How can I treat my kitten’s gingivitis?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: My 7-month-old kitten, Frosty, has gingivitis. Her vet instructed me to brush her teeth daily and come back in 6-12 months to check her gums. I know gingivitis is common in cats, but the vet said it was uncommon in kittens, which worries me. I did have Frosty tested for FeLV (it came back negative) to rule that out as the cause. Her vet said what I feed her won’t make a difference,... Read More
My cat has gingivitis. We’ve done all the tests and still don’t know why. Help!
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: I have a 14-year-old cat whose gums became swollen, they bled and she had difficulty eating and grooming herself. My vet suggested a dental cleaning, and when they put her under, they discovered that her teeth were in perfect condition. She was then put on antibiotics and steriod injections. The condition kept flaring up and the vet suggested removal of all her molars, which I agreed to. This... Read More
Why does my cat’s breath smell like fish?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: What causes a cat’s fur to stay wet after they groom themselves? The cat also has a fishy smell on her breath. (She doesn’t eat anything fishy.) ~ Emily Siouxsie: Emily, one of the reasons our fur stays wet for a little while after we groom ourselves is because saliva is a main component of our grooming. Thomas: Also, we cats don’t sweat, so it’s important for us to have... Read More
My cat has lost all her teeth. What’s wrong with her?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: My cat is 4 or 5 years old and has lost all her teeth, and I don’t know why. Should I have her put down? Is what she has contagious to my other cats? ~James Siouxsie: The first thing you need to do, James, is take your cat to the vet — sooner rather than later. It’s not an emergency, but you don’t want to put off that visit. There are a number of reasons why your cat could... Read More
My cat’s fur is all greasy and his breath smells bad. What’s going on?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: About two weeks ago, my cat, who is about 4 years of age, started losing lots of weight, his breath started smelling horrible (like he just ate poop) and his fur turned greasy and smelly. When he sleeps with me at night on my pillow I’ll wake up to my hair smelling like his and being just as grease-filled. He hesitates when he tries to eat, and when he tries it seems to be hard for him chew,... Read More
How do you clean a cat’s teeth?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: I would like to know how to clean my cat’s teeth and what to use so she might take to it more easily. ~Joan Siouxsie: This is a very good question! Dental health is just as important for us cats as it is for humans. But rarely do people brush and floss our teeth. And then they make fun of us for having bad breath. It’s not fair! Read More Read More
My kitten has a sore mouth, and I’m really worried. Help!
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: This seems pretty urgent to me! I got a wee kitten about 4 months ago. He’s about 6 and a half months old now, but I noticed yesterday his gums were bleeding right at the line of where his teeth come out. I thought perhaps he’d bitten a stick and it had just left a little cut, but now he’s barely eating anything and it’s clear it’s painful for him when he does.... Read More
