My cat has lost a tooth ...

Hi everyone,

I have 2 cats, called Naldo & Pooly, who both came to us from Blue Cross about 12 months ago, and they both roughtly 2 years old.

Yesterday I noticed Pooly has lost one of her front top teeth (one of the big ones) - I've had a look and it doesn't look like it's been broken, and she isn't having any problems eating (meat or cruchies).

Do you think I should take her to the vets? Does this happen often?

Any advice much apperciated!

Cats can lose their canine teeth and get along just fine. Those are mainly for catching and holding onto unwilling prey. I'd take him to the vet if he was having any problems eating, but otherwise, it's no big deal. Sometimes, especially in older cats, they do break off their canine teeth.

(don't you think they should be called 'feline teeth')?

My cat lost one of his bottom fangs, and I called the vet just to be sure and they asked if it was red there or bleeding and it wasn't, it was pink, so they said don't worry about it.

Thanks for the quick replies!

She isn't having a problem eating, nor is it red or bleeding - thanks for putting my mind at rest!

The next time you take her in for a regular check up, I would have a vet look at the area. Cats do fine without their canines, but if it broke off, the root might be left under the surface. It may cause problems later on if that's the case, so keep an eye on it--especially be aware of any bad smells that might indicate an infection. Her normal appetite and the lack of redness are good signs though.