Who Knew Cats Teeth Needed Cleaning
If you didnt know cats teeth need attention, it might be because feline dentistry has come a long way in the past 20 years. Scraping tartar off the teeth of a struggling kitty wrapped in a towel has been replaced by high-tech cleaning. The American Veterinary Dental College describes the process: Your cat is anesthetized so the vet can perform a complete exam, looking for broken teeth and roots, periodontal disease, dead teeth, abscesses, or infected teeth. Your vet will then clean gums and teeth to remove plaque and tartar.
Most kitties can get by with just the occasional cleaning, but if you have a cat that has been a stray, or otherwise had a difficult life, your vet may have to address serious problems such as gum lesions and tooth decay.
Even a well-cared-for cat is likely to get a buildup of plaque that leads to dental problems. In the Tufts University newsletter, Catnip, Dr. William Rosenblad explains that 60 percent of domestic cats will experience tooth decay and 80 percent will suffer from gum disease. While decaying teeth need to be removed, gum disease is treatable with cleaning and tooth brushing .
While were often told that cats benefit from a diet of wet food, Rosenblad explains that their teeth benefit from gnawing on hard, dry foods. Cats have to chew it, and the mere act of chewing results in increased saliva release. The saliva rinses the mouth, and also promotes certain bacterial activity that is beneficial.
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Tasty, bite-sized, and loved by felines of all sizes and ages, these dental treats are formulated to support healthy teeth and gums. The treats will both clean your pets teeth and freshen their breath when they munch on the treats, they will remove tartar and plaque buildup, leaving behind no bacteria to cause bad breath and sparkly white teefers. Low fat, naturally flavored, and without any artificial preservatives, these treats are suited for cats of all sizes and ages. The natural aroma of the treats is chicken, so if your kitty is a fan of poultry, they love these!
Hartz Dentist’s Best Chicken Flavor Treats
Safe and effective dental treats dont need to be expensive. With Hartz Dental Treats, you can keep your cats teeth healthy and smelling fresh all day, every day, at a more budget-friendly price.
And this treats cheaper price tag doesnt mean that it is of inferior quality to other dental treats in the market.
Hartz Dentists Dental Treats is the only product of its kind that uses DentaShield technology, which only strengthens its effectiveness in reducing tartar formation by up to 80%.
Each treat also features a crunchy texture that is known to be helpful in scrubbing away debris from cats teeth, and at the same time massaging the gums to loosen plaque and tartar.
Whats more, the heart-shaped treats feature a tasty chicken flavor every cat will surely love. And they are also low in calories, which makes them safe for daily feeding.
Hartz Dental Treat is also only one of the few dental treats in the market that is designed to promote good dental health in kittens.
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What About Homemade Cat Dental Treats
In addition to regular brushing, professional cleanings, and commercial dental treats, homemade dental treats can help keep your cats teeth healthy. Some people will occasionally feed raw bones to help break up tartar, though there are some risks with this.
Unlike any commercial cat food, raw meaty bones force your cat to use his jaws to gnaw and tear, digging his teeth into muscle tissue and breaking through raw bone. This gnawing action strengthens the jaws and cleans the teeth.
Because fresh raw meat doesnt have any carbohydrate content, its also low-residue and will fit in with a low-carb diet to help keep your cat fit and trim. Bone ingestion can cause constipation in cats, and chewing on bones can result in tooth fractures in some cats.
Bones can also pose a choking risk to cats who try to swallow large pieces. Uncooked meat can be a source for pathogenic bacteria, so do not use this in homes with immunocompromised people or pets.
Remember that cooked bones are dangerous for your cat.
While raw bones are more flexible, cooked bones become brittle and are prone to splintering and shattering, making them extremely dangerous for your cat to eat. Choose small bones that tone your cats jaws without overwhelming them. Cat-appropriate options include raw chicken necks and chicken wings.
Good dental health results from a systematic approach from the inside out.
Caring For Your Cats Teeth
Buying good quality dental treats for cats is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to oral health. Your veterinarian will be able to tell you the exact condition your cats teeth are in and what steps may be necessary to take care of them.
As your cat ages, it will become even more important to have regular check-ups with your veterinarian. Often, a deep clean will be called for at least once in a cats lifetime. This involves sedation and can be quite pricey. However, it can greatly increase your beloved felines life expectancy.
Brushing your cats teeth at home is a great, although not easy, way to help keep them clean.
Your cat will probably not enjoy this process, and it is important not to push them too hard. Getting your cat used to it gradually may be a better approach.
