Cat grinding teeth

emu the cat · May 12, 2020

I've been noticing my cat Archer grinding her teeth recently, usually after yawning, eating, or grooming. When I give her a lot of treats in a row (small pieces of treats for harness training), she tilts her head as if the food is falling out of her mouth and she needs to use her tongue to keep them in. Does grinding teeth indicate pain in her mouth? I don't want to take her to the vet unless I have to, but if she's in pain I definitely want to set up an appointment. Thank you in advance!

Furballsmom · May 12, 2020

Hi! Could you get a video that shows the head tilting, and the grinding, and send that to your vet to see what they say?

FeebysOwner · May 13, 2020

Hi. I agree with

Furballsmom that a video shown to the vet might help identify some possible causes. You might want to also take a look at this article (link below) to see if anything in it 'rings a bell' in terms of what you are seeing Archer do.
Cat Teeth Grinding: What You Need to Know

neely · May 13, 2020

I understand you not wanting to go to the vet if it's unnecessary during Covid-19. However, can you check her mouth for symptoms, e.g. bad breath, yellow or brown deposits on the teeth, redness on gums at edges, drooling or pawing at her mouth, lack of appetite? If so, I would contact the vet to ask their advice.

stephanietx · May 13, 2020

Teeth grinding is generally a sign of nausea in kitties. I would get her to the vet for a check up.

MissClouseau · May 14, 2020

To me it sounds like a dental problem indeed. You can discuss the treatment/diagnosis options with your vet on the phone. If you're not already brushing his teeth I actually wouldn't recommend starting now in case his gums are sensitive and needs some healing first but there are no-brush tooth gels, water additives, and some oral care that might help with bad bacteria. Ask about them to the vet. Depending on the cause and severity, something like this might decrease the pain if there is any.

frazzfox · May 14, 2020

My Kila was grinding her teeth after yawning as well. We took her in and the vet found several mouth issues including cavities/resorptive lesions that needed to be removed ASAP, as he suspected they were causing her quite a bit of pain. She ended up having two teeth removed and is recovering now. Tooth grinding can definitely be a sign of dental issues! I'd go to the vet if possible as these issues can be rather uncomfortable for kitties to deal with.