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In a
word, yes. You will be doing yourself and your
cats a great service if you brush your pets’ teeth. Good
dental care will greatly increase the odds of a cat
living a long healthy life. Regular brushing will remove
the plaque that naturally forms on a cat’s teeth before
it can harden into tartar, and lead to gum infections
and diseases. When diseased gums bleed, bacteria from
the tartar enters the bloodstream, compromising the
heart, liver and other vital organs.
You
should brush the cat’s teeth every day, or at least
every other day, to remove plaque. This brushing should
be done using a toothpaste and toothbrush that have been
developed specifically for cats. Aside from having a
feline-pleasing taste, cat toothpaste differs from the
human variety in that it contains no sudsing agents.
This is important, since unlike us, cats can’t gargle,
so they must swallow their toothpaste. The suds in human
toothpaste would harm a cat’s stomach and intestines if
swallowed.
Many
cats instantly take to the idea of getting their teeth
brushed, viewing it as simply another way to get a tasty
treat. However, other pets are resistant to the idea. If
a cat is reluctant to accept tooth brushing, be patient
and go slowly.
You
can start by touching the cat’s mouth to get the pet
used to the idea of having this area handled. Once this
has been accomplished, you can put some feline
toothpaste on the tip of a finger or a pad and let the
cat lick it. At this point, you will be ready to start
brushing a few of the cat’s teeth, keeping sessions
short and pleasant. With each succeeding session, you
should increase the number of teeth that are brushed.
Brushing should be done gently, without too much
pressure. The toothbrush should be held at an upward
angle toward the gums and worked in small, circular
motions. You should hold the side of the cat’s head
that’s not being brushed in your hand.
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