Missing teeth

[Draco]

Dali, approx 3 years old, recently adopted. I noticed he’s missing a fang and possibly some smaller teeth around the fang area. I noticed it when he yawned. Also noticed his lip would curl up at times too.

I know cats are fine without teeth as long as they can eat and isn’t in pain, but considering he’s so young and I have no idea why or how he lost his teeth. All I know he came from a hoarder house. Who knows how well he'd been cared for, or if he got into a fight with another cat.

Any concerns I should or may have? Anything to watch out for? Dental disease?

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Has he had his vet check yet?

 

[Draco]

Not yet. I still need to make a call to the vet for them. I wanted them to settle in a bit before stressing them out all over again.

 

[stephanietx]

He could've been thrown from a car or something like that.

 

[iPappy]

Did the shelter/rescue you adopted them from mention that he received a dental cleaning prior to adoption?

 

[guarua]

I imagine it was either blunt force or if he was rescued, they might have removed them for one reason or another, as mentioned. If the other teeth and gums look healthy I doubt dental disease is a concern, especially in such a young cat.

 

[FriendofFerals]

I had a cat that liked to attack and bite the heck out of a mini "Gummi Bear" plushie. One day, I found a canine (fang) lodged in "Laugh-a-Lot" bear's NECK. SInce I was 8 at the time, I put it under my pillow hoping for some $$. Apparently, the tooth fairy doesn't accept cat teeth. Booo!

The tooth loss could be from anything. Unless the cat is actively hunting, killling, or fighting in self protection like a feral, they really don't need those canine teeth. They're meant for holding onto prey, but for indoor kitties, it's more for holding onto toys.

 

[Draco]

Did the shelter/rescue you adopted them from mention that he received a dental cleaning prior to adoption?

I texted the shelter to see if they were aware of the missing teeth. I haven't heard back from them. I know they had full vet workup, but nothing was said about the mouth.

It would be sad if he was thrown from a car or abused. It would also make sense to why he's skittish (but coming around to me slowly)

He wont let me get a good look at his mouth to see exactly what's going on. I only got a glimpse when he yawned so I can't confirm if any other teeth are missing. It was a bit startling to see his fang missing.

But he's eating, playing and doesn't seem bothered. He does bite into his toys too.

 

[FriendofFerals]

I have one that was thrown from a moving car at night, in a carrier, in the rain, and the only reason I know is because two cat rescue ladies were behind the truck and saw the whole thing. The carrier landed in the median and broke open.

The cat had facial injuries and was also starved down to around 2lbs. When I got him to the vet, they confirmed his facial injuries were not related to his genetic lateral and distal malocclusion of the jaw and his bony blockage of one nasal passage.

While his face *seemed* messed up, it was only traumatized and the rest of his issues were actually genetic deformities.

Once we got all the misaligned teeth out and the stomatitis subsided, he was fine. He has a huge overbite and occasional nerve pain I treat with homeopathic supplements but he hasn't needed a Depo short for pain for many years.

 

[iPappy]

If I want to do a "mouth examination" on a cat that isn't having it, I wake them up with a full body pet with my video cam on my phone rolling. 99% of the time, they'll give a big yawn or two and I can go back and look at the video, frame by frame. If I get a clear shot, I can zoom in. I've actually found some issues like plaque or gingivitis this way. It's nice for the vet too so they don't have to try to look in their mouths, further stressing them out.

Say "aah".

Even works on dogs, too!

 

[Draco]

I have one that was thrown from a moving car at night, in a carrier, in the rain, and the only reason I know is because two cat rescue ladies were behind the truck and saw the whole thing. The carrier landed in the median and broke open.

The cat had facial injuries and was also starved down to around 2lbs. When I got him to the vet, they confirmed his facial injuries were not related to his genetic lateral and distal malocclusion of the jaw and his bony blockage of one nasal passage.

While his face *seemed* messed up, it was only traumatized and the rest of his issues were actually genetic deformities.

Once we got all the misaligned teeth out and the stomatitis subsided, he was fine. He has a huge overbite and occasional nerve pain I treat with homeopathic supplements but he hasn't needed a Depo short for pain for many years.

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I’m glad you took care of him! People are so cruel and it makes me sad that something like this could have happened to my boys. I will never know their stories.

If I want to do a "mouth examination" on a cat that isn't having it, I wake them up with a full body pet with my video cam on my phone rolling. 99% of the time, they'll give a big yawn or two and I can go back and look at the video, frame by frame. If I get a clear shot, I can zoom in. I've actually found some issues like plaque or gingivitis this way. It's nice for the vet too so they don't have to try to look in their mouths, further stressing them out.

