Tooth/gum issues

[detroitcatlady]

My cat Pumpkin who is just over 2 years old seems to be experiencing tooth or gum pain. He no longer wants to chew the chunky kind of wet food that he has preferred since he was a kitten and now prefers to eat smoother wet food and many days he will avoid eating anything else. I have been only giving him the smooth kind now because otherwise he doesn't want to eat very much. When this started I noticed his breath was starting to smell bad and I asked the vet because I was concerned about it but the vet just thinks that his teeth need cleaning. His gums and teeth look normal and the vet wasn't concerned but I am concerned that there is more going on than just needing a teeth cleaning.

 

[fodder]

What signs does he give you apart from not liking the food? Could it be that he just prefers the softer food? My cats went off the chunky style food for no real reason and have not liked it since.  Does he have other symptoms that make you suspect teeth and gums?

 

[detroitcatlady]

Just that I've noticed that when he eats the chunky food he doesn't chew it very well and then stops eating like he is in discomfort, continues to act like he is hungry (he always paces around and cries when he wants to eat) until I give him the smooth food. His breath is terrible it smells very bad. Until recently he did not like the smooth food as much and preferred the chunky food. It all changed very suddenly. At first I didn't think anything was wrong but he started waking me up in the middle of the night like he was starving and I noticed then that when I fed him the same food that he normally would eat that he would barely eat any and then I knew I had to give him something else or he wouldn't eat enough. I had to watch him eat to figure it out since apparently my other cats were eating the food he wasnt eating so at first I didn't even realize he was barely touching his food.

 

[jcat]

Have you scheduled a dental cleaning? Some problems aren't really apparent until the vet can take a close look under anesthesia. Our cat had his first tooth extractions at age two due to FORL. Three weeks ago he had all his remaining molars removed, at 4 1/2. While he didn't have trouble eating, he was a chronic chewer, as bad as any puppy.

 

[fodder]

Have you tried giving him a treat at all? something like a temptation biscuit or something else irresistible?

I am no vet but halitosis does sound like a mouth issue. What checks did the vet do to check his teeth and gums? Do you have another vet in your area that you could maybe get a second opinion from? At least he is still eating something anyway so that's good news.

 

[detroitcatlady]

Yes he will be going in for his teeth cleaning I hope they will check his teeth more thoroughly then. The vet took a look inside his mouth but he isnt very tolerant of the vet and it was hard for the vet to get a good look. It is interesting you mention the chewing though Pumpkin has always been a bad chewer chewing on objects and knawing on fingers and toes and I always dismissed it as being a bad habit left over from teething. I tried giving him treats and dry food and he will nibble on them but not much. I am glad he is at least eating the smooth food.