15-month old cat still teething?

My 15-month old cat seems to have teeth that are still erupting through his gums. They have been that way for a few months, and they have a sore appearance to them. I thought that at this age, all adult teeth should be in. He has also been chewing on his scratching post and carpeted cat tree, as if he were teething. Once in a while I noticed a bad smell to his breath, but not always.

Should I be concerned?

I would make a vet visit .. as NORMAL teething takes place 3-6 months ...

http://www.cathelp-online.com/health/kitten3.php this has a great pictorial of what and when

Your cat's behavior and bad breath might indicate an infection of some sort. I'd take kitty to the vet tomorrow, as infections can be wicked painful and don't get well on their own. (And cats are notorious for hiding their pain, so we can't gauge how much they're actually hurting by their behavior.)

You do mean the canine teeth, correct? Occasionally a cat can have problems and not lose it's baby canines. When this happens they must be removed by a vet. I only hope that there's not so much damage from them being left for so long that the adult canines have to go.

Have you ever had any sort of dental problems? A bad cavity? bad tooth? Impacted wisdom tooth? Your cat is going to be in that sort of pain.
Dental infections, if left untreated in animals and people, can kill. Your cat must see a vet today.

Thanks...he has an appointment for this evening...the teeth involved are those tiny pre-molars. Both sides.

Just got back from the vet...he has periodontal disease. The vet gave him antibiotics for 10 days, and I have to take him back in to have his teeth cleaned. I never thought a cat this young would have this problem. I have a 16-year old cat who has never had any health problems, other than a virus when we brought home a kitten.

Here is my Indy:



And with his brother, Cody:

Poor kitty, that is really young! Is he, by any chance, eating dry food?

And those pics are adorable!! Love tuxedos!

Originally Posted by Auntie Crazy

Poor kitty, that is really young! Is he, by any chance, eating dry food?

And those pics are adorable!! Love tuxedos!

Click to expand...

Yes dry food DOES NOT help but at this young it is HIGHLY likely Genetics ...

Originally Posted by sharky

Yes dry food DOES NOT help but at this young it is HIGHLY likely Genetics ...

Click to expand...

I agree. Some cats are just born with bad dental genes. I'm glad you brought him in.

Welcome to the forum, and please let us know how Indy is doing.

Thanks. The cats eat two meals a day of canned food (about a half can each per meal) and then I leave dry food out all the time for them. They had three meals a day up until they were a year old, and then I started feeding them in the morning and in the late afternoon/evening.

He got his first dose of liquid clindamycin antibiotic, and boy did he hate it.

The vet said that when this problem gets very bad, they sometimes have to remove the cat's teeth! I hope we can get it under control for Indy, it would be awful to have to have his teeth pulled out.

Thanks for your support and advice.

If it comes to that, cats do fine without any teeth. The relief of pain is worth it to them! Tolly has FORL, and has had to have many extractions, he has very few teeth left.

Some cats have stomatitis, which is a very painful disease and difficult to treat.

Give a tasty treat such as a bit of plain yogurt or a dot of mayonaise, right on his nose and mouth immediately after giving the clindymiacin. this medicine also comes in table form, if that would be easier for you and Indy. I prefer tablets for cats, myself.

Is the vet planning a dental cleaning on Indy?

Originally Posted by Gailmarie

Just got back from the vet...he has periodontal disease. The vet gave him antibiotics for 10 days, and I have to take him back in to have his teeth cleaned.

Click to expand...

Sharky's right, in some cats bad teeth is just genetic when it's that young. Make sure you ask the vet about getting pre-op blood work done for anesthesia.

Also talk to them about brushing your cat's teeth. They may have some kits there for CET and could show you how to do this.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Sharky's right, in some cats bad teeth is just genetic when it's that young. Make sure you ask the vet about getting pre-op blood work done for anesthesia.

Also talk to them about brushing your cat's teeth. They may have some kits there for CET and could show you how to do this.

Click to expand...

good idea! I brush my cats' teeth with the c.e.t. toothpaste every night.

for general information: most pet toothpastes are not worth the time and money. c.e.t. is the only veterinary toothpaste that is an enzymatic toothpaste, and that is what is needed. Enzymatic means the paste breaks down bacteria.

just getting the c.e.t. into the cat's mouth is beneficial, but of course contact with tooth and gum is better.

I can give tips on how to train your kitty to accept teeth-brushing if needed.

I have a hard time getting Indy to even open his mouth so we can see his gums. The vet did say i should start trying to brush his teeth. Where can you get that enzymatic toothpaste? Pet store?

Originally Posted by Gailmarie

I have a hard time getting Indy to even open his mouth so we can see his gums. The vet did say i should start trying to brush his teeth. Where can you get that enzymatic toothpaste? Pet store?

Click to expand...

c.e.t. toothpaste is sold by veterinarians. Cats can be trained to allow tooth brushing. It can take a lot of time and very gradual process. My Mazy cat is one example, as she would sooner bite than be messed with. She's come a long long way, my Mazy cat.

I will post my methods.

I started by just getting them used to me rubbing my finger lightly along their lip line, either side. Most cats like this any way.

While doing this, I was putting the c.e.t. toothpaste on a paw for them to lick off, and get used to the taste. (they actually like it!)

This helps them associate the finger rubbing along the mouth with the taste of the c.e.t.

Then, I started making the action more purposeful, putting them in the "holding position", which is: me on my knees, feet crossed behind me, cat between my knees facing out.

Using a little more pressure which parts the lips, I'd be rubbing their teeth and gums with my finger instead of the lips, while they get used to me restraining them while doing it. After the action, again, putting a little paste on the paw.

So now they are associating the action with the taste of the c.e.t.

From there, I put the c.e.t. toothpaste on my finger, hold them in position, and rub it into their teeth and gums.

This was a bit messy, so lately I've learned to use my other hand to kind of pry open the lips (lips, not jaw) so I can make direct contact with the molars and gumline.

All this took time of course, but cats can get used to any sort of handling if it's done gradually and gently enough. How much time varies from cat to cat. Tolly accepted it right away. Jennie still screams "Help! Murder!" but doens't fight me and does a lot of chop licking after.

Mazy took the longest to accept this, but even she now allows me to "brush" her teeth with my finger and the c.e.t every night. For Mazy however, I am having trouble getting into the left side without her teeth inadvertently biting me, so just two days ago I began using a q tip on that side of her mouth.

this method can be done with a tooth brush if you want, but a finger works just as well. It's not the brushing that is needed, it is the action of the c.e.t. Just getting in in the mouth is beneficial, but direct contact with tooth and gum is better.

My vet said that, as the salivary glands are in the back over the rear molars to try "brushing" from back to front.

Oh,I forgot to mention..I always wash my hands before starting and between each cat.

Let me know how it goes!