Anyone ever brush their cat's teeth?

I've seen it recommended on lots of websites, but I've never tried it. People need to brush their teeth, so why not a cat? If you've tried it, has your cat been accepting, or tried to claw your arms off?

Anyone ever brush their cat's teeth?
Since realistically most people are not going to brush their cat's teeth on a regular basis, there is an excellent product out that goes beyond what the tartar scraping treats do. It is called Maxi/Guard Oral Gleansing Gel. I got it from my vet when my 10 year old Tuxedo Cat had 3 teeth removed. It's a gel that you put on a cotton swab (Q-tip) and put one drop on each side of the mouth about the upper molars. Not hard at all! It's a real cleansing method that's proven and it freshens breath. I feel good using it because I don't have the time to brush 4 cat's teeth. Its a 4 oz bottle (store in fridge and lasts for awhile even with 4 cats). It cost me $15 from my vet. Here is the website to read about it.Click on Products. Ask your vet for it.


Oh, you do need two people to do it though and with my one really cranky mean cat, 3 people. LoL
Reply:???





Can you be more elaborate
Reply:hmmm


yaa of course u can try it


i never tried it


bcoz i dont hav a cat and dont like cats even
Reply:I don't but I'm pretty sure you can... I have three cats but I just feed them cat food that Is good for their teeth.
Reply:no but shud i?
Reply:I tried twice, first time she gave me a look that said go f""k yourself and the second time she just scratched my hand to shreds. Gave up in the end, she's due in at the vets in 3 months for dental work, £50 for all the plaque to be removed. talk to your vet, it's not as expensive as you think (cheaper than nhs anyway)
Reply:Yep! My wife %26amp; I have been brushing out cat's teeth since they were kittens. They don't enjoy it but they do tolerate it so we can get the job done. We use tooth paste from the vet. Since it's tuna flavored they don't seem to mind the taste.
Reply:i havent. i keep my kitties teeth clean with dental chew toys and dry food. you could try something like that, but i think more often then not, your just going to stress the cat.
Reply:I do. They don't like it but I am gentle so they tolerate it. I use a baby's soft toothbrush and buy the paste from the vet. You don't really need to brush your cats teeth if they have no plaque on them. Eating biscuits helps to naturally clean teeth. It's mainly if they eat a lot of wet food.
Reply:yeah i got chicken flavour toothpaste for my dog but cats like chicken too. Tried it myself but it was pretty rough. The vet gave it too me with an extra strong brush cos the animal chews it as you brush.
Reply:I use the chew toys and dry cat food. why put them through something unnecessary when you have other options. their teeth can be cleaned,and you wont get ripped to shreds.
Reply:I brush my cat's teeth. He bites the toothbrush and that cleans his teeth. He doesn't fight me. I do it about once weekly.
Reply:I haven't done it, but I really need to my can't breath is FUNKY!





Brushing a cat's teeth





Bad breath in a cat is usually a sign of tooth/gum problems and ranks as one of the top reasons people seek veterinary care for their cats. Like humans, cats need to have their teeth inspected by a vet twice yearly and brushed daily if they are to maintain good oral hygiene. Although cats are not naturally fond of this activity, it is important to start the tooth brushing routine between 3-6 months of age (but better late than never) due to the fact that by age three 85% of cats have some sort of periodontal problem.





Start with a child's toothbrush, a finger brush or a pet toothbrush (available at many pet stores including the one on this site) and use a specialty toothpaste or something tasty like pâté that is safe to swallow. Do not use human toothpaste, it is not good for cats. Start VERY slowly, gently brush 1 or 2 teeth and reward the cat for not squirming with a GOOD food reward. Try again the next day and go slightly longer. Reward again with food. If the cat starts to squirm stop the activity and do not give a food reward. Try to anticipate the cat's tolerance level and end the activity with a food reward before the cat starts to squirm. Gradually increase the length of time until hopefully, by two weeks you can brush all the teeth, top and bottom and front to back.


Tip: Try brushing first thing in the morning before you give your cat any food.