What is the best way to clean my cat's teeth? ...and how can I keep them clean?

He drinks plenty of water and only eats dry organic food!!

What is the best way to clean my cat's teeth? ...and how can I keep them clean?
Brushing. That's really the only way. Or you can help matters by checking out some of the supplements - C.E.T. Dental has several that are pretty good; Wysong makes a supplement called Dentatreat, and there's another one out there called PlaqueOff.





EDIT: Also chicken necks. You can get them at the better pet stores. Offer 1-3 vertebrae per day or every other day.
Reply:I think his teeth will stay clean because of eating the dry food. It is not usually considered necessary to clean a cat's teeth if they are not eating wet food.
Reply:cat treats.. that specify for dental in cats
Reply:My cat has always had problems with gingivitis, so I have tried a few things that I can give my opinion on.


1) At any pet store, you should be able to find toothpaste and a toothbrush for your cat. This is what I have been using for a while now. The main drawback is that my cat really does not like the toothbrush. It takes two people to do the job (one to hold, one to brush).


2) I recently saw these wipes - DentalClens Pads. I think I am going to try them. They might be easier to use than the toothbrush, and I am sure they are more gentle on the gums. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Pr...


3)There are all sorts of crunchy treats (they might be harder to find if you only want organic though) that are supposed to keep your cat's teeth clean. I give my cat Greenies. This helps, but I don't think the treats alone are sufficient if your cat is prone to have dental problems.


4)The last resort is the vet. They can give your cat anesthesia and clean his/her teeth. That can be rather expensive though, and the cat's teeth will get dirty again, so I would only recommend this if there is a more serious issue such as bleeding gums, etc.
Reply:Dry food do not make a cats teeth clean - most dry cat food that does this was designed for a dog (different teeth, different requirements). And also, as more research comes out, many animal nutritionists are saying wet food is better for cats and cats fed a part wet diet get less kidney disease, diabetes, and crystals (but does nothing for teeth, and can cause more teeth problems)





A vet can clean a cats teeth - You can also purchase some toys that are meant to clean teeth - and you can actually brush them.





But what I've noticed is giving your cat raw food once in awhile works the best - after I started feeding a portion of the food they eat to raw- breath smelled good, and I got good rating from the vet. And after watching my cats eat raw food, it makes sense, they don't have any molars, so they tend to chew of chunks of meat. This process cleans their teeth.





For more info on food and cat health, check out www.thecatsite.com/forums. There are some very knowledgeable people who post there, and they should be able to give you a bit more information.