Biscuits!

So, I'm really trying to look after Villy's teeth.

I've got her some samples of biscuits as these are supposed to help with their teeth. After watching her eat the Royal Canin, I've noticed that she swallows them whole, which does nothing for her teeth! I've tried the Hills, which are much bigger biscuits, and she just won't eat them! She'd rather go hungry!

What can I do?

Just wanted to say, I'm really pleased as I've got her some toothpaste, and as I can't get near her with a brush for her fur, I've zero chance with a toothbrush, but this is toothpaste which she can just lick off my finger and it still cleans her teeth, and she's doing it, hurrah!

how about giving her a kitty toothbrush to chew on? or if you're feeling brave get into the habit of actually brushing her teeth. it's now been proven dry food doesn't do anything to help cats teeth - annoying as keeping their teeth healthy can really make a difference & i had long thought dry food was the way to go

we're going with the kitty toothbrush option

Originally Posted by Jessy

So, I'm really trying to look after Villy's teeth.

I've got her some samples of biscuits as these are supposed to help with their teeth. After watching her eat the Royal Canin, I've noticed that she swallows them whole, which does nothing for her teeth! I've tried the Hills, which are much bigger biscuits, and she just won't eat them! She'd rather go hungry!

What can I do?

Just wanted to say, I'm really pleased as I've got her some toothpaste, and as I can't get near her with a brush for her fur, I've zero chance with a toothbrush, but this is toothpaste which she can just lick off my finger and it still cleans her teeth, and she's doing it, hurrah!

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Contrary to popular belief, dry food just either gets swallowed whole or bitten by the tip of the tooth and swallowed so there are no tooth-cleaning benefits. Dry food also tends to be fattening since there is so much filler in it that the cats end up eating more in order to get their needs satisfied. A good wet food is much better for your kitty.

Originally Posted by Yosemite

Contrary to popular belief, dry food just either gets swallowed whole or bitten by the tip of the tooth and swallowed so there are no tooth-cleaning benefits. Dry food also tends to be fattening since there is so much filler in it that the cats end up eating more in order to get their needs satisfied. A good wet food is much better for your kitty.

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Cats, being carnivores, do not need to masticate their food to the degree omnivores do. If they needed to chew they would have molars for grinding. Its rare that a cat will chomp more than once or twice on a mouthful, if at all. Raw beef chunks is so far the best thing I've found for their teeth. The pieces are a little to big to swallow whole and will usually tear/chew it into a couple pieces before swallowing it. This chewing really works the gums.

Originally Posted by SolarityBengals

The pieces are a little to big to swallow whole and will usually chew it into a couple pieces before swallowing it. This chewing really works the gums.

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Jaffa swallows dry food whole, even the dental ones with larger kibbles, but I've found that giving him a piece of raw meat forces him into chewing.

Originally Posted by urbantigers

Jaffa swallows dry food whole, even the dental ones with larger kibbles, but I've found that giving him a piece of raw meat forces him into chewing.

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With much hope as Jaffa is like Tibby!

Where is it proven that dry food doesn't clean teeth? I read the back of a bag of dental formula food and it cites the scientific studies proving that it does. Plus, I can hear my cat crunching on the dry food (dental and otherwise). Even if it's only crunched once or twice and only affects some of the teeth, that's more cleaning than the teeth would otherwise get. And it's once or twice per piece of kibble, with many pieces per day.

Originally Posted by emmylou

Where is it proven that dry food doesn't clean teeth? I read the back of a bag of dental formula food and it cites the scientific studies proving that it does. Plus, I can hear my cat crunching on the dry food (dental and otherwise). Even if it's only crunched once or twice and only affects some of the teeth, that's more cleaning than the teeth would otherwise get. And it's once or twice per piece of kibble, with many pieces per day.

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Cats don't "chew". Their jaws don't go side to side - just up and down. As for citing scientific studies on their dry food dental formula, I take that with a grain of salt. All studies (IMO) can be slanted to serve whatever purpose the manufacturer is hoping to achieve.

Think about yourself eating dry biscuits or pretzels. When it has finished mixing with your saliva I'd bet you have an awful lot left on the upper part of your teeth near the gums and would need to brush to get rid of it. Something to think about.

You would be better off spending some money to get a soft toothbrush or rubber one that you put over your finger and getting your cat used to having you clean it's teeth.

Here's an article about dry food and teeth (includes references to studies at the end).

http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...dcleantheteeth