Three Tips for Brushing Your Cat's Teeth
If you have a pet cat, then you want to be sure that you are keeping up with their health needs. This includes regular visits to the vet, regular bathing, and even teeth brushing. Yes, cats need their teeth to be brushed too. Without regular teeth brushing, your cat can suffer from tooth decay, which will then result in the loss of some teeth. Eventually, your cat may not be able to eat certain foods, and even eating in general can become uncomfortable for them. Here are three tips for brushing your cat's teeth:
Gather the Right Supplies
First of all, you want to be sure that you have all the right supplies. You will need toothpaste specifically for cats (human toothpaste can cause your cat to have an upset tummy) and a pet toothbrush, which is much smaller than a regular toothbrush you would buy for yourself. However, you will also need a finger toothbrush, which is going to help when trying to get your cat used to the teeth brushing process since these brushes are not as intimidating for them.
Ease Into It
When you first start brushing your cat's teeth, you don't need to get all the way to the back of their mouths and thoroughly brush. Instead, you will want to ease into it. It may take a month or two before your cat actually becomes comfortable with you brushing their mouths thoroughly. To start, use the finger toothbrush with a little bit of cat toothpaste and wait until your cat is in a cuddly mood and sitting on your lap. Then you can hold the finger toothbrush up to their gums and slowly try to move the brush around their front teeth. If this is all your cat will allow you to do, then that's fine. You can try moving into the back of the mouth later on.
Don't Use Pet Toothbrush Unless Needed
When brushing your cat's teeth, be sure to continue using the finger toothbrush unless there is an area of their mouths that you cannot reach. Once your cat is adjusting to regular toothbrushing, you can use the pet toothbrush to reach into the back. You don't need to do this everyday though since cat's mouths don't need to be brushed as often as our own. This prevents your cat from becoming overwhelmed and intimidated from the larger brush.
By following these tips, you can make toothbrushing much more comfortable for your cat to a point where it becomes a regular thing for them. For more information about cat teeth cleaning, you can also contact your vet.
Share