Change of Teeth in the Cat – You Should Pay Attention to That

Cats are predators and as such need strong teeth. Even if your cat doesn’t have to get his food himself, perfect teeth are important for his health, because a variety of secondary diseases can be linked to insufficiently developed teeth. It is all the more important that you keep an eye on the condition of the teeth when you are a kitten. Read here what the change of teeth in a cat is all about and how to check the teeth.

When do cats change their teeth?

Cats go through three phases in their lives related to the development of the dental apparatus. The first two tooth phases fall in the kitten age – the jaw and teeth change radically within a few months.

What happens when a cat changes teeth?

The dentition of the kitten initially consists of 26 teeth, the growing adult dentition has a total of 30 teeth – namely four additional back molars. The change of teeth is initiated by an organic process in which the roots of the milk teeth are resorbed by the body. These then become shaky and are pushed aside by the adult teeth that are pushed forward. You might be lucky and find a baby tooth as a souvenir. However, since the milk teeth are often swallowed unnoticed, you as the owner of a kitten may not even notice the big moment of the change of teeth. By the way: After the change of teeth, you should change the cat’s menu from junior to adult food.

What problems can occur when a kitten changes teeth?

Normally, the cat’s change of teeth is unproblematic. However, it is possible that the process will affect the animal’s behavior or, in rare cases, require veterinary assistance.

What can I do if the cat is changing teeth?

As an attentive observer, you can tell that the kitten is changing teeth by the fact that the animal is salivating more, tilting its head and licking its gums with its tongue. Some kittens are particularly conspicuous in rubbing their snout on objects or their human. The animal senses that the jaw feels unusual and tries to feel it. Sometimes it can be observed that the little velvet paw eats more slowly. The kitten may show moody behavior due to the foreign body sensation. Occasionally there is noticeable bad breath, which is caused by the “dying” of the milk tooth. You can make it easier for the kitten to change teeth with a few measures.

Carefully accompany the mini tiger through the change of teeth and ensure with good dental hygiene that it can still bite powerfully as a senior cat.