For thousands of years it was believed that cats eyes were the portal between worlds. But did you know that we should have been paying more attention to their mouth?
A cat’s breath is a portal to the status of their health.
So next time you see Jiggles; interrupt her chilling sesh by going nose-to-nose with her, almost like as if you were going to give her an Eskimo kiss. Inhale deeply and lovingly. What did you smell?
If after doing that, you gag or wench from a pungent stench, then something may not be right.
Imagine what would happen to your mouth if you did not brush it for years? You’d probably look a lot worse than Austin Powers. You would develop cavities, your gums would recede, you’d probably lose teeth and you’ll certainly be in a lot of pain.
Cats are very good at masking pain which is why that according to International Cat Care, 85% of cats over 3 years old in the UK have dental disease. A first tell-tale signs of something going wrong is their funky breath.
Now that you know this, If your cat ever gives you a head-bump kiss and this loving gesture brings unwanted, smelly lingering baggage with it, it is time to call in a vet to get his mouth checked further.
The vet recommends that you brush your cat’s teeth once daily, or at least 3 times a week. Which is do-able if you know this information from the onset of getting your cat. This is because you can train your kitty to get used to the toothbrush; with some patience, consistency and time, you may be able to get them to tolerate it.
However, for most people, they find out this piece of information once they’ve already noticed something wrong with their cat's teeth. By then their cat is a few years old and tooth brushing will be a never ending, impossible nightmare. These people will resort to other means like Oral care treats and additives that are only compliments to tooth brushing and not very effective as a sole solution.
Essentially, you’d be taking a chance on your cat’s health. Not by choice, but because there are no alternatives to tooth brushing that are an effective sole solution.
Inventor Ltd. is changing the nightmare of tooth brushing by turning it into a fun experience for your cat - without them even realising you’re touching their mouths! Our patented product allows your cat to play and discretely brush its teeth at the same time, meaning smiles all round – check out our Dental Wand
The Horror Story
Bad breath or halitosis (bad breath's scientific name), begins because of naturally occurring bacteria multiplying around the cat’s teeth and gums. The bacteria develop a film called plaque and with time, they get stronger and harder due to your cat’s saliva. This then hardens to form tartar.
If left unattended for too long, the decomposing food crumbs that accumulate bacteria can travel through the blood to various organs and spread infection causing heart and kidney disease.
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel
To prevent all this, you start at the root. Remove the bacteria from your cat’s mouth, make sure you brush your cat’s teeth – Always use cat toothpaste.
How to use a cat toothbrush:
Using a cat toothbrush starts with the paste. First introduce the cat toothpaste to your cat by placing some on your finger and let them lick it off - treat it like a cat-treat.
From there, as they're licking it off your finger, gently rub the finger they're licking on the front of incisor's gums.
Continue doing this until you are able to rub your cat's gums up to the canines. Remember to always keep it positive and to not force the cat to do something as this will create negative associations with the brushing experience.
Then you introduce the toothbrush by putting the paste on the bristles and letting your cat lick it off. Progress by repeating the steps above however, this time instead of using your finger with the toothpaste, you use the toothbrush.
In addition, don't forget to visit to your friendly neighbourhood vet. They can let you know the condition of your cat’s mouth. They may need to carry out a professional clean if there is already significant tartar built up so that you can start the oral home care regime from a clean slate.
If you're worried about brushing with a toothbrush you can also use our Dental Wand to brush your cat's teeth.
The Keys To A Successful Tooth Brushing Routine
No Human Toothpaste – only cat toothpastes.
Consistency – make sure to brush your cat’s teeth daily or at least 3 times weekly.
Love – always be relaxed, cats don’t like the conventional way of brushing so your demeanour will help.
I did mention at the start that your cat’s breath is a portal to the status of their health. Here are some other smells coming from Jiggles’ mouth and what it could mean:
Fruity or sweet, rather than foul – could be a sign of diabetes.
Urine or ammonia – could be a sign of kidney disease.
Foul breath + vomiting, loss of appetite, yellowing of eyes – could be signs of liver disease.
Conclusion
Be wary that sometimes the things that cats eat smell horrendous – how do they do it?
Therefore, if you do smell some foul breath, monitor it, did they eat tuna? More importantly is their bad breath consistent? If it is, then speak to your vet.
The goal is that a cat’s teeth should be clean, white and chip-free. Their gums shouldn’t have sores or lesions and they should be pink without any swelling or bleeding. Remember, that a cat’s neutral-smelling breath is a healthy mouth and a happy and healthy cat.
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