We have 9 cats, aged ~8 years old to ~12 years old. We feed both wet and dry food.
I do know dry food is worse for urinary issues, wet is preferred for hydration and nutrients. I do wonder however, if dry is better for teeth. We feed both (Purina ONE Chicken and Rice dry, and Friskies wet), but used to primarily feed dry regular Purina Cat Chow-but as they got older the Cat Chow made all our spayed/neutered adult cats start to put on weight so we switched, and our one girl had developed urinary issues as she started to get older, at around 6-7 years old so she is on a special C/D canned diet.
However, since giving everyone else more canned (not her special diet, regular Friskies canned) the vets have noted around a year after switching to more wet, a couple have had tartar build-up and had a tooth or two removed (one was actually chipped, and I wonder if the dry food hurt his teeth or if he chewed on a piece of bone that was in a can of wet food, or if he just has weak teeth), (it costs around $500 for just one or two teeth to be removed, I might add). I should also note that they were both around 10-11 years old when this was mentioned at the vets, and was not mentioned the year before as both get yearly, or more frequent, exams. The vets had never brought up brushing anyone's teeth before recently, but they are shocked I actually went and am trying it with everyone, they said most owners don't and just ignore it. They said dental problems are very common in older pets.
So do a lot more owners have problems with their pets' teeth than they admit and just deny it or don't get them checked? We also always used to use Feline Greenies dental treats for them, they used to love, but now some won't eat them, and the vets said they actually may be 'too hard' for their older teeth. And, I can't help but wonder, if their teeth problems were never mentioned before and came up from age, out of nowhere, or if their switch to eating more wet food contributed. In either case, I spent a whole lot of money on special C.E.T. veterinary certified treats, and, a menagerie of mini toothbrushes, and a few finger brushes, with a half-dozen tubes of toothpaste, for 9 cats. (And with the calorie content and minerals in the C.E.T. treats, our vets told us not to give the cat with the urinary issues, who's 12 years old, any of the C.E.T. treats and watch how much tooth paste we use with her because it's not good for her urinary issues).
All of our cats are ~8 years or older, and starting to try to get 9 older cats used to getting their teeth brushed is proving no simple task. So far a few will lick the toothpaste (poultry flavor) and the others don't seem to like it. We got some mint and catnip toy sticks from Drs. Foster Smith online, and only a few are interested and play with them, only one or two chew on them. I've also bought several different types of 'dental chew sticks' for cats, and not one of the cats of mine will eat either brand of dental chews....however, my relative's cat who visits will play fetch with them, and does eventually eat them, so I let them have both bags for him. Part of me also wonders strongly, if the whole dental thing is just a big money maker, that they're hoping most owners won't know enough about their pets' teeth to argue against something that costs that much money, when pets never used to have any dental procedures at all before the last decade, and people's pets still could live into their teens and twenties, and still be able to chew. I've also seen that they have dental cleanse pads advertised but I'm not sure how well those really work, as well as things you just pour into their drinking water, but our vets aren't sure of using those, either. What am I doing wrong??
So frustrated, I feel like I can't win. Has anyone else had any problems with their pet's teeth, and if so, what helped? Diet, dental treats, tooth paste, etc?
I do know dry food is worse for urinary issues, wet is preferred for hydration and nutrients. I do wonder however, if dry is better for teeth. We feed both (Purina ONE Chicken and Rice dry, and Friskies wet), but used to primarily feed dry regular Purina Cat Chow-but as they got older the Cat Chow made all our spayed/neutered adult cats start to put on weight so we switched, and our one girl had developed urinary issues as she started to get older, at around 6-7 years old so she is on a special C/D canned diet.
However, since giving everyone else more canned (not her special diet, regular Friskies canned) the vets have noted around a year after switching to more wet, a couple have had tartar build-up and had a tooth or two removed (one was actually chipped, and I wonder if the dry food hurt his teeth or if he chewed on a piece of bone that was in a can of wet food, or if he just has weak teeth), (it costs around $500 for just one or two teeth to be removed, I might add). I should also note that they were both around 10-11 years old when this was mentioned at the vets, and was not mentioned the year before as both get yearly, or more frequent, exams. The vets had never brought up brushing anyone's teeth before recently, but they are shocked I actually went and am trying it with everyone, they said most owners don't and just ignore it. They said dental problems are very common in older pets.
So do a lot more owners have problems with their pets' teeth than they admit and just deny it or don't get them checked? We also always used to use Feline Greenies dental treats for them, they used to love, but now some won't eat them, and the vets said they actually may be 'too hard' for their older teeth. And, I can't help but wonder, if their teeth problems were never mentioned before and came up from age, out of nowhere, or if their switch to eating more wet food contributed. In either case, I spent a whole lot of money on special C.E.T. veterinary certified treats, and, a menagerie of mini toothbrushes, and a few finger brushes, with a half-dozen tubes of toothpaste, for 9 cats. (And with the calorie content and minerals in the C.E.T. treats, our vets told us not to give the cat with the urinary issues, who's 12 years old, any of the C.E.T. treats and watch how much tooth paste we use with her because it's not good for her urinary issues).
All of our cats are ~8 years or older, and starting to try to get 9 older cats used to getting their teeth brushed is proving no simple task. So far a few will lick the toothpaste (poultry flavor) and the others don't seem to like it. We got some mint and catnip toy sticks from Drs. Foster Smith online, and only a few are interested and play with them, only one or two chew on them. I've also bought several different types of 'dental chew sticks' for cats, and not one of the cats of mine will eat either brand of dental chews....however, my relative's cat who visits will play fetch with them, and does eventually eat them, so I let them have both bags for him. Part of me also wonders strongly, if the whole dental thing is just a big money maker, that they're hoping most owners won't know enough about their pets' teeth to argue against something that costs that much money, when pets never used to have any dental procedures at all before the last decade, and people's pets still could live into their teens and twenties, and still be able to chew. I've also seen that they have dental cleanse pads advertised but I'm not sure how well those really work, as well as things you just pour into their drinking water, but our vets aren't sure of using those, either. What am I doing wrong??
So frustrated, I feel like I can't win. Has anyone else had any problems with their pet's teeth, and if so, what helped? Diet, dental treats, tooth paste, etc?
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