Do kittens need special care when their teeth change? What to feed your pet, what symptoms indicate problems and what to do? Almost all newborn kittens have no teeth. In rare cases, babies are born with protruding incisors. At a normal rate of development, by the age of 4 weeks, a kitten will have 26 primary teeth, including incisors, canines and premolars.
The baby teeth will serve the kitten for several months. If the cat has enough milk, and the babies are given balanced supplementary feeding in a timely manner, there is no lag in weight gain and development, and teeth will begin to change at the age of 3–4 months. The grown molars will serve the cat all its life, until a very old age.
By size and number of teeth you can. The 26 primary teeth are distributed as follows: 12 upper and 14 lower. An adult cat has 30 teeth: 14 lower and 16 upper. An additional four teeth (the outer ones on each side of the jaw) erupt between 4 and 7 months of age.
Long before molars begin to erupt through the gums, they develop from so-called tooth buds located in the upper and lower jaws. As molars develop and become larger, they begin to press against the roots of baby teeth. Constant contact and mechanical irritation leads to the destruction of the roots of baby teeth, which stimulates loosening and loss.
Pay attention! Your powers of observation will allow you to notice the smell that appears from your pet’s mouth as soon as the milk teeth begin to loosen. The smell may seem unpleasant or strong, but it is natural until the teeth change is complete.
The roots of children's teeth are gradually destroyed. The teeth become mobile, but remain firmly in the gums until their roots are completely erased. Tooth loss occurs when the root becomes thin or completely destroyed.
As molars grow, the tops of baby teeth become very mobile and can fall out when eating. Experience shows that the owner rarely manages to catch the fact of tooth loss. A kitten may clench its jaw tightly and cause tooth loss while eating, playing, or doing other activities.
During the process of teething, the kitten may experience alarming symptoms, for example, excessive drooling, which is associated with irritation of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity. Upon examination, it may turn out that the kitten's gums are swollen, swollen or red. Temporary food refusal or poor appetite is expected.
During the change of teeth, almost all kittens develop a desire to chew inedible objects, for example, wires, ropes, etc. At this stage, it is important to predict and compensate for the pet’s needs in advance so that attempts to relieve the itching do not end in tragedy.
Read also: A cat's nose: general information and care
In pet stores you can find special teething toys that greatly alleviate discomfort during teething. Teethers filled with liquid can be cooled in the refrigerator and given to the kitten. Cooling the gums and chewing at the same time significantly reduces discomfort and pain during teething.
Advice: Start teaching your kitten to brush his teeth when his baby teeth begin to change. Brushing your teeth will relieve discomfort from itching, so the kitten will not resist. Your pet may not need to brush its teeth, but in case of unexpected illnesses, you still need to train it.
Between 3 and 4 months of age, the kitten begins to lose its first baby teeth, usually its incisors. The change occurs under the pressure of the molars, which begin to cut out of the gums and push out the milk teeth. Upon careful examination, you may find the tip of a molar even before the baby tooth falls out.
On the Internet you can find a lot of data about the “order” of changing teeth, but they have no scientific basis. The order of teeth replacement was determined experimentally and by observations of kittens. Thus, the front incisors are most likely to fall out first. Afterwards, the fangs or teeth that stand immediately behind them fall out.
Pay attention! All permanent teeth erupt at the age of 6 to 8 months, depending on the individual characteristics of the pet’s body.
Many owners see a reason for concern in the late change of canines. In fact, a canine is a very complex and long tooth that takes a long time to grow. If the primary canine has fallen out and the molar has erupted, there is no reason to worry.
Molars grow very slowly because they must fill all the gaps in the dentition as the jaws grow. Fangs can take longer to develop and form for a number of pathological reasons, but until the age of six months, it is enough to monitor the pet’s condition; no measures need to be taken.
Pay attention! If the baby fangs have fallen out, but the molars have not come in, it is important to make sure that the kitten receives a balanced diet and has enough microelements.
Does a kitten need special care when changing teeth? By and large, you will not be able to help your pet, so the main task is to provide comfort and the opportunity to scratch the gums. However, it is important to carefully monitor the kitten's condition.