For other cats, gauze or dental wipes is a much better option. If you do brush your cats teeth, it needs to be with a toothbrush and paste that was specifically designed for felines.
Although people have traditionally thought that dry food was better for a cats teeth, recent research has suggested canned food is preferable.
This is because the moisture in canned food helps wash away plaque, where crunchy kibble can actually sit on your cats teeth. Food particles left behind can cause decay.
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What To Look For When Buying Cat Treats
To narrow down your search, ask yourself a few key questions: Why do you want to give your cat treats? Does your cat prefer crunchy or soft treats? Does your cat have dietary restrictions or specific health concerns? Once you answer these questions, youll be able to make the best treat choice for your cat.
What Are The Benefits Of Treats For Kittens
Kitten treats are both delicious and nutritious. Here is a close look at the benefits of treats for kittens:
- Nutritional Boost. An additional source of nutrients, especially those lacking in the kittens regular diet, such as vitamins, taurine, and DHA.
- Positive Experience. Kitten treats come in delicious flavors that the kittens will enjoy.
- Rewarding. Treats are an excellent way to reward kittens and positively reinforce good behavior from an early age.
- Stronger Bond. Treats are a great way of expressing love to your kittens and can strengthen the bond between the pet and the owner in the long run.
However, it is important to control the frequency of treats. Even if the kitten treats are healthy and nutritious, they should not be fed in excess. It is best to feed them occasionally while ensuring that the meows get most of the required nutrients from their mainkitten diet.
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Can Cat Dental Treats Replace Brushing
No, cat dental treats are not a replacement for regular teeth brushing. While they can help keep tartar at bay to some degree, without brushing, they wont be as effective as you need them to be. The best results and the healthiest teeth are a result of a well-balanced oral hygiene routine which includes regular brushing, fortified by the use of chew treats and chew toys, as well as water additives if you prefer.
Greenies Feline Catnip Flavor Cat Dental Treats
It may be possible to tempt your cat to healthier teeth with a little catnip! These catnip-flavored dental treats are formulated to help clean teeth, remove plaque, reduce tartar buildup, and combat the dread tuna breath. They contain meat, grains, vitamins, and minerals, and each treat is less than two calories.
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Minties Dental Cat Treats
Made in the USA, these treats are designed to freshen your cats breath and to scrape away plaque. They contain sodium hexametaphosphate to clean teeth and catnip to freshen breath. They come in two flavors, salmon and chicken. Many cats love the crunchy texture of these cat treats.
Cat owners will be pleased that these treats are healthy and free of artificial flavors, grains, wheat, soy, and corn. Even some cats that typically ignore treats seem to love them. They are a perfect choice for cats with allergies or sensitive tummies.
Pros: Freshens breath, high in protein, crunchy texture, made in the USA
Cons: Bag is small, may be too hard for some cats, minty scent deters some cats
Cat Dental Treat Considerations
While cat dental treats aim to help cats, its important to know that not all cat dental treats are created equal. Here are some things to keep in mind when giving your cat dental treats:
Avoid unnecessary ingredients. Youll want to stay away from the varieties that have a lot of sugary ingredients. You may also want to steer clear of ones that are mostly fillers like wheat, rice, and corn gluten. While you may be preventing tooth decay, these empty calories could increase the risk of weight gain for your cat.
Pick the appropriate size and consistency. As mentioned above, make sure the cat dental treat size makes sense for the cats age. There are adult dental treats on the market that you wont want to give to a kitten, for instance. Regardless of age, some treats may even fracture pets teeth because theyre just too hard or break too easily.
Test different treats to find varieties your cat enjoys. As you know all too well, keep in mind that cats can be fickle. Your cat may not like the way the dental treats taste, feel, or smell right away. Be sure to test out a variety of treats and always monitor your cats consumption when introducing new food items.
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What To Look For In Cat Dental Treats
Texture is going to be the most important thing to think about when youre choosing between cat dental treats. Youll want to make sure that these treats are hard and crunchy enough that they actually scrape the plaque off your cats teeth when he bites into them.
You also have to consider the size of the treat.
They should be larger in size than your regular kibble, Dr. Bonk said. This requires your cat to actually bite the treats to break them up, which means theyll scrape against his teeth. But if your cat has a tendency to wolf down his food without chewing, you might want to watch him carefully to make sure he doesnt choke.
Finally, opt for products that have been approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council, which recognizes a product’s ability to effectively reduce plaque and tartar.
