Cats, like us, can lose their teeth. When they grow up, their milk teeth begin to appear and then the milk teeth are replaced by permanent teeth. The milk teeth appear from the moment they feed with solid food.
But if your cat already has permanent teeth, losing them is due to a pathology or an injury and you have to do what is necessary to solve this problem. If you have a cat that is losing its teeth, this article will help you best help it and fix the problem for good. I explain everything to you!
Cat losing its teeth: What you need to know about its teeth
Cats’ teeth are essential for hunting, feeding, playing, washing thoroughly and defending themselves. He must therefore have his teeth to be able to live normally.
As for us, cats have 4 types of teeth:
- The incisors: They are 12 in number and are those located at the front, recognizable by their small size. They are used to wash and defend themselves in case of attack or simply to threaten.
- The canines: 4 in number. These are the pointed teeth that he uses when hunting to hook his prey and to attack in general. They do not often have a role when taking food, except when it comes to cutting very dry food;
- The premolars: They are 10 and are mainly used when chewing food. He can also use it to purge himself.
- The molars: Four in number, they also serve him to eat his food, having a crushing effect.
The causes and their solutions
Several causes can make your cat lose its teeth and each of them requires different solutions to put in place, except in the case where it is normal. Here are the different causes with the solutions to put in place for each of them.
The loss of baby teeth
Young cats naturally shed their milk teeth at 4-6 months of age to make way for adult teeth. The process is quite normal and ends in the 7th month . As a precaution, check the condition of his gums to rule out any medical condition.
Dental diseases
Dental diseases end in the loss of teeth and must be treated as soon as possible to prevent teeth from falling out one by one. The veterinarian will be able to provide you with appropriate treatment. Dental diseases are recognized by red gums and difficulty for the cat to eat well. To limit dental diseases, you can keep your oral sphere at the top, we will come to this later in this article.
Also make sure to treat the disease well by recognizing the symptoms and not giving him dry food as long as he suffers from it, nor water and food that is too cold. He wouldn’t eat it anyway.
It’s also best to keep him indoors, so he doesn’t break a tooth on prey while going hunting or chewing on something to relieve the pain.
Inflammation of the gums
There too, it is vital to go to the veterinarian because the inflammation can evolve and cause other teeth to fall out. Everything mentioned in the previous paragraph is still valid.
Tartar
The tart must be regularly removed by the veterinarian to prevent further tooth loss and the appearance of gingivitis . Giving him kibble, or dry food in general, will help him descale naturally. You can also brush his teeth with toothpaste so he can have good oral hygiene.
A poor diet
The strength of the teeth comes from food and if your cat is not sufficiently well nourished it can lose its teeth. The diet should consist of mash and kibble to ensure that it has all the necessary micro-nutrients.
What to do to prevent the cat’s teeth from falling out?
There are several solutions to maintain your cat’s teeth for the longest time and especially so that they can retain their strength over time. Here’s everything you can put together.
Feed it with dry food
The first thing to do is to feed him well, avoid giving him only dry and / or low nutritious food so that he can sufficiently strengthen his teeth. Kibbles, for example, are very useful to prevent the accumulation of tartar. If your cat spends time hunting, make him eat his kibble before he goes out, it’s a habit to get into so that he eats enough to keep his teeth strong.
For example, if your cat finds it difficult to reach for his kibble, encourage him to eat it by giving him a reward afterwards, such as sardines or cat food that he loves, to stimulate him as much as possible.
Brush his teeth
Then use cat toothpaste 2 times a week, this toothpaste is designed so that he likes it and lets himself brush his teeth. Do not use toothpaste for humans because it is not suitable for them. You can also use a sanitizing spray to remove plaque. In addition to the loss of teeth, this will prevent him from having weak teeth.
Go to the vet regularly from the age of 10
Finally, visit the veterinarian regularly for dental care such as scaling, which is vital for maintaining healthy teeth.
You should also know that from the age of 10, your cat will begin to lose his teeth and to limit this phenomenon as much as possible, make sure that his oral hygiene is impeccable.
How do I get her teeth back?
He will not find his teeth but will be able to obtain dental prostheses which will allow him to chew and eat normally again. Count 4000 to 5000 euros per tooth. Be aware, however, that a cat can very well live without teeth because its language is different from ours, we will come to that.
How does a toothless cat eat?
If your cat loses his teeth, he can still eat normally, because while his teeth make work easier, his tongue is basically designed for thorough cleaning. He will therefore be able to eat normally by crushing the food with his tongue because it is covered with many rigorous points which help him even during the hunt by propelling the food towards the bottom of the oral cavity before he swallows it.
How to feed it?
You can continue to feed it normally, and if your cat has trouble with its kibble, you can moisten it, especially with salmon oil. However, you will need to brush the remaining teeth regularly to prevent him from losing others.
Cat losing its teeth: Special cases
If your cat loses his teeth, there can be several special cases, here are the main ones:
Cat losing teeth and bad breath
Bad breath is often caused by the presence of bacteria in the cat’s mouth which are caused by the buildup of tartar and plaque on the teeth, leading to periodontal disease. In this case, it is essential to take your cat to the veterinarian so that he can limit the loss of teeth. You will then need to clean his teeth regularly with cat toothpaste so that he can keep as much of it as possible.
Cat losing front teeth
In this case, these are the least useful teeth but suggest that your cat has serious problems that could affect the rest of his teeth. So go to the vet too and make sure to brush her teeth regularly to maintain the best possible dental hygiene.
Cat that has lost a tooth and is bleeding
When a cat loses a tooth, there is often blood around it, but you can still check the general condition of the gums to make sure everything is okay. Otherwise, go to the veterinarian so that he can treat it properly.
At what age does an adult cat lose its teeth
This problem affects cats from 10 years old, especially if you do not brush their teeth and do not give them dry food, such as kibble, if you do everything right, they can keep them healthy for life. Annual descaling at the veterinarian is also recommended at this age.
My cat is losing its teeth: The final word
A cat who loses his teeth will mainly happen when he loses his milk teeth when he is young and when he loses his permanent teeth with old age. If your cat loses his teeth, then it is essential to take him to the veterinarian to avoid aggravation of his tooth loss and also to know the good habits to adopt for the future.