Important! Often, especially in purebred animals, the molar begins to grow behind the milk tooth. That is, the teeth grow in two rows, the molar row becomes crooked, and the milk teeth begin to rot because the roots are already destroyed.
Statistically, the change of baby teeth in cats occurs smoothly and without problems. Some purebred cats are prone to delays in changing teeth, but your veterinarian will tell you this information at the first examination. Experienced veterinarians recommend paying attention to several important points.
Read also: Which kitten to choose for a child?
As soon as the baby teeth begin to loosen and fall out, the kitten intensively chews everything that catches its eye. Oddly enough, most people prefer to chew electrical wires, perhaps they attract pets with the smell.
What to do? – Provide maximum safety for the kitten and buy enough toys to “switch” attention.
If there is excessive drooling, which occurs very often, no measures need to be taken. If necessary, wipe the kitten's face. Check your jaws and teeth regularly if drooling continues for more than a week. Your task is to detect in time the inflammatory process, which may begin as a result of damage to the gums or developmental disorders.
When a kitten's gums itch, it cuddles up to its owner more and rubs against the corners of furniture more often. This is not an alarming symptom, but it also needs to be paid attention to. If a cat has toothache, it avoids unnecessary mechanical irritation. Simply put, if your kitten's teeth are loose and he doesn't try to scratch his gums, it's best to see a doctor without delay.
What to feed a kitten? During the period of teeth change, absolutely all veterinarians and experienced owners recommend switching the kitten to industrial wet food, soft or liquid natural food. Make sure the food is not too cold or hot. If your pet refuses to eat, offer him liquid, fermented milk food.
Pedigree cats are different from outbred cats, this is especially noticeable in the process of formation and growth of kittens. All breed characteristics are “acquired” in the process of many years of selection, so some deviations from generally accepted norms should not alarm the owner.
Advice: Before buying a kitten in a nursery or from a breeder, ask about the hereditary characteristics of the baby. Most often, if hereditary diseases were observed in the family, to a greater or lesser extent, they will also appear in kittens.
The timing of the formation of British kittens usually fits into generally accepted norms. Pedigree kittens are put up for sale at the age of 3 months, that is, the baby’s teeth will begin to change in the first month of living in a new home. Be sure to ask the breeder what type of food the kittens were fed and do not change the diet until the pet has fully adapted. If the change of teeth began immediately after the move, the type of diet remains the same, but the food must be crushed and moistened before serving.
British and Scottish Fold kittens often experience growth of molars before the baby teeth fall out. In a special risk zone are the fangs, then the incisors. If you notice that your kitten's gums are inflamed or that the baby teeth have not fallen out after the molars have erupted, contact your veterinarian immediately. The process of decay of baby teeth contributes to the proliferation of pathogenic microflora in the oral cavity, which can lead to the development of chronic diseases of the gums and teeth.
The process of kitten formation usually fits into the norm. Moreover, cats can mature faster, since litters rarely contain more than 2-3 kittens. Particular attention must be paid to changing the canines, since in Siamese cats they are comparatively longer and thicker. The slow growth of fangs should not alarm you, but be careful that the baby tooth falls out at the stage of eruption of the molar.
Pay attention! Siamese cats rarely experience delays in the eruption or growth of their upper and lower canines. Eruption is considered normal between 4 and 6 months, even if the primary canine has already fallen out.
The peculiarities of the formation of cats are very dependent on heredity. Tooth loss usually begins between 4 and 5 months of age. Rarely, rapid tooth loss due to genetic characteristics does occur. Simply put, baby teeth fall out faster than molars erupt.
Teeth in cats, like in people, can fall out for two reasons: age (change of milk teeth to molars) and if the animal is sick. Little kittens are born completely toothless. The first milk teeth appear at the age of 14-20 days. During this period, the kitten actively bites and tastes everything.
The first change of teeth normally occurs at 4-6 months. There is no clear period here, as with human children. Some cats will lose their hair earlier, others later. Breed also has little effect on shift time.