Dentalife Tasty Chicken Flavor Cat Treats
These treats, available in chicken and salmon flavors, have a hard, porous texture that scrubs the cats teeth as they chew. Keep in mind, these treats are for adult cats over 5 pounds, and should not constitute more than 10% of your cats daily calories. Check them out in a 1.9-ounce bag or treat all of your kitties with a 19-ounce canister.
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Best Dental Treats For Cats In 202: Reasons Why You Should Give Them Revealed
Who would have thought that treats can be beneficial for your cats teeth? At first, it might sound too good too to be true, so, its totally understandable if a lot of pet parents are skeptical even with the best dental treats for cats.
Also, while there are new dental treats designed to promote dental health and keep cats teeth stay clean, there are also other dental treats that are simply glorified kibbles.
Hence, before you shop online, feel free to read this guide about the best dental treats for cats, so you wont end up wasting your money buying a potentially unhealthy dental treat for your feline companion.
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Purina One Tender Selects Blend With Real Chicken
First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Rice Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal , Beef Fat
If you are looking for affordable, yet highly nutritious and effective cat food for dental health, then, Purina ONE Tender Selects Blend is your best option.
This diet offers your cat the best of both worlds the crunch of kibbles and the meaty and moisture-filled morsels of real chicken meat.
Each bite creates an explosion of flavor inside your cats mouth from the kibbles and the meaty tender morsels.
Purina ONE Tender Selects Blend is proudly made in Purina-owned facilities in the USA using chicken as the first ingredient, and it is devoid of fillers.
So, each bite is packed with purposeful ingredients like essential vitamins, minerals, and beneficial nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, omega-6 fatty acids, and taurine.
Your cats overall health is protected with this nutrient-dense diet. And he will definitely love the fun-shaped and crunchy kibbles, which also help to scrub plaque and tartar off his teeth with every feisty bite.
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Using Pet Water Additives
Pet water additives are an easy way to help your cats teeth stay clean. These additives, when mixed into a cats water, can help reduce plaque and freshen breath. As long as your cat doesnt mind the taste and continues drinking a sufficient amount of water, these are a safe and convenient way to improve dental health.
Oxyfresh Dental Care Water Additive is one water additive you might want to try if you have a picky cat. This water additive is 100 percent non-toxic, odorless, and tasteless. It is made in the USA and recommended by veterinarians to fight plaque and tartar and to stop bad breath.
As you can see, cat dental treats are one of many things to try if you are looking for ways to improve your cats dental health.
When Does A Cat Need A Professional Dental Cleaning
According to Snyder, the typical cat should have their first professional cleaning at 1 to 2 years of age. “It should ideally be a quick procedure,” he said. “We’re just getting in there, cleaning things up and looking for early warning signs.” After the first cleaning, they should return to the vet annually for the procedure.
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Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Dental
First 5 ingredients: Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn, Brown Rice, Corn Gluten Meal
Whether your cat has bad teeth or not, he will definitely benefit from veterinary-exclusive dry cat food, such as the Royal Canine Dental Diet.
This dry cat food is clinically proven and accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council to efficiently help control plaque buildup and tartar formation.
It features uniquely designed kibble size and shape, which further adds to the foods effectiveness in keeping your cats mouth clean, healthy, and smelling fresh all the time.
Each time your cat chews, the kibbles create a teeth brushing effect, which helps brush off food debris and bacteria-laden dental plaques that are just seated above the gum line.
Plus, aside from being a dental diet, this cat food is also packed with an exclusive blend of dietary fibers, including psyllium, which helps prevent the accumulation of hairballs.
And these fibers act by stimulating your cats gut to eliminate the hair that he swallows each time he licks himself or the other cats in your household.
Additionally, this veterinary diet has the exclusive S/O index, which means that it is also helpful in the prevention of urinary crystals.
It does this by creating an environment that is not conducive to the development of calcium oxalate and struvite crystals in the bladder.
The Best 6 Kitten Treats Reviewed: Pros Cons And Ingredient Analysis
- Best Value for Money Kitten Treats:Temptations Mixups Crunchy and Soft Cat TreatsLarge size 16 oz. tub for less than $8, a long-lasting treat for kittens with excellent value for money.
- Best Dual-Flavored Kitten Treats: Temptations Kitten TreatsTwo different flavors in a single set two packs of chicken and dairy and two packs of salmon and dairy, so that your kittens can enjoy the change of flavors.
- Most Flavor Options in Kitten Treats: Wellness Kittles Grain-Free Cat TreatsTasty and healthy treats are available in three different flavors salmon and cranberry, tuna and cranberry, and chicken and cranberry.
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