IAMS dry food as part of their regular diet.

If your cats' teeth haven't had attention before, schedule a complete dental checkup and cleaning at your veterinarian. Then the cats will start out clean for your new dental care program. Though the anesthesia used for dental work is very safe, "anesthesia-free" dental cleanings are becoming more common -- be sure to ask your veterinarian about available options.

Ready to brush? Go slow! Start by frequent touching your cat's face, mouth and gums, to get him used to the idea of your hands near those sensitive locations. Once he's comfortable with this, graduate to a cotton-tipped swab, dipped into a bit of toothpaste. (To start, you can even use plain water or the juice from a can of tuna.) Never use toothpaste or mouthwash made for humans, as they can irritate and burn your cat's mouth and stomach, or make him very sick.

Hold your cat firmly, facing away with you. Hold his head with one hand, and with the other, slide the cotton swab into the corner of his mouth and gently rub his teeth and gums. Clean the side, rear and front teeth. You don't need to clean the top or inner surfaces of the teeth. 30 seconds of rubbing should be plenty, especially at first. Try for at least three cleanings a week. Every day is better. If this goes well for several weeks, experiment with a "finger brush" or tiny toothbrush.

You can also try rubbing your cat's teeth and gums with a gauze pad moistened with cat toothpaste. Wrap a piece of sterile gauze around your finger and dip it in the toothpaste. You and your cat can decide together what works best for you. Make it part of your daily grooming, petting and home-checkup routine. And don't forget to praise your cats lavishly for their cooperation and forbearance.

Some cats are "Absolutely not!" types when it comes to brushing. If yours are, have your veterinarian take care of routine dental care. Some cats need to be anesthetized for routine cleaning. Your veterinarian will discuss with you the best approach to take with your cats. But no matter what your cat's opinion of the matter, never ignore this vital, health-preserving care for your cat.