Milk teeth are not rich in dentin, they are fragile, and the enamel is thin. They initially have a root, when the time comes, it becomes thinner and dissolves. A tooth that is attached to the gum mucosa easily falls off - this is a normal replacement process.
There are usually no problems with the first 4 teeth, but changing canines is very problematic. It happens that new ones are already starting to come out, but the old ones have not yet fallen out. This problem causes inconvenience to the animal, you should contact a veterinarian. It will help remove the old fang.
The period of tooth change is quite noticeable in both humans and animals. During this important life stage you will notice:
- Change in the kitten's behavior. The animal may become nervous due to pain in the mouth area. The periods of greatest activity mainly occur at night. Even remembering yourself, you can say with confidence that for some reason your teeth hurt worse in the evening hours. Don't scold the cat, try to pet him and calm him down. Some owners note, on the contrary, that their pet is overly sleepy and does not want to play.
- Increased desire to bite. The pet begins to chew literally everything, he especially loves the hands and feet of his owners. You can just buy a soft rubber toy for your pet. There are many different biting toys and squeakers in the assortment of pet stores. There is a misconception that a kitten should be fed dry food during this period, as it stimulates the gums. This is wrong.
- Increased salivation in the cat, appearance of bloody discharge from the gums. The animal’s mouth actually becomes constantly wet even in its sleep, no need to worry. The period of teeth change lasts about 2 months, so it’s worth being patient.
- My teeth began to loosen. Even when playing with you, you can see the teeth falling out. With active play, they may even remain in your skin. There is no need to deliberately loosen the cat’s teeth; let nature complete this process.
- The appearance of an unpleasant odor from the animal's mouth. This sign may also be present in a number of inflammatory diseases in the animal (gingivitis, stomatitis, periodontal disease). In this case, it is better to show the animal to a veterinarian.
What should owners do?
Do cats lose their baby teeth? Of course yes! If you notice that your pet's teeth have begun to change, there is no need to worry. At this stage of life, it is worth paying attention to the cat’s oral cavity. Every day you need to treat your mouth with a weak solution of Chlorhexidine. A video on how to do this will help you.
Focus on your cat's nutrition. Special foods for growing kittens contain increased amounts of calcium and phosphorus, which are the builders of future teeth.
It would be a good idea to give your pet vitamins for growth. In general, in the first year of life, a cat should constantly be given vitamin supplements, especially if he is fed dry food. Castration should be postponed temporarily so as not to cause increased stress to the body.
Please note that a cat or dog also needs to brush its teeth. This is done with a special paste with an attractive smell. Brushing allows you to remove particles of stuck food from the enamel and prevents the formation of tartar.
If the age is not the same
If your pet is over a year old and you notice any sign or see teeth falling out, this does not indicate a physiological, but a pathological change. The reason may lie in an infectious-inflammatory disease, a violation of normal nutrition (vitaminosis), or an injury to the animal. In this case, your beloved pet should be taken to the veterinarian.
Those who are planning to get a cat are interested in the question: do kittens lose teeth and, if so, at what age does this happen? All kittens are born without teeth. Between 7 and 14 days of age, baby teeth appear. After a while, at approximately 4 months of age, kittens change their teeth: the milk ones fall out, and the molars grow in their place. How this process goes, how long it lasts and what are the main symptoms - these questions should be of interest to the owner of the babies.
The first tooth may appear as early as the second week of a kitten’s life. The age when this happens is different for each pet. But there are general norms. This does not cause any trouble for the owners; they may not even notice when this process began and ended. A cat at the age of two months already has a set of 26 baby teeth. This is four teeth less than in an adult.
It is important to know at what age kittens’ teeth change and how long this process lasts. Since this period can sometimes be noticeable to the owner: the pet can be capricious, chew on the owner’s things and even get sick. Milk teeth in kittens are replaced by molars at 4 months. The whole process lasts from two to three months.
It’s not difficult to notice that your baby’s teeth are changing. First, you need to consider his age. And secondly, monitor his behavior and signs. The symptoms are:
It is also useful to know at what age the change of teeth ends. Usually this is 5 months, but sometimes this process can drag on a little and end in the 8th month. What to do if you notice that your kitten has lost a tooth? In most cases - nothing. If the process goes smoothly, there is no need to worry. But if the owner notices some atypical or frightening behavior, then you need to seek advice from a veterinary clinic.
