Today we will talk about cats brushing their teeth, including but not limited to:
Why do you need to brush your cats and cats? How to establish this brushing process? How to brush your teeth correctly? What is the frequency of brushing? How to clean the cat's teeth if you really can't brush your cat's teeth?
Why do you need to brush your cat's teeth
First of all, cats, like humans, need to brush their teeth regularly to maintain oral health.
Generally speaking, 85% of cats over 3 years of age have periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease is a slow-occurring oral disease that causes inflammation of the tissues around the teeth and is the main cause of early tooth loss.
Cats with periodontal disease have difficulty chewing when eating hard dry feed, and their teeth are uncomfortable, causing their appetite to decrease and their bodies to gradually become weak.
In addition, when there are thick tartars on the teeth, the general brushing method cannot clean the tartars, so the cat must go to the hospital for anesthesia and cleaning the teeth.
The probability of old cats suffering from oral diseases is higher than that of young cats, because tartar accumulates for many years, which can cause periodontal disease. Also, because middle-aged and elderly cats have decreased immunity, they are prone to stomatitis.
In the mouth with periodontal disease, bacteria will infect the cat's heart, kidneys and liver with blood circulation, causing diseases of these organs.
Therefore, home oral care and regular teeth cleaning can prevent periodontal disease or slow down the course of periodontal disease.
So it is very necessary to brush your cat's teeth~ It is best to let cats get used to brushing their teeth since the kitten time, so that they will not be too reluctant to brush their teeth.
What equipment is needed to brush cats' teeth
is very simple.
① A cat uses a small toothbrush or finger brush. If it really doesn't, then a baby toothbrush is OK.
If it is simpler, gauze will do.
② Cats use toothpaste. Never use toothpaste, because it is toxic and irritating when swallowed.
How to help a cat brush teeth
At the beginning, take it slowly and don't force the cat to do things it doesn't want to do. The purpose of this is to make it as stress-free as possible and to remain pleasant and relaxed.
So it may take several weeks to officially start brushing your teeth. This must be a training process that requires patience, and the progress will be different because of the different personalities of the cat. My cats have different adaptability levels. Some can already brush their teeth, while others are still very resistant.
Choose foods that cats think are valuable and they like; they can include cat food, cat strips, cooked chicken breasts, freeze-dried, etc. as training rewards.
Preliminary work:
① Let the cat be in a relaxed state. Before starting brushing teeth, touch the cat likes the place and wait until the cat relaxes before starting.
② Make cats get used to the movement of turning their lips. You can often help cats turn their lips. After brushing their teeth, it won’t be too repulsive. It is a good start~
Officially start work:
The following will introduce three methods, one is to use a cat toothbrush, the other is to use a finger condom, and the other is to apply.
Method 1 (Use a cat toothbrush)
First, place the cat on the legs, head facing forward, and fit the body closely to the cat's back to fix the cat's body; or hold the cat on its legs.
First soothe the cat and let the cat relax. If the cat kicks your hands away, you can also cover its forefoot with clothes or towels.
There is really a strong resistance. You can use the towel method:
① Apply a small amount of cat toothpaste to the cat's toothbrush to lick it clean.
Give it a reward when it licks it clean. Do this for a few days to a week and let the cat connect toothpaste with rewards. The goal of this step is to familiarize the cat with toothpaste and toothbrushes and connect them to a positive experience.
Note: If the cat refuses to lick the toothbrush, apply the toothpaste to the finger for a few days, and then apply the toothpaste to the toothbrush.
② The next step is to apply a small amount of toothpaste on the cat's teeth, gently lift the mouth and rub it on the upper canine or premolar. Then feed the cat's favorite food immediately.
③ Hold the cat's head with your left hand and turn the corner of the cat's mouth up with your thumb, so that the big molars can be exposed without deliberately opening the cat's mouth.
The force should be small when brushing teeth, as it is easy to cause bleeding gums if you use too much force. Use a toothbrush to move between teeth and gums to brush out the tartar on the teeth.
The purpose is to remove food residues adhered to the teeth; excessive force will damage the gums. Be gentle and not too long, so don't rush to complete teeth cleaning. The bristles are at a 45-degree angle to the teeth and brush at the intersection of the teeth and the gum line.
Method 2 (referring to brush)
① Apply a little toothpaste on your fingers and let the cat lick it clean. If the cat licks it clean, you can reward it for something to eat. It lasts for a few days.
② Apply toothpaste on your fingers, gently lift your gums, and apply toothpaste on your canine teeth. Then give them some rewards immediately.
③ Once the cat is used to applying toothpaste to her teeth, you can take the last step. Apply toothpaste to the finger brush of your habitual hand, lift your gums with your index finger of your non-drug hand and brush gently.
Again, you don't need to do a complete tooth cleaning for the cat at once, just clean a small area at a time until the cat gets used to it. Move the toothbrush in small, circle-like manner.
Method 3 (applied, but not recommended)
If a cat has never brushed his teeth, or hates brushing, you can apply toothpaste or oral cleaning gel to the teeth. The cat will lick his mouth, which can also achieve the effect of brushing his teeth.
① Fix the cat by holding it sideways
② Dip your fingers with cleaning gel
③ Apply the gel on your teeth and wait for the cat to lick it by itself. This method is simple, but the cleaning power is only better than nothing, so it is not recommended..
Tip:
It may take several weeks to get your cat to brush your teeth, so it is important not to hurry or make your cat angry. Only by determining the speed based on the cat's fitness and constantly using food to strengthen good behavior can you achieve twice the result with half the effort.
Common teeth brushing problems
Q1: When is it better to start brushing your cat's teeth?
Ideally, it is best to start dental care when a cat is young, but cats of any age can receive dental care training.
Q2: How often should I brush my cat's teeth?
Cats' teeth should be brushed once a day. If you or a cat thinks it's too much, brushing two to three times a week is better than not brushing your teeth.
Q3: How long should I use to brush my cat's teeth?
Do not brush for more than one to two minutes.
Q4::How to keep my cat's teeth clean without brushing? (Alternative method for brushing teeth)
Brushing is the ideal and has the best results, but if your cat really doesn't like brushing teeth, you can choose raw chicken wings or chicken necks, enzyme-containing teeth glue, tooth cleansing powder (I'm skeptical about this type of product) or prescription diet for oral care (Hills t/d).
Q5: What if there is tartar on cat's teeth?
If the plaque is not removed, it will harden and become tartar, and also become tartar. Tartar cannot be removed with a brush and needs to be removed by a veterinarian under anesthesia (i.e., teeth cleaning, there are articles written about teeth cleaning: Summary of FAQs for Cats’ teeth cleaning). Physical examination can only tell the veterinarian about the visible part of the teeth (colon) and it is recommended to perform dental x-rays to evaluate the teeth under the gums.
Q6: How often should I change my cat's toothbrush?
When I find that the toothbrush has signs of wear, I need to replace it.
Q7: How can I keep my cats healthy?
Brush or feed appropriate food daily to remove plaque from the teeth, as well as annual veterinary examinations including thorough oral examinations, cleaning and polishing if necessary.
And it is not always easy for pet owners to detect signs of cat toothache, as they are experts in hiding pain. Even cats in pain continue to eat normally, which emphasizes the importance of regular oral examinations and necessary treatments.
Finally, I hope every kitten has a healthy mouth, good teeth, and good taste!