Say "aah".
View attachment 489542

View attachment 489543

Even works on dogs, too!
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that’s actually a very clever idea and one i will be trying out for sure! Thanks for this!
And awesome photos too!

 

[neely]

With several of our cats that had dental disease it was due to FORL and probably genetic. We adopted them from a no-kill shelter so often their past is unknown. Our last guy, Carleton, who passed away four months ago also came from a bad hoarding situation like your Dali. He was fed crap food which I'm sure didn't help his teeth either. And when a shelter was called in to rescue him along with 22 other cats they were found with no food at all.

When you are ready to take him and Rembrandt to your vet I'm sure they will check their teeth and you'll be able to ask more questions.
This TCS Article that discusses how to care for your cat's teeth may have some helpful information for you:
How To Brush Your Cat's Teeth [Step By Step Guide] - TheCatSite

 

[Kflowers]

It is also possible that in the hoarder situation, the cat climbed a piece of furniture up to the top of a chest say and leapt off but slipped on something on the top of the chest and missed his target. Hitting the landing spot wrong can cost a fang or so. So can biting into something that is too hard. The last can happen and break the fang. After that instinct tells the cat (same for dogs) to find something hard to 'pull' the tooth out rather than leaving it in the mouth to get infected. This is why they 'chew' on strange things. Cats use what they can find in the house, my dog decided to just chew on the outer wall of the house. I only say this to let you know it could have been an accident without malice, because that would be better.

 

[Draco]

It is also possible that in the hoarder situation, the cat climbed a piece of furniture up to the top of a chest say and leapt off but slipped on something on the top of the chest and missed his target. Hitting the landing spot wrong can cost a fang or so. So can biting into something that is too hard. The last can happen and break the fang. After that instinct tells the cat (same for dogs) to find something hard to 'pull' the tooth out rather than leaving it in the mouth to get infected. This is why they 'chew' on strange things. Cats use what they can find in the house, my dog decided to just chew on the outer wall of the house. I only say this to let you know it could have been an accident without malice, because that would be better.

It is very possible it was an accident. Or playing too rough with a toy. Or anything really. Only if he could talk and tell me what happened!

All I know is that they are safe with me, they have a home and I will take care of them. They have a better life from the moment they came home with me

 

[rubysmama]

When Ruby was first taken to the shelter, her 2 upper fangs were broken, so they had to be extracted. As far as I know, she had no problem with them being missing. However, now that I have Pretty, who has her upper fangs, I wonder if Ruby not having them is why she tended to have more food splatter when she ate.

 

[Draco]

When Ruby was first taken to the shelter, her 2 upper fangs were broken, so they had to be extracted. As far as I know, she had no problem with them being missing. However, now that I have Pretty, who has her upper fangs, I wonder if Ruby not having them is why she tended to have more food splatter when she ate.

Sounds like a possibility. Or she's just a messy cat? There was one cat at the shelter who just covers his entire face in food, it was cute yet messy lol.

Dali doesn't make a mess, thankfully. Though the scruff on his chest (and Rembrandt's) gets messy. Gotta try the bib thing someone suggested.

 

[Draco]

I managed to get a video as iPappy suggested. Looks like he’s missing more teeth than I thought. His front little teeth and several on his left side along with his fang. His right fang looks chipped.
Can’t get a good look at his gums. But based on this photo does it look okay? I will continue to try to get better pics. He still won’t let me open his mouth.

he isn’t drooling, there’s no pawing at his face and he eats wet food and dry treats just fine
Given the chip on his right tooth, makes me think an accident or abuse with blunt force. My poor boy

Oh, the shelter said they have no vet records in regards to his mouth

 

[iPappy]

I would show the picture to the vet so they can get a good look at what you're seeing.
As far as the chipped tooth, my Papillon Tag chipped a molar once. It didn't expose any pulp, and it never caused him any problems at all. They vet might want to examine the tooth, but since it's closer to the front it will probably be easier for them to do so.

 

[Draco]

I am saving the pic to show the vet for sure.
Monet chipped a fang running into a door. He was fine with it too

 

[lisahe]

The tooth loss could be from anything. Unless the cat is actively hunting, killling, or fighting in self protection like a feral, they really don't need those canine teeth. They're meant for holding onto prey, but for indoor kitties, it's more for holding onto toys.

I so agree about this! We had a cat who lost a fang somehow. One day she yawned and we realized she was missing a tooth. It was all gone, she was fine, and the vet just shrugged. It's apparently not that uncommon. We have no idea what happened.

That said, I had another cat, long ago, who broke a tooth (not a fang, something else) that abscessed. She was fine when I left for work in the morning (other than a very slightly runny eye) but her face was puffy when I came home. So off that evening to the vet, who extracted what was left of her tooth. Based on that experience, swelling is what I'd say to watch out for after a broken tooth.