What is the perfect shape dry food bit for the best dental care?

Just curious if there is one shape better than the next. Some dry foods are shaped like stars others are shaped like squares. Which shape does the best job cleaning the cat's teeth?

Actually, only dental food specifically designed for dental benefits help cats' teeth. Most kibble is too brittle, so it just shatters when they bite it, so it provides no dental benefit - doesn't matter the shape. It has to be either coated with something, or designed for dental health.

There are Greenies dental treats. Back when I fed my cats commercial food, I tried them. My cats didn't like them, but apparently some do.

Dry food does not help the teeth at all in any way, no matter what you heard. There are no chewing teeth in a cat's mouth. They only use teeth to tear apart their prey and swallow the pieces whole. That is why cat food has smaller kibbles than dog food. Dogs eat like us because they have similar dietary needs, but as obligate carnivores, cats don't need any chewing teeth.

It is a shame many people continue to believe dry food is better for a cat's teeth than wet food. If everyone knew that is not true, a lot fewer cats would eat things that don't deserve to be called pet food.

LDG said:

Actually, only dental food specifically designed for dental benefits help cats' teeth. Most kibble is too brittle, so it just shatters when they bite it, so it provides no dental benefit - doesn't matter the shape. It has to be either coated with something, or designed for dental health.
There are Greenies dental treats. Back when I fed my cats commercial food, I tried them. My cats didn't like them, but apparently some do.

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How is any food designed for dental health?

Prescription foods, Emily. Hill's t/d for example. Most are crap food, but they have been shown in feeding trials to provide some kind of dental benefit. The coating and the size and the texture of the food supposedly helps.

http://www.petdental.com/media/pet_...clinicResources/en_CA/tdSympStudies_en_CA.pdf

Of course, feeding a whole prey model raw diet with meat and bones achieves the same thing but in a species-appropriate fashion for an obligate carnivore. :lol3: I'm not feeding bones, but I do feed raw. They don't chew much - but they do have to chew the chunks into smaller pieces, and three meals a day, that does provide dental benefit, even with the softer meats like chicken. Bill's never had a dental. He went in for his annual a few weeks ago - and his Doc asked if he had a dental and she didn't know it? :lol3: I pointed out she'd be the one we scheduled the dental WITH. She was really pleased at how gleaming his teeth were. He doesn't need a dental.

I would feed my kitties raw before I even think about buying Science Diet again, which is saying a lot because I am not ready to feed raw food yet.

SarahKhat said:

Just curious if there is one shape better than the next. Some dry foods are shaped like stars others are shaped like squares. Which shape does the best job cleaning the cat's teeth?

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I'm not completely sold on this kibble being a terrific dental tool.  But, if your budget allows, you can try some feline Greenies  found here http://www.greenies.com/cats.aspx#/products/cat-dental-care

I think perhaps some kibble may help a minimal amount with dental care but that would depend upon what the kibble has been treated with.  Another whole ball of wax in itself.  Greenies are the #1 vet approved dental treat in the U.S. at the moment so it might be worth checking out.

LDG said:

Prescription foods, Emily. Hill's t/d for example. Most are crap food, but they have been shown in feeding trials to provide some kind of dental benefit. The coating and the size and the texture of the food supposedly helps.

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Yep. 

I noticed today when I fed my little beasties larger sizes of their Purebites dehydrated chicken breasts that they were really chewing on them.  I'm hoping that will help clean their teeth, since they won't eat Frankenprey yet.  But I'm a little concerned with giving them the bigger pieces.  Hopefully they won't have any problems and choke on them.  I'm always right there when I give them, so guess it should be ok.  I used to break them up a little, but figured why not let them have bigger pieces, maybe it would lead them into Frankenprey . and if we get a dental benefit...that would be GREAT

The best thing in my view is a raw chicken wing.  Not all cats like them, but Minnie adores them and has one most days.  Her teeth are wonderful, and it's scary just what size bone she can break down.

NEVER, EVER give cooked chicken bones - they break into sharp splinters.

OrientalSlave said:

The best thing in my view is a raw chicken wing.  Not all cats like them, but Minnie adores them and has one most days.  Her teeth are wonderful, and it's scary just what size bone she can break down.

