dental care

cats teeth develop plaque like human teeth. if unattended, tartar builds up and hardens and eventually the gums get inflamed and the teeth may fall out. apart from bad breath, dirty teeth might even trigger serious illnesses, if they don't get cleaned regularly.

what you need

• small soft toothbrush for cats
• toothpaste for cats (never use human toothpaste, it might contain substances which are toxic to cats)

how to do it

• place the cat in front of you, its head facing away you might need someone to assist you
  
• my best trick is to kneel on the floor, place the cat between my legs, head facing away, and then gently brush the teeth with my right hand, holding the head slightly tilted with my left hand
• best is to introduce tooth-brushing to your cat at an early age. stroke your finger gently around your cats mouth and rub a little, just so that it gets used to the idea. do it every day until the kitten doesn't reject to being handled around the mouth area
• now introduce some toothpaste, put a little on to your finger tip and rub it into your cats mouth,
  they usually like the flavours (malt or meat)
• repeat this procedure as often as possible until the cat enjoys it, never force your cat
• now its time to try a toothbrush
  put a little paste on the brush, then start brushing the front teeth first, and the sides of the molars pull the lip back a bit with your finger as you go along
  be careful not too rub the gums too hard, they are very sensitive

alternatives

in case your cat rejects the toothbrush idea with extended claws and bites, alternatively feed it some dental chews as a treat or keep your cat on dried food. the kibbles help to keep the tartar buildup down. there are also dental gels available which can be administered more easily.