Dental question

[Falena]

Hi, I'm just a little concerned about my cats teeth. She will be 1 year on the 15th of this month and she seems to have quite discoloured teeth with quite a but of plaque/tartar already! I'm not sure if this is normal for cats of her age?
She's on a wet diet (An all meat subscription diet here in the UK, called katkin) and has had a checkup at the vets last month in which nothing was mentioned about her teeth. So I was wondering if I should bring her back for this specific reason? or if this is normal and maybe incorporating some soft raw bone to chew on might help? I've never brushed a cat's teeth before but I'd be willing to start if maybe she's genetically predisposed to tooth and gum issues or something.
Any advice or experiences with similar issues would be greatly appreciated!

 

[LTS3]

Many vets don't bother checking the teeth as part of an exam. Many regular vets are also unfamiliar with dental health and the signs of dental disease as well. I suggest scheduling an appointment with a dental specialist to have the tartar needs to be cleaned off and any other dental issue addressed. Then you can start a home dental regimen. Tooth brushing is best as the brush will scrape off food particles and plaque. I'm not sure what pet tooth paste brands are available in the UK but take a look at what Zooplus has. Your local pet store may have the same brands available. V verna davies may have a brand suggestion for you.

There's a video here on how to brush a cat's teeth: Brushing Your Cat's Teeth | Partners in Animal Health

Raw poultry gizzards and hearts and wing bones are good for dental health purposes if your cat will munch on those. I'd use these in addition to toothbrushing.

 

[furmonster mom]

That is indeed some serious tarter buildup.
There was a product recently mentioned in another thread, TropicClean. Apparently you add it to the water, and it helps break down the tarter.
Giving an occasional chicken neck is a great option as well. Gizzards are also great chew starters, if the bone is too difficult at first.

 

[Falena]

Many vets don't bother checking the teeth as part of an exam. Many regular vets are also unfamiliar with dental health and the signs of dental disease as well. I suggest scheduling an appointment with a dental specialist to have the tartar needs to be cleaned off and any other dental issue addressed. Then you can start a home dental regimen. Tooth brushing is best as the brush will scrape off food particles and plaque. I'm not sure what pet tooth paste brands are available in the UK but take a look at what Zooplus has. Your local pet store may have the same brands available. V verna davies may have a brand suggestion for you.

There's a video here on how to brush a cat's teeth: Brushing Your Cat's Teeth | Partners in Animal Health

Raw poultry gizzards and hearts and wing bones are good for dental health purposes if your cat will munch on those. I'd use these in addition to toothbrushing.

Oh dear, that is a little concerning that regular vet checkups don't generally address teeth! I'd assumed since they had a look at her mouth that if it was of concern, something would have been said
I'll definitely have to have a look around for a dental specialist as I'm in quite a rural area, but I thought it didn't look right.
I have raw fed ferrets, so incorporating bone is no problem if the cats will eat it I'll add it into both of their diets to help. My other cat doesn't have this problem, so I'm stumped!
Definitely a good idea to have her checked out and start a dental routine I think.
Thank you!

That is indeed some serious tarter buildup.
There was a product recently mentioned in another thread, TropicClean. Apparently you add it to the water, and it helps break down the tarter.
Giving an occasional chicken neck is a great option as well. Gizzards are also great chew starters, if the bone is too difficult at first.

Oh! That sounds brilliant, I'll definitely have a look into it and give it a go if I'm able to find it. Thank you!
I have raw fed ferrets too, so always have bits and pieces of raw bone available. If the cats will accept it I'll definitely start incorporating it into their diet.
Do you think whole mice and quail parts might be a good addition, or too soft?

 

[LTS3]

Whole mice and quail have tiny bones which won't help with dental hygiene. They're great as treats, though, as long as you source them from a reputable place and not wild ones from outdoors. Raw chicken wings (the tip part and the flat middle part, probably not the drumstick-like part) and necks are better sized for gnawing on to give the jaw a workout and help remove some plaque.

 

[furmonster mom]

Do you think whole mice and quail parts might be a good addition, or too soft?

Absolutely! The only thing I’d be cautious about is constipation due to the extra bone in the diet. Since you are feeding a pre-made all meat diet, I’d probably keep it to a once or twice a week treat. Or, if you want to do it more often, then double check the calcium levels in your normal food and adjust accordingly.

 

[Falena]

Whole mice and quail have tiny bones which won't help with dental hygiene. They're great as treats, though, as long as you source them from a reputable place and not wild ones from outdoors. Raw chicken wings (the tip part and the flat middle part, probably not the drumstick-like part) and necks are better sized for gnawing on to give the jaw a workout and help remove some plaque.

OK perfect! And no worries, I order mice/quail/rabbit/pheasant/squirrel/pidgeon/duck/chicken etc from pet food suppliers, so they are bred specifically for reptiles, cats, ferrets, birds of prey and dogs. While they do sell some wild caught game , I always order domestic bred as I'm very particular about what my animals get for dinner, they're my babies
So I'll definitely try them on some bits and pieces and see what they'll take with the dental aspect in mind!
Thank you so much

Absolutely! The only thing I’d be cautious about is constipation due to the extra bone in the diet. Since you are feeding a pre-made all meat diet, I’d probably keep it to a once or twice a week treat. Or, if you want to do it more often, then double check the calcium levels in your normal food and adjust accordingly.

Ah, noted! This is specifically why I don't feed the cats the same as the ferrets, as the bone content is too high, with ferrets and polecats requiring 10-20% bone. The supplier does sell raw mince blends for specifically for cats too! but my two stuck their noses up at it
They do always show interest in the whole prey and parts though! So I'll definitely give them a try and check the calcium levels in their current food.
Thank you so much!

 

[verna davies]

When you take her for her annual checkup or any other time, ask your vet to check her teeth. Logic or CET toothpastes are good and can be bought in many places, Pets at Home and other large pet stores, they come in fish, chicken and malt. Start by putting a little on your finger and gently rubbing it on her front teeth for her to get used to the taste. When she gets used to that try an interdental toothbrush and brush gently brush her front teeth. Hopefully in a week or so she will allow you to brush them with a cat toothbrush. Both Logic and CET claim to work even if just put in the mouth without brushing but in my experience some sort of abrasion is needed.

 

[Falena]

When you take her for her annual checkup or any other time, ask your vet to check her teeth. Logic or CET toothpastes are good and can be bought in many places, Pets at Home and other large pet stores, they come in fish, chicken and malt. Start by putting a little on your finger and gently rubbing it on her front teeth for her to get used to the taste. When she gets used to that try an interdental toothbrush and brush gently brush her front teeth. Hopefully in a week or so she will allow you to brush them with a cat toothbrush. Both Logic and CET claim to work even if just put in the mouth without brushing but in my experience some sort of abrasion is needed.

She's just had her annual and the vet did look inside her mouth so I assumed they would have noticed or mentioned something about her teeth, but she must've just been checking her gums and throat or something. I'm going to see I can get her teeth looked at specifically , but in the meantime going to give the TopicClean fresh breath water additive a go, as well as brushing and implementing raw bone into her diet! I live just 5 mins away from a pets at home so will deffinitely have a look for those toothpaste recommendations too! Thank you so much for the advice as well, I wouldn't have thought about starting with an interdental brush, that's a great idea! She's quite comfortable with me holding her and prying around in her mouth but not sure how she's going to react to a brush, other than wanting to chew it, but we shall get there with gentle perseverance I hope