NEVER, EVER give cooked chicken bones - they break into sharp splinters.

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I never know which part, when I see this. The thin pointy part? Or the part with the larger bone and more meat? Is the skin left on? What about gizzards, or necks as a dental chew?

I feed the whole wing, skin on and Minnie eats most of it.  What she leaves (sometimes) is a bit of the biggest bone.

I can't see gizzards being as good, and it's not possible in the UK to buy a pack of chicken necks in the supermarket but they all sell packs of chicken wings presumably intended for bar-b-que and so on.  I do look for the packs with smaller wings in as if it's bigger than she wants she starts killing what's left which leaves greasy stains all over the place.  Thankfully she will often eat the wing out in the garden.

PS that's Minnie in my avatar.

mrsgreenjeens said:

I noticed today when I fed my little beasties larger sizes of their Purebites dehydrated chicken breasts that they were really chewing on them.  I'm hoping that will help clean their teeth, since they won't eat Frankenprey yet.  But I'm a little concerned with giving them the bigger pieces.  Hopefully they won't have any problems and choke on them.  I'm always right there when I give them, so guess it should be ok.  I used to break them up a little, but figured why not let them have bigger pieces, maybe it would lead them into Frankenprey . and if we get a dental benefit...that would be GREAT

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I haven't heard of these before. I looked up the website....they are meant to be fed as treats only right? The website doesn't offer a lot of information and their "more info" links are not working.

otto said:

I never know which part, when I see this. The thin pointy part? Or the part with the larger bone and more meat? Is the skin left on? What about gizzards, or necks as a dental chew?

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Gizzards are good. :nod: And they're one of my kitties' favorite foods. They LOVE them. I decided to feed boneless frankenprey. I thought there wouldn't be much dental benefit because I'm not feeding bones, and though they do have to rip and tear at the meat, they don't really chew it. But they do kind of chomp on it a couple of times - and I guess all of it together helps. :dk: Spooky and Chum had dentals earlier this year (I only started feeding frankenprey in February), and their teeth are still gleaming. We're taking Chumley in for his annual soon, so we'll have an official report on that. :lol3: I had Sheldon and Billy in for annuals just a few weeks ago (and Flowerbelle in for a follow-up on her blood pressure), and the vet commented on their coats and teeth - because we were wondering what would happen without that bone (she doesn't have any other cats on raw, and has been very interested to keep tabs on everyone :lol3: ).

But the gizzards are VERY chewy and chunky, and have a kind of "gritty" texture through the meaty part. Because the kitties love them so much, I feed them as a meal 3x a week (balanced with calcium), and I really think this is probably what's helping the most.

As to the wings, AC discussed the wing feeding in an article she wrote on getting started on feeding frankenprey. She recommends starting kitty on the the two smaller bones, not that big one. OK - here it is. Just scroll down to the "On Bones" section http://catcentric.org/nutrition-and-food/raw-feeding/getting-started-tips-for-frankenprey-feeding/

mrsgreenjeens said:

I noticed today when I fed my little beasties larger sizes of their Purebites dehydrated chicken breasts that they were really chewing on them.  I'm hoping that will help clean their teeth, since they won't eat Frankenprey yet.  But I'm a little concerned with giving them the bigger pieces.  Hopefully they won't have any problems and choke on them.  I'm always right there when I give them, so guess it should be ok.  I used to break them up a little, but figured why not let them have bigger pieces, maybe it would lead them into Frankenprey . and if we get a dental benefit...that would be GREAT

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Sally, just based on my experience with the cats' teeth so far, I expect they're getting dental benefit from that chewing. :nod: I'm not familiar with the larger Pure Bites, but the small ones are MUCH crunchier/harder than the Whole Life freeze dried treats. If the big ones are the same as the little ones (That harder texture), then I expect that will really help! :cross:

Interestings.  So apart from no liver etc., Minnie's taste for wings is almost perfect, and so are her teeth!  She eats some wet food as well, and that's been her diet for over 4 years so I reckon it suits her.  Her coat is soft and glossy, she is muscular and not overweight.