{"id":138,"date":"2022-10-20T06:38:28","date_gmt":"2022-10-20T06:38:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/?p=138"},"modified":"2023-01-31T00:22:15","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T00:22:15","slug":"caring-for-cats-without-teeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/caring-for-cats-without-teeth\/","title":{"rendered":"Caring for Cats Without Teeth and Preventative Dental Care"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/caring-for-cats-without-teeth\/#Most_Cats_Can_Continue_Eating_their_Usual_Food\" title=\"Most Cats Can Continue Eating their Usual Food\">Most Cats Can Continue Eating their Usual Food<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/caring-for-cats-without-teeth\/#Adjusting_Food\" title=\"Adjusting Food\">Adjusting Food<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/caring-for-cats-without-teeth\/#Regular_Professional_Care\" title=\"Regular Professional Care\">Regular Professional Care<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/caring-for-cats-without-teeth\/#Injuries\" title=\"Injuries\">Injuries<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/caring-for-cats-without-teeth\/#Chew_Toys\" title=\"Chew Toys\">Chew Toys<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/caring-for-cats-without-teeth\/#Regular_Dental_Care_is_the_Best_Prevention\" title=\"Regular Dental Care is the Best Prevention\">Regular Dental Care is the Best Prevention<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>Did you know that 67% of cats will experience dental issues before they are 3 years old?<\/p>\n<p>These causes for tooth loss and dental problems range from injury, periodontal disease, stomatitis, and tooth resorption (body breaking down the tooth and re-absorbing it aka feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions &#8211; FORL). These problems will become more prevalent as your cats get older.<\/p>\n<p>Prevention is the best medicine when it comes to your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/can-cats-eat-worms\/\">cat\u2019s dental health<\/a>. Unfortunately, many <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-do-i-brush-a-cat-that-hates-brushing\/\">cats simply refuse to let you brush<\/a> their teeth so it\u2019s hard to make sure your cat\u2019s teeth are brushed and healthy without seeking professional help from a qualified veterinarian. As your cat gets older dental problems may lead to your cat losing its teeth. Once your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/cats-watermelon\/\">cat\u2019s teeth become diseased they may need<\/a> to be removed for the long-term health of your cat.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_mI0xAYK7oI\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"mostcatscancontinueeatingtheirusualfood\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Most_Cats_Can_Continue_Eating_their_Usual_Food\"><\/span>Most Cats Can Continue Eating their Usual Food<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The good news is even <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-long-can-cats-go-without-food\/\">cats with no teeth can go on eating their usual food<\/a> without problem. <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/cats-probiotics\/\">Cat teeth are not really suited for grinding food like humans<\/a> to begin with. <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/are-cats-carnivores\/\">Cats mainly use their teeth for grasping and shearing due to being predators and carnivores<\/a>. In fact they will mostly swallow their food with minimal chewing.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why it\u2019s more important to fix any dental issues your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/do-cats-keep-roaches-away\/\">cat may have rather than trying to keep<\/a> all their teeth. Diseased teeth will be a constant source of discomfort, pain, and inflammation if left untreated.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"adjustingfood\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Adjusting_Food\"><\/span>Adjusting Food<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/is-your-cat-drinking-enough-water\/\">cat does struggle to eat dry food without teeth you can soak their usual fare with hot water<\/a> or hot broth for a few minutes before serving. Most canned <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/can-cats-eat-fried-food\/\">food are thinner with nutrients than dry food so may require adjustments for your cat<\/a> to get enough calories and nutrients.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"regularprofessionalcare\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Regular_Professional_Care\"><\/span>Regular Professional Care<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Even if you are unable to regularly brush your cat\u2019s teeth, it is important to have regular dental checkups and get professional dental cleaning. Only a professional veterinarian can effectively diagnose dental disease and offer medical treatment. If any dental issues are not treated the problem will only get worse and lead to other health problems that impact your cat\u2019s quality of life and lifespan. If the optimal checkup schedule is out of your budget you should still try to schedule checkups even if they are far apart.