This is something I've not seen before. Hopefully someone can set my mind at ease. Fairfax, approx. 4 m/o male neutered foster kitten, happy, healthy, and obnoxious, frequently makes crunching noises with his teeth. I feel it's similar to teeth grinding in humans from a physiological standpoint except he is not doing molars or premolars only...I stuck my finger in his mouth while he was in the midst of doing it and got a puncture wound for my troubles. That says incisor or canine to me.
I am wondering if maybe he is teething? Only of 100s of kittens this age that have been through our house I have never seen this behavior before.
He is not unhappy or upset, in fact he frequently is doing this while being petted or soliciting attention from me. I will not be sticking my fingers in his mouth again while he does it.
I have examined his mouth though, no foreign bodies, no noticeably troubled areas like chipped teeth or inflamed gums. He doesn't even look particularly like he's teething, but perhaps they've not erupted yet. Mostly I want to be able to explain this behavior to potential adopters.
I am wondering if maybe he is teething? Only of 100s of kittens this age that have been through our house I have never seen this behavior before.
He is not unhappy or upset, in fact he frequently is doing this while being petted or soliciting attention from me. I will not be sticking my fingers in his mouth again while he does it.
I have examined his mouth though, no foreign bodies, no noticeably troubled areas like chipped teeth or inflamed gums. He doesn't even look particularly like he's teething, but perhaps they've not erupted yet. Mostly I want to be able to explain this behavior to potential adopters.
