Is it true that can cat food doesn't rot teeth?

I read a few websites that say it's not true that dry food is better for cats teeth. i also read it's healthier for cats bodies to eat can. Is it true about the can not being bad for their teeth?

Is it true that can cat food doesn't rot teeth?
It's a complete line of bull that wet food rots teeth. It is also bogus that kibble cleans teeth. DRY FOOD DOES NOT CLEAN TEETH. It's an old myth that has been scientifically disproved for years, but old-school vets have drilled it into people's heads for so long (and sadly still do) that people still believe it.





Cats can not “chew”. They do not have chewing teeth. They have meat ripping pointy carnivorous teeth. They do not have molars. They may “crunch” a piece of food once to crack and break it… but they are absolutely unable to chew a hard piece if food. Thier teeth and jaws do not permit it.





Want your cat to have clean teeth? Give them an appropriately sized raw bone to knaw on. :o)
Reply:What cats eat doesn't have much bearing on their dental health. You'll find examples of good teeth and bad teeth in cats eating both wet and dry food. It's down to genetics more than anything. The only way in which food helps, is if you feed raw bones. They help to clean the teeth.





Tooth brushing is beneficial, but it's not always easy. You can also get toothpastes that don't need brushig - they can just lick the gel off a paw (logic gel is one but I don't know if it's available outside the UK). You can also get additives to add to food, eg plaque off, that can help.





This article debunks the myth that dry food cleans the teeth.





http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?ac...





Apart from the above, all you can really do is keep an eye on their teeth and have regular vet checks, and have them cleaned by the vet if needed.
Reply:Its not that it rots their teeth, its that they also need crunchy food to help keep plaque off of their teeth if you're not going to brush them.





As long as the food has no corn, wheat, or soy (things the cat can't digest and can cause IBS, which can kill your cat) then you'll be fine.





We feed our 5 bengal cats By Nature and have been very happy with it.





http://www.bynaturepetfoods.com/
Reply:canned food is fine to feed, it does not really cause any health related problems (unless you switch it around frequently which might cause diarrhea). if an animal is going to have bad teeth it will have bad teeth regardless of what you feed. the new studies show that it has more to do with the ph in the animals mouth than the food that is consumed (canned or dry). for some medical problems such as stones and crystals it is advised to feed canned food because it contains more water than dry food. the water is what helps flush dissolvable stones/crystals out. there is also some thought that keeping the urine dilute will help keep stones/crystals from reforming.


the problem with canned food is that it is 70% water, so you have to feed more to ensure your pet is getting enough calories. also canned food is more expensive per ounce than dry food.
Reply:I'm sorry Jen is so ill informed. But then again there are actually vets out there that are STILL saying that dry food is better for the cat's teeth.





urbantigers79's response is a very good one.





There is no syrup/sugar etc in most canned food. I would say all canned food, but I haven't read every single lable. Dry food is full of carbs, which cats can not process very well. Dry food also is rarely chewed by cats. If you have ever seen a cat vomit after eating dry food, more often than not all the pieces are whole. If they do chew it, it is often just broken apart by the sharp points of their teeth and actually never really come in contact with the teeth to do any sort of good as a 'cleaning agent"





Check out http://www.catinfo.org - a site run by a vet for more info on why a low carb canned diet is the best way to go,





Also from http://www.catinfo.org:





Long-standing claims that cats have less dental disease when they are fed dry food versus canned food are grossly overrated, inaccurate, and are not supported by recent studies. Many veterinarians are coming to the realization that this is a myth that needs to be dispelled. First, dry food is hard, but brittle, and merely shatters with little to no abrasive effect on the teeth. Second, a cat's jaws and teeth are designed for shearing and tearing meat, and cats that eat dry food grind it in a way that it ends up between their teeth. There it ferments into sugar and acid, thereby causing dental problems. Third, many cats swallow the majority of their dry food whole and thus receive minimal benefit from chewing motion. There are many factors that contribute to dental disease in the cat such as genetics, viruses, and diet. There remain many unanswered questions concerning the impact of diet on dental health, but feeding a high carbohydrate, species-inappropriate dry kibble diet is a negative factor, not a positive one. Perhaps a more effective way to promote dental health is to feed large chunks of raw meat which is what cats’ teeth are designed to chew.
Reply:Some people clearly refuse to be honest about this, but not all dry foods are "full of carbs." EVO, for example:





Crude Protein (min) 50 %


Crude Fat (min) 22 %


Carbohydrates NFE (max) 7 %





Formation of crystals or stones is a concern with dry food, but it simply isn't true that all dry food is high in carbohydrates and/or that all dry food contains crappy ingredients like corn gluten meal.





PetzLife is an oral care gel similar to what urbantigers79 described that is available in the US. It works pretty well.
Reply:Canned food does not rot the teeth - not any more than dry food would. I really don't understand why people think this, or why they think that canned food is the equivalent of a feline dessert.





A crappy food is going to be bad for the teeth no matter what texture it is. And dry food is more likely to leave bits behind stuck between the teeth or under the gumline.





A good quality food will promote a healthier environment in the mouth, or at the least won't leave a sugary residue behind.





You're not asking for dental advice but I'll throw some at you anyway. I understand about not being able to brush - I can't either. Anything related to putting something in their mouth is out of the question for me, so even dental wipes or other swab treatments aren't going to happen.





I use raw chicken necks for their teeth. The little bit of meat and the bone does a good job of keeping their teeth clean.





There are other options, such as food or water supplements. There are sprays too.
Reply:Canned cat foods are soaked in syrup [did I say sugar? no, I said syrup, perhaps gravy is a better term? tyvm for being such an observant reader, Connie] that sticks to the cat's teeth, causing plaque and calculus buildup. Dry food is mechanically better for oral health, because the dry particles do not stick to the teeth where the cat is unable to clean them. [and also, where did I say that dry food 'cleans' the teeth? it simply doesn't stick as much as canned because it is not moist.]





It is not healthier for a cat to eat canned or dry, the healthier cats generally eat higher quality foods, with minimal additives, preservatives, and 'junk' ingredients (just like a human!). Healthy diets can be found in both canned and dry form, as well as poor-quality diets. The difference is in the ingredient list, not so much the consistency of the food. And yes it is true that cats who eat only dry food can have atrocious mouths, but your question was referring specifically to the complications of wet foods.





The doctor I work for has been treating oral disease in his feline patients for over 25 years, and he has observed a relationship between consistency of food eaten (i.e. patients who are eating dry vs those who eat canned) and how often they must come to us for cleaning. You can safely disregard the arrogant claims that so many vets are uneducated. It is easy and self-appreciating to claim someone is ignorant when one doesn't have the dedication, experience, or medical training, only the desire to know more than a professional.
Reply:It is healthy for your cat to eat can cat food, once a day, You see to much can and his teeth will rot . Just like if we ate sugar constantly and did not brush our teeth. Cats need wet, and dry food, But make sure to only give it once a day, you can also give your cat chicken.