Usually, the owner may not even notice the period when the kittens' baby teeth change. But sometimes this process is not entirely normal. Here are the signs that a pet owner should pay attention to:
The change of teeth in kittens, although normally it goes almost unnoticed by the owner, but during this period the animal requires care, it needs special care. It consists of maintaining the kitten’s immunity, which is weakened during the period when teeth fall out:
Pets need adequate nutrition during the period of new teeth growth (this is up to 5 months of age). Food should contain sufficient amounts of calcium and phosphorus. It is these elements that are needed for the full formation of bone tissue. You can purchase and feed your baby special vitamin supplements.
Starting from the age of 3 months, sour milk and cottage cheese are added to the diet. These products are given to the cat regularly in small quantities. The kitten should also eat lean meat; it must first be doused with boiling water or boiled. Finely chopped meat can be mixed with porridges (rice, buckwheat, rolled oats) or vegetables (carrots, pumpkin, zucchini). Twice a week you can give sea fish. But this is not a necessary product in a baby’s diet.
When kittens' milk teeth change, the animal can act out. So, a kitten can chew on everything it comes across: the owner’s slippers or his expensive shoes, the wire from the Internet or from a table lamp. You need to prepare in advance and buy toys at the pet store for the period when the kittens will change teeth. They will bite and tease them to get rid of the unpleasant sensations. Pet stores sell special goodies for this purpose - for example, dried veins.
During the period when a kitten's teeth fall out and new ones grow in their place, the animal can be capricious. This should be taken into account and treat your pet kindly, because he is capricious only because he feels discomfort.
If your baby develops the habit of biting his hands, he needs to be weaned off it. After all, the problem with your teeth will pass, but the habit will remain.
When baby teeth fall out, this is natural, but what to do if a molar is lost. In what case should the owner be wary of this? Here's what to consider:
The first step is to make sure that these are permanent and not baby fangs. This is easy to do: milk teeth are very white and sharp, slightly flat and thin out where the tooth meets the gum. The molars have a yellowish tint, a rounded cross-section, and do not thin out at the gums.
If an adult cat has lost a tooth, it may be due to poor oral care. Most often, such problems in animals arise after three years, when plaque on the teeth turns into stone. From this time on, animals definitely need regular oral cleaning.
Among the causes of tooth loss are also problems with the gastrointestinal tract, infectious diseases and viruses, taking hormonal drugs or antibiotics, which can provoke dysbiosis. A cat's fangs will fall out if it has poor immunity or a metabolic disorder. The exact cause, as well as the appropriate treatment, can only be determined by a veterinarian through special tests and examination.
If a kitten's teeth fall out, this is not a problem. This is a change from dairy to indigenous, which takes place during specified periods. All that the owner can do during this period is watch the pet, feed it with vitamins and give treats that will allow the pet to “scratch” its growing teeth. If the molars have fallen out, this is not the norm. To prevent such developments, the owner should regularly monitor the condition of the pet’s oral cavity, prevent the development of infections there, and periodically brush the animal’s teeth with a chlorhexidine solution (once or twice a week). You should regularly take your pet for examination to the veterinarian. Especially if any problems appear: bad breath, intestinal problems, refusal to eat, lethargy, etc.
Your pet's health depends on how well it is cared for. Proper diet, activity, cleanliness and regular care are the key to good health and good mood for your pet.
Tooth loss in cats can occur for two reasons. The first is found in absolutely all representatives of the cat family and is a physiological norm - the replacement of milk teeth with permanent ones. The second reason is diseases of the oral cavity, the occurrence of which depends on a combination of a large number of factors. But first things first.
Like most mammals, kittens are born without teeth. The latter begin to erupt by two weeks of life, and by a month the baby begins to actively use a new tool, whether with brothers or a person.
Teeth change occurs at the age of 4-6 months and continues until the kitten reaches nine months of age. Sometimes the process takes up to one year.
