Rosie's chewing and theres nothing in her mouth?

This has happend 3 times today. Rosie yawned then when she closed her mouth she chewed for about 3 -4 seconds as if one of her treats was stuck to her back teeth, then licked her lips a couple of times.

I can't seem to see anything, but then again she won't let me because the tortitude comes out in her, but if i give her a treat that's the only way i can get to see her mouth open wide.

She's eating and drinking ok, eating her treats ok and right now she's chasing after a moth.

The vet said at her checkup last month that she has a slight bit of tartar so their both on Hills t/d as well as having Logic toothpaste that they lick off their paws, but if she's like this on monday then it's straight to the vet anyway but i wondered if anyone had any ideas on what it could be?.

Probably nothing. I've seen many animals do similar things, in fact, I think I lick my lips after I yawn too. But if it's not normal behaviour then you know the drill.

I haven't noticed anything with my cats that would help but I did have a ferret that would chew abnormally for now reason. It turned out he had an abscess in the back of his mouth that was bothering him. The lump probably felt like a bit of food that was lodged causing him to chew. He ended up getting surgery to remove it. A few weeks of antiseptic mouthwash later he was good as new.

Probably nothing this dramatic for your Rosie though.

I wondered if it was an abcess which is why i kept a close eye on her today and watched if it bothered her to eat etc... I even rubbed along the outside of her mouth to see if she flinched but nothing.

I know cats are good at hiding pain but if it was an abcess she wouldn't be able to eat properly would she?.

She's just been to me for some treats and ate those no problem again.

My ferret made no indication that it was bothering him for a very long time. Just before the surgery the abcess was big enough that he would occasionally paw his mouth to see if that would help. It seemed to bother him much more after the surgery but I suspect the antiseptic hthey give me burned. His abscess was on the top back or his mouth just before his throat. I don't know how long it was there before we noticed either.

Ferrets, like cats seem to enjoy hiding their pain. At one point he misjudged a jump and landed hard on his chin and chipped a tooth up into his gums. It was still attached to the roots. Something similar to us would be unbearable, but he didn't seem to care. An $800 root canal later and he was good as new minus one eye tooth. Was rather funny as his lip would get caught on his bottom tooth without the upper tooth to guide it so it always looked like he was snarling.

I think it's a good idea to keep a close eye on her Susan, she may not have an abcess right now but with her tartar build up it could be a sign of her teeth getting worse. I hope it's nothing though and just a new Rosie purrsonality quirk!

My opinion is dental issue (the tartar you mentioned). I've seen my kitties "grind/chew" a bit for no reason, and found it was dental related each time.

I'd just watch to see if it was just a rarity or if it's happening on a more frequent basis.

Yeah Susan,I agree with the others it does sound like a dental problem.

Rosie has a bit of tartar....is there a chance that a tooth could be a bit loose?

I don't know if you have had a hole in a tooth ,but it always seems to 'feel' like a bigger hole when you feel it with your tongue than what it really is.
Animals senses are more refined than ours so if she had a tooth thats a bit loose
then to her it may 'feel' like its moving around...just a thought?

Or she could have a hair stuck in her mouth thats bugging her.

I think if she had an abcess you would definately see something wrong in her
actions...If she is avoiding chewing on either side of her mouth or gulping or flinching when eating then it could mean she has an abcess....or a loose tooth

I hope do hope it is just a hair though

She seems to be eating fine on both sides that i can see?.

I have to ring the surgery tomorrow anyway to place an order for their kibbles and toothpaste so i'll mention it to them, but i'll probably end up taking her in when i go to pick them up just to have my mind put at rest.

When a couple of you mentioned it could be the tartar, i wondered if it could be the new kibbles breaking it off?, but i was told they both have a very mild form of it.

Hey y'know if your going to the vets to pick up some stuff,could you make a nurses appointment Susan?
The nurse will check Rosie's teeth and nails and eyes/fur/skin....anything really that is on the 'outside'..I'm not meaning to sound a cheapskate or anything 'cos I know you would spend the earth on your girls,but if the nurse thinks the vet should look at Rosie she will ask the vets opinion,There is a big difference in a nurses appointment and a vets appointment regarding prices.

Just a thought.

Funny you say that Diana but i have done that before. It was when Sophie pulled her stitch out after her spay.

I have to order their food that takes about 2 days to arrive, so i'll see what they say when i order it tomorrow.

Boy do I know what you mean by tortitude!! The only time that I've seen my cats do this is when they have either had food stuck in their teeth or when they've had a dental problem - usually it's been with their gums.

I hope its just food and Rosie is OK!!!

I'm with the other posters - my gut says that she's having dental problems (quite possibly mild) - but I'm a paranoid Meowmy, and I'd be in first thing on Monday.

[I am a paranoid Meowmy - more than once I've dragged my cats to the vet because I new something was wrong, and been sent home with a puzzled look, only to back in when what was wrong was finally obvious.]