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- Aug 16, 2013
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One of my two cats (Charlie) was found to have gingivitis at the tender age of one year. I'd already been brushing his teeth, but despite my best efforts he really didn't tolerate it well so I had dropped off to doing it just once a week. At a friend's suggestion, I tried Petzlife oral care gel. It definitely works, and I'm now giving it to both cats daily. I figured they are both apparently prone to dental problems so whatever I do it will have to be daily.
Although the kitties tolerate it better than they did brushing, I was wondering if anyone has any tips or advice to share. I got the salmon flavor but there is no disguising the strong essential oils in the product. I started by putting it directly on their teeth with my finger, but after a few weeks I could see that they weren't getting used to it. They were still struggling each time and had started to become afraid of my hand. So I tried seeing if they'd lick it up on their own. Surprisingly, one cat does that sometimes. The other one won't, but both of them will eat treats with a dab of gel on it. They're still reluctant though, and they run off somewhere to groom afterwards.
Does anyone else use this on their cats, and is there hope that these two kitties will eventually get used to it? Also, is this gel sufficient to keep teeth and gums healthy without brushing? Treating the gingivitis resulted in a BIG behavior improvement. Charlie went from being a complete couch potato, which I thought was just him growing out of kittenhood, to his former very playful self within a few weeks. I'm amazed at the effect that this one minor health problem had on him, poor boy.
Although the kitties tolerate it better than they did brushing, I was wondering if anyone has any tips or advice to share. I got the salmon flavor but there is no disguising the strong essential oils in the product. I started by putting it directly on their teeth with my finger, but after a few weeks I could see that they weren't getting used to it. They were still struggling each time and had started to become afraid of my hand. So I tried seeing if they'd lick it up on their own. Surprisingly, one cat does that sometimes. The other one won't, but both of them will eat treats with a dab of gel on it. They're still reluctant though, and they run off somewhere to groom afterwards.
Does anyone else use this on their cats, and is there hope that these two kitties will eventually get used to it? Also, is this gel sufficient to keep teeth and gums healthy without brushing? Treating the gingivitis resulted in a BIG behavior improvement. Charlie went from being a complete couch potato, which I thought was just him growing out of kittenhood, to his former very playful self within a few weeks. I'm amazed at the effect that this one minor health problem had on him, poor boy.