Often, owners do not notice when and how their kittens’ baby teeth fall out, although there are a number of symptoms that directly indicate that the process of updating the dental system has begun.
These include:
The appearance of permanent teeth differs from temporary teeth. Milk ones, as a rule, are very sharp, akin to a well-sharpened dagger; the fangs have a curved shape and thinning in the gum area. While the permanent canines are straight and more rounded at the ends, and the neck is without thinning.
By the way, when changing teeth, you should not be afraid of the so-called polyteeth, when a kitten suddenly has 8 fangs instead of 4. The fact is that the molars are not formed in the same alveolus as the temporary ones, but nearby. So it turns out that one fang has not yet fallen out, but a new one has already grown.
In rare cases, a growing tooth pinches the root of the milk tooth, then the kitten begins to feel discomfort: it does not eat, periodically squeals pitifully and generally feels unwell. The problem is not global and is easily solved by removing the extra tooth.
You should not try to remove it yourself; it is better to take your baby to the veterinarian. It is possible that local or general anesthesia will be required. At the same time, the doctor will check for what reason the pathology occurred (perhaps the kitten has an incorrect bite or a developmental anomaly).
During the period of teeth formation, it is necessary to brush your kitten's teeth regularly. The formation of a healthy dental system depends on the content of phosphorus and calcium in the body. During the period when the baby’s teeth are changing, the owner must take care of the additional introduction of mineral salts into the diet, which is easily achieved by giving feed rich in calcium (cottage cheese, milk, kefir, etc.), as well as by using veterinary drugs containing the necessary for strong enamel substance. Most often, these products are vitamins with a complex of minerals.
In addition, periodic examination and timely care of the kitten’s oral cavity will not hurt. Sanitation is carried out weekly with a chlorhexidine solution. This will help kill harmful microbes, which will prevent the development of an infectious process on tooth enamel, and consequently, tooth loss in later life.
There are special dental tablets containing a disinfectant. By sticking to the mucous membrane for a short time, they prevent the occurrence of dental diseases.
Don't forget about regular cleaning. For this, there are special toothpastes with a pleasant fish or meat taste for the kitten. The product is rubbed into the enamel using a special brush or fingertip with rubber spikes.
As noted above, teeth can fall out in adult animals.
What diseases are these:
By the way, according to many veterinarians, dysbiosis is the main reason for the occurrence of all pathological processes in the mouth.
Again, all problems can be solved by preventive measures: examination, cleaning and observation by a veterinarian, who must be visited at least once every six months.
It is quite natural that not all cat owners take proper care of their pet, and there are cases when the teeth become so unusable that it is easier to remove them than to treat them. This proposal leaves many cat lovers in a state of shock:
How will a kitty (cat) live without teeth? He will die of starvation!
Firstly, you should have thought earlier, and secondly, not everything is as terrible and scary as it seems. The cat does not use its teeth for chewing. Their direct purpose is to strangle or bite the victim to death, to tear off a tasty morsel from it, which is already swallowed whole. The digestive system of cats is designed in such a way that they do not require thorough chewing of food, unlike humans.
Due to the fact that a domestic cat does not need to hunt, and the owner will always provide her with ready-made food of a soft consistency, she is definitely not in danger of dying from starvation if she loses her teeth. But it’s better not to bring a cat to such a state of toothlessness!
It can be easily determined by the teeth, or more precisely by the degree of their abrasion. The central and lateral incisors of the lower jaw are the first to wear off; with age, the surface of all incisors takes on a transverse oval shape. The more teeth a cat has, the older it is. The very last to be involved in the process of enamel abrasion are the fangs.
Senile tooth loss, especially the canines, is quite rare in cats and occurs mostly due to improper care. Although it is quite natural that if an animal reaches twenty years of age, it is unlikely that it will have the number of teeth given by nature in its mouth. Most likely, you will definitely miss a couple or three pieces.
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Kittens' first teeth are milk teeth. That is, they are needed for only a short time, after which they are changed to permanent ones. Usually, kittens cope well with the changes associated with the loss of baby teeth and the eruption of permanent teeth, but all pets are individual: some may experience problems. We talk below about how kittens should change their teeth and what difficulties they may encounter.
