Home care for your cat can make a tremendous difference in their comfort and health. There are a wide variety of home care options from which to choose, but keep in mind that anything you can do to help prevent plaque and tartar accumulation will pay back big dividends. The more you can do at home, the less that will have to be done by a veterinarian. Below we have listed some common forms of home care that have been proven to be of benefit for cats. Frequently the best approach is to combine several methods of control to achieve best results. All methods of home care share the goal of minimizing plaque (bacterial film) accumulation, and preventing the mineralization of the plaque to form tartar. Cats can be resistant to home care, and require a very gradual and gentle approach to achieve any degree of success. This list is not exhaustive, but contains those things that We have found to be of value in his dental practice.
BRUSHING:
Brushing your cat’s teeth is the single most effective means to curtail dental disease. This makes sense because the bacterial film known as “plaque” is the root of many dental problems. This film is easily displaced by simple mechanical disruption as the teeth are brushed. Daily brushing is required to improve dental health, while brushing every other day will help maintain the dental health in its current state. Brushing of your cat’s teeth can be accomplished with most cats, but you need to take a very gradual and gentle approach. How the Brush Your Pet's Teeth. We recommend CET toothpaste for pets, which is pet safe and come in several flavors for cats such as poultry and seafood. Avoid human toothpastes as they usually contain abrasives and detergents that can be irritating if swallowed. Small cat specific toothbrushes are available. Some cats prefer finger brushes.
C.E.T® AquaDent™ and Oral Hygiene Rinse™ (Virbac): For Cats
AquaDent is a drinking water additive that helps freshen your pet’s breath and prevent plaque accumulation. C.E.T. Oral Hygiene Rinse combines 0.12% Chlorhexidine and Zinc Gluconate in a plaque-fighting formulation that may be used with or without brushing. It also contains Cetylpyridinium chloride for fresh breath fast. A unique bent-stem applicator is also included for easy administration.
OraVet™ (Merial): For Cats
This is a unique oral hygiene product that provides an invisible barrier to prevent plaque and tarter accumulation. It electrostatically adheres to the tooth’s surface and will not disappear after tooth brushing or eating hard food. It is odorless, tasteless, and only needs to be applied ONCE PER WEEK. It has been shown to reduce plaque by 22% to 46% over an 8 week period compared to patients not receiving the product.
Prescription Diet t/d® (Hill’s Pet Nutrition): For Cats
This is a very effective dental diet with a fiber matrix technology that scrubs the entire exposed tooth surface to reduce plaque tartar, and stain. Also the diet is low in disolvable minerals, carbohydrates and protein. When a dog eats a food, the disolvable parts go in to the saliva and form a bio-film on the teeth. This starts the plaque to tartar complex. With the reduced disolvable food particles, there is less plaque and tartar formation.
The CET Oral Hygiene Chews made specifically for cats contain a dual enzyme system that helps augment natural antibacterial systems present in the mouth. They are available in poultry and seafood flavors, and are accepted by most cats.
Unlike dogs, cats are very individualistic in their acceptance or oral home care. Frequently, trial and error experimentation is required. Try to find those techniques and products that you cat seems to prefer (or is offended by the least). Some cats are very particular about new flavors. Patience and a gentle approach will yield the best results.
