Want to know how to care for a cat with no teeth? Then know all things here!
According to the American Veterinary Dental Care Society, about 70% of cats develop dental illness by the age of three.
Therefore, it is important to understand how to care for a cat with no teeth. In this blog, we have spilled all the beans just for you.
We have thrown light on how to supervise cat’s dental health, what to feed them, what things to avoid, and which things you must know before going to the vet.
How to Care For a Cat With No Teeth?
There are many things that you need to know if you have a cat with no teeth. Therefore, we have listed various factors on how you can take care of them.
1. Take Care of Her Dental Hygiene
A cat can go without teeth because you have not taken care of her oral hygiene properly. According to research and studies in general, almost all cats face dental problems when they turn into adult cats.
This indicates that every cat owner must take complete oral health care of their feline friends.
Cats can face severe dental problems like
- Formation of tartar and plaque
- Gingivitis
- Bleeding gums
- Lesion in gums
- Tooth decay
- Foul cat’s mouth smell
Due to these diseases, your cat can go toothless, and therefore it is important that you brush their teeth every day without a fail. Either you use your figure to clean her teeth or buy a cat-friendly toothbrush it will help to remove plaque and tartar formation on her teeth.
Use enzymatic cat toothpaste it actively works on cat’s mouth germ and fights against it. It supports her gum line and keeps it healthy and strong.
In some cases taking care of a cat with no teeth may become quite difficult because gum problems can transfer germs and infections from the sinus to their lungs. In such a situation, you might have to go for an antibiotic medication.
2. Feed a Cat Without Teeth Properly
This point should be under major consideration when you have a toothless cat at home.
Feeding toothless cats could be tricky. You must have to adhere to a strict diet. As they can not eat anything like a normal cat.
Imagine yourself eating a chicken wing without teeth? Does this imagination gave you chills in your gums, it is painfully right! So similarly cats without teeth also feel oral discomfort when they eat a certain type of food. Especially hard and dry food.
Therefore, make sure to feed her soft food only. Prefer to give her juices, canned cat food, or wet food more. Feeding cooked meat will also help.
Consider buying Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Natural Flaked Wet Food for a toothless cat. It contains tender tuna chunks with lick-smacking gravy. This canned food comes with no artificial flavors and colors. It will provide your cat all minerals and essential vitamins that will promote your cat’s health.
3. Give Appropriate Treats
You have to be very careful when you pick treats for a cat with no teeth. They can not have anything therefore it is important that you make sure that to choose those treats which won’t cause pain in her mouth.
You can buy Hartz Delectables Bisque Lickable Wet Cat Treats it is a delicious cat treat that comes with chicken and fish flavor. There is no by-product in this product and completely grain-free with no artificial flavoring in it.
4. Must Meet a Veterinarian
It is necessary to take care of your cat’s overall oral health. For that, you must seek some professional help.
When a cat has no teeth she needs proper medication as her gums can be infected. She may need to get her shots at least once or thrice in a single month.
A vet will give her many combinations of shots and a single shot of cortisone injection, pain killer, and antibiotic medicines. Your toothless cat will feel much relieved after taking these shots.
5. Buy Soft Chew Toys
Who doesn’t know how much our kitty friends adore chew toys right? But in the case of a cat with no teeth, you have to be cautious.
Because while chewing stiff toys pain can build in her gum line. Therefore, make sure you get pain-free mushy, elastic, or soft plastic toys for her.
You should totally avoid hard toys, chewing on the stiff surface can lead to pain in the cat’s mouth, so it is advisable that you avoid it. Instead of that, you can give her a chew toy made from fabric, rubber, or soft plastic.
Go for recommended Revorit Flippity Lobster Cat Toy it has a soft texture and is made of fabric that won’t hurt her gums and teeth. It is a moving toy and the lobster tail waggles when you switch on the button. It can be an exciting toy for your cat. Lobster movement lures your cat plus the catnip bag inside also soothes her mood.
6. Keep Their Fur Clean
Cats love to be always clean therefore they groom themselves most of the time. When cats groom themselves they use incisors to nibble out all the debris.
They are habitual of cleaning their fur and when a cat without teeth nibbles her fur she can feel oral discomfort, so it is your duty to make sure that her fur is always clean. Hence, she doesn’t have to clean her fur with her teeth.
7. Must Go For Annual Dental Check-Up!
Keeping healthy teeth is not just important for humans but also for cats too!
Ideally, all cats should routinely go for an annual dental visit and a cat with no teeth should also do the same. In fact, a cat with no teeth should never miss any visit as they need proper care and attention.
This is because they can have chronic health problems as a result visiting your veterinarian annually can reduce this risk.
Bear in mind without a fail always take your cat for regular dental check-up sessions.
8. Keep Your Cat’s Medical History
The vet does not know the medical history of your cat. He can identify present medical problems but not the past ones. It is the breeder who knows the history of your cat.
Make sure to know the entire history of your cat if you have bought it from a breeder or if you have got it from a previous owner. You should have all your cat’s medical history so that a vet can take her health assessment according to all cautions. And, you get a better treatment result.
Remember: A Cat Can Live Happily Without Teeth
A cat without teeth can live happily if you alter her lifestyle. If you switch to homemade food, wet treats, make her feed her food slowly. Or take her to regular dental check-ups, and try to keep her away from all dental problems then she will become comfortable.
A little change in her lifestyle and routine if lets your cat without teeth live calmly then what is the harm?
She can fill her stomach have fun with soft chewy toys and enjoy amazing wet treats just like a normal cat. And if you find any problem with her teeth you can definitely go to your vet.
FAQs
Do a cat with no teeth drool more?
When a cat suffers from odontoclastic resorptive lesion their gums either do not reabsorb or partially reabsorb and in such conditions a cat has to go under tooth extraction surgery. And, when cat teeth are removed drooling excessively is one of the major symptoms.
Cats without teeth can live?
Yes, cats with no teeth can live happily, but it may become difficult for her to adjust in the initial period. But once she is habitual of how to eat her food with help of her tongue, she will eventually adjust and can live happily.
You just have to make sure that she eats her food slowly, and make her feed wet food more.
How to take care of a cat without teeth?
If your cat is toothless you need to be precautious. She needs extra care and slightly a different lifestyle. She can not consume hard food items. Give her soft food, wet cat treats, keep her gum line healthy, and brush her teeth daily.
Make sure to always keep her fur clean so that she doesn’t need to nibble her coat. Take her for regular dental check-ups and make sure to have her medical history report too.
What are the causes of cats having no teeth?
A cat without teeth can have various reasons firstly it can be because of dental problems like gum disease, plaque layer, tooth decay, foul mouth odor, and retained deciduous teeth.
The second reason could be because of an accident or injury. Cat loves to play and their playing can also lead to tooth injury sometimes. Due to this, a vet may need to remove her broken teeth.
Third, it can be due to the age factor also.
Summing It All Up!
You can take care of a cat with no teeth easily if you read this blog. Under this, we have shared that you must regularly check for feline dental problems, and must take her for an annual check-up. And, what food can she eat easily pain-free!
This will also tell you how to take care of the cat’s dental hygiene, what treats you can give her to eat, and what things to avoid. Go read the listed above factors, and learn how to take care of a with no teeth.
If you have any queries, you can freely comment down below!
References
- A guide to cat dental care — RSPCA
- Cat Dental Care and Hygiene — VCA Hospitals
- Loving care for older cats — Cornell University