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Although many veterinary websites say that teething in cats is such an easy process that you probably won't notice it, in most cases this is not true. About 70% of cat owners admitted in one survey that teething problems with their animals were not much less than with children. They, of course, got excited, because cats do not experience the same suffering during teething as humans do. But still, let's figure out what unpleasant things can await you.
If your kitten has swallowed its fangs or other large teeth, b There is no need to worry about this. This happens in kittens all the time, but the tooth, without being digested, comes out in the feces. It does not damage the mucous membranes.
The most common complaint of kitten owners during teething is loss of appetite. It happens that cats refuse to eat even their favorite meat. This is understandable, because at this time it may simply be painful for them to eat. Remember yourself at this time. Therefore, you shouldn’t worry too much, but try to monitor your pet so that he eats at least 1-2 times a day. If this does not happen, your oral discomfort may be greater than it should be. Then you should immediately contact your veterinarian so that he can eliminate this discomfort.
For a kitten whose teeth are changing, lethargy and sleepiness are normal. In addition, at this time, the animals’ immunity also decreases: they become susceptible to various diseases. Therefore, if you notice such behavior in your kitten, provide him with rest, proper and regular nutrition and vitamin supplements. Also try to keep your pet warm. Do not get vaccinated during this period. In general, lethargy, without an increase in temperature, can be called the norm, and you shouldn’t worry about it.
Ideally, the growing tooth should push out the baby tooth, eventually replacing it after it falls out. But sometimes a new tooth grows, but the old one still doesn’t fall out. On the one hand, there may be nothing terrible here: sooner or later it will still fall out. On the other hand, if this situation lasts for a long time, the kitten may develop a second row of teeth and an incorrect bite. In addition, the situation can cause serious physical discomfort. If you are faced with such a problem, you should not pull out the tooth yourself. Let the vet do it.
In most cases, the wound after tooth loss heals quickly and without outside intervention. But it also happens that it becomes infected, resulting in suppuration. One of the signs is bad breath. In addition, the problem can also be noticed when examining the mouth, which should be done regularly when changing teeth, but with clean hands and very carefully.
If you find that your cat has pus in his mouth, there is no need to take any action on your own - you may only make the situation worse. Instead, be sure to call your veterinarian or go to the clinic. The doctor will examine your kitten and only after that will prescribe treatment and carry out the necessary procedures.
During teething, the kitten, of course, will chew on everything - your hands, shoes, clothes, wires... While some manifestations can be tolerated, others are simply dangerous. Therefore, you must make sure that the kitten has the opportunity to “scratch” his gums on something that is specially designed for this. You can buy special treats for such occasions at a pet store, or try giving your pet a silicone ring. In pet stores, such products are already sold with mint impregnation. If you are confused about the effect of catnip on the cat's body, instead of such rings, try giving your pet baby latex rings without any odors or impregnations.
If your kitten is talkative or likes to complain, then during the period of changing teeth he may talk and meow plaintively more than usual. Don’t be alarmed: this is also normal, because he’s not feeling well right now. Try not to disturb the kitten at this time, but talk to it gently and calm it down. It is advisable to do this in a gentle voice, because cats are very sensitive to intonation.
As we have already said, nutrition during teeth change should be balanced and consist only of safe, healthy foods. Particular attention should be paid to ensuring that there is enough phosphorus and calcium in the food. It is not always possible to ensure this through nutrition (especially if it is natural), so it is recommended to include vitamin and mineral complexes in the diet.
When the process of changing teeth is completed, the cat should grow 12 incisors, 4 canines, 10 premolars and 4 molars. The permanent teeth are white. Over time, teeth wear out and therefore become yellower, sometimes developing caries. But this is a topic for another article.
Author of the article Ekaterina Yugosh- editor of the website "Murkotiki", a journalist with a felinological education (a felinologist is a specialist who studies cats). She received her felinological education according to the WCF (World Cat Federation) system. She raises a Scottish Straight cat and a Highland Fold cat, as well as a Miniature Schnauzer dog. Her areas of in-depth interests include zoodietology and zoopsychology.
