How To Clean My Cat’s Teeth
For most of us, brushing our teeth is a key part of the morning routine. However, our cat’s dental health is just as important as our own! Just as we suffer from dental problems, cats can also get a build-up of plaque on their teeth and develop dental diseases that can cause them a lot of pain. But, How to Clean My Cat’s Teeth?
Daily care may prevent many problems. These steps can help you keep your cat’s teeth healthy.
How To Keep My Cat’s Teeth Clean
It might seem hard to approach your cat’s teeth with a brush, but it will often be the best way to keep their teeth healthy. Not all cats will tolerate it, but most will be able to get used to it if you proceed gradually.
Cats younger than six months may find teeth brushing painful, due to teething. Follow our simple steps to find out how to keep your cat’s teeth clean.
1. Proceed Gradually
There’s no cat who will just wait with his mouth wide open as you approach with a toothbrush. The key to success is patience.
Wait until your kitty is calm and start by gently lifting her lips and massaging her teeth and gums for a few seconds. Don’t try to give his whole mouth a rub down and try to stop before he has a chance to become too annoyed. Follow this brief session with a treat. As his tolerance for this experience increases, gradually increase the length of time that you spend.
2. Introduce Toothpaste
Rule No1. Never use your own toothpaste to clean your cat’s teeth, as it contains ingredients that are harmful to cats.
After your cat has become used to having you touch her mouth, you can begin to introduce a toothbrush and toothpaste. Your vet should be able to recommend a soft rubber finger brush and some meat or fish flavored toothpaste you can use.
To start with, you might want to just let your cat lick a small quantity of the toothpaste. If your feline doesn’t seem to enjoy the taste, you may have to try a few flavors before you find one that appeals.
3. Introduce Toothbrush
Once you have the perfect toothpaste, it’s time to find the right toothbrush. Here again, it would be a mistake to use the same kind of brush that you use for yourself. The bristles could damage your kitty’s delicate gums. For most cat parents a finger brush meant for kitties is the easiest method. Others like to just use a small square of soft gauze.
4. Start Brushing
Put a small dab of toothpaste on the toothbrush and start brushing the teeth along the gum line. Work quickly, and stop before your cat shows signs of irritation. The more your cat enjoys this experience, the more likely he will be to allow you to continue brushing his teeth regularly in the future.
It may take weeks before your cat gets used to having all of his teeth cleaned in one sitting. He may react by biting or scratching, or he may show other signs that the experience is just too stressful for him.
Conclusion
If despite your best efforts, your cat simply won’t allow you near her mouth with a toothbrush, you may want to consider some Dental Cat Food & Treats or Drinking water additives.
Whether you’re able to brush your cat’s teeth or not it’s important to have his teeth checked yearly by his vet. This way, any potential problems can be discovered and treated early.
It may take some time and patience to find the best way to clean your cat’s teeth, but it’s worth the effort! If you stick with it, you will be giving him the best chance at continued oral health.
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