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"injuries\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Injuries\"><\/span>Injuries<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/sand-cat-as-a-pet\/\">cat plays around with other cats or pets<\/a>, rough play can lead to tooth damage or loss. Also if your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/can-cats-eat-vaseline-or-petroleum-jelly\/\">cat likes to chew on furniture or you give<\/a> them hard toys, this can also cause dental problems.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"chewtoys\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Chew_Toys\"><\/span>Chew Toys<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/cat-bites-you-when-you-pet\/\">Cat parents should always exercise caution when choosing pet<\/a> toys and avoid anything with hard surfaces including stiff silicone or other synthetic material. Repeatedly chewing on tough material will wear down the teeth even in the best of conditions. Even dogs can fracture their teeth by chewing on bones. Toys designed for <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/are-cats-smarter-than-dogs\/\">dogs are not suitable for cats<\/a> because cats have different dental structure. Chew toys designed for <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/cats-dumplings\/\">cats are softer and either made with fabric or food<\/a> grade rubber and silicone. Fabric chew toys need to be replaced regularly to prevent germs and bacteria from building up. Rubber and silicone toys should be washed with soap and hot water regularly.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"regulardentalcareisthebestprevention\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Regular_Dental_Care_is_the_Best_Prevention\"><\/span>Regular Dental Care is the Best Prevention<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Like humans as cats age it will affect their dental health. The best way to ensure cats keep their teeth is through prevention and early care. Unfortunately, most <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wet-cat-food-cats-cant-resist\/\">cats resist<\/a> any kind of brushing. So you might have to spend some time working up to a proper dental hygiene routine.<\/p>\n<p>One alternative is to use brushing gloves, dental cleaning strips, and dental gel to keep your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-to-clean-cat-urine-from-clothes\/\">cat\u2019s teeth cleaned<\/a> without actual brushing. Also if you predominantly feed your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/can-cats-eat-dog-food\/\">cat wet food<\/a>, food particles can get in the gums or stick to the dental surface, causing cavities. Also if you give your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/cat-sneeze\/\">cat lots<\/a> of treats in between meals this can also create problems down the line.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, you need your cat\u2019s cooperation to maintain good dental hygiene but at least your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/can-cats-eat-heart-meat\/\">cat will still be able to live a normal life without teeth and still eat<\/a> mostly the same foods as long as you treat the root cause of what caused their tooth loss.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did you know that 67% of cats will experience dental issues before they are 3 years old? These causes for tooth loss and dental problems range from injury, periodontal disease, stomatitis, and tooth resorption (body breaking down the tooth and re-absorbing it aka feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions &#8211; FORL). These problems will become more prevalent [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":137,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"modified_by":"admin","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/40854800_vet-examines-teeth-of-a-cat-scaled.jpg",2560,1709,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/40854800_vet-examines-teeth-of-a-cat-scaled.jpg",150,100,false],"medium":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/40854800_vet-examines-teeth-of-a-cat-scaled.jpg",300,200,false],"medium_large":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/40854800_vet-examines-teeth-of-a-cat-scaled.jpg",768,513,false],"large":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/40854800_vet-examines-teeth-of-a-cat-scaled.jpg",1024,684,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/40854800_vet-examines-teeth-of-a-cat-scaled.jpg",1536,1025,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/40854800_vet-examines-teeth-of-a-cat-scaled.jpg",2048,1367,false],"yarpp-thumbnail":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/40854800_vet-examines-teeth-of-a-cat-scaled.jpg",120,80,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/author\/admin\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Did you know that 67% of cats will experience dental issues before they are 3 years old? These causes for tooth loss and dental problems range from injury, periodontal disease, stomatitis, and tooth resorption (body breaking down the tooth and re-absorbing it aka feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions &#8211; FORL). These problems will become more prevalent&hellip;","_wp_old_slug":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=138"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}