Told by vet to brush cats teeth...are they mad?

AcclimDD · 21/06/2023 19:56

Not if I wanted to keep all my fingers and I'm a human dentist 🫣

Fiddlerdragon · 21/06/2023 19:58

Unless you’ve done this since they were a kitten then I don’t think they would accept it now. Good luck trying though 😬

DemonicCaveMaggot · 21/06/2023 20:01

I had this. The vet sent me home with chicken flavored toothpaste and a small toothbrush. I tried my best with DCat1 but it was just very confusing for both of us. She wanted the toothpaste but not the brush so spent the whole time trying to suck in the paste while repelling the brush with her tongue.

I gave up after a few days.

When I next took her to the vet and explained what had happened she said 'Yes, I tried it too with my cat and couldn't make it work either'.

FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 21/06/2023 20:04

Most vets are sensible and some have never owned a cat.

Haveallthesongsbeenwritten · 21/06/2023 20:05

CucumberCool · 21/06/2023 19:52

Really? This is a thing?! How on earth do I do it!

I wasn't the one at the apt I should add...

Do you do it?

Bit mental, get some toothpaste though, put it on one of their paws and they will lick it eventually. Thats what we had to do !

beeskipa · 21/06/2023 20:06

You're supposed to get them used to it when they're little, apparently. My vet thankfully accepts that trying to get adult cats to take to it is basically impossible.

fetchacloth · 21/06/2023 20:19

Honestly don't bother 😌
Unless the cat is still a kitten this unlikely to be successful. Give the cat some crunchy kibble and treats instead. This will be far more acceptable to the cat 🐈 .

Saxendi · 21/06/2023 20:23

Weird,I had the exact same experience at the vets today, I just politely nodded my head but was thinking no way was my 8 year old cat going to tolerate me cleaning her teeth.

Wherestheheatwave · 21/06/2023 20:25

My vet said this to me. My cat needs expensive teeth cleaning under anaesthetic now. There is absolutely no way my cat would tolerate having me brush her teeth.

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 21/06/2023 20:26

Ha!! Our vet got told a very firm ‘not a chance’. I hardly get time to brush my own hair some days let alone one or five cats teeth…

Seaweasel · 21/06/2023 20:31

I use plaque-off sprinkled over food for Dcat. Not a clue if it helps but my vet recommended after Dcat got a bit dangerous during the vet's toothbrushing demo. Her card is now officially marked.

DontCallMeBaby · 21/06/2023 20:34

We were told this when the cats were fairly young. At the end of the ‘course’ of learning to clean teeth I explained that my relationship with one of my cats was me cleaning his teeth and him running away. That was it. The other one was a little better, but not much. So we gave up - at 14 they’ve both had some dental treatment, but nothing like enough to make me wish I’d spent the intervening years tormenting them with a toothbrush.

Wherestheheatwave · 21/06/2023 22:03

Where can I get it please?

happystory · 21/06/2023 22:07

My vet suggested eye drops for my cat. Nope, never gonna happen
!

Wasley · 21/06/2023 22:07

DemonicCaveMaggot · 21/06/2023 20:01

I had this. The vet sent me home with chicken flavored toothpaste and a small toothbrush. I tried my best with DCat1 but it was just very confusing for both of us. She wanted the toothpaste but not the brush so spent the whole time trying to suck in the paste while repelling the brush with her tongue.

I gave up after a few days.

When I next took her to the vet and explained what had happened she said 'Yes, I tried it too with my cat and couldn't make it work either'.

And how much were you charged for this !and then to tell you it doesn't really work!

Violasaremyfavourite · 21/06/2023 22:12

My dentist told me she brushed her cat's teeth. I think I used the same sort of brush on my toddler - it was clear silicone and fitted over my finger. The silicone cover protected your finger from any nips. She didn't use any toothpaste on the cat.

feellikeanalien · 21/06/2023 22:13

No way. When we brought our cats back from Portugal it took the vet at the border over an hour to get our boy back in his box after checking his microchip.

He once put his claw right through DP's finger when we tried to Frontline him. He'll sit quite happily on my lap and likes a good stroke but try to do anything to him and you can guarantee you won't come out of it without some major scratches.

Beenhereageskeepchangingname · 21/06/2023 22:16

I think if you do try , please film it .

should be good for a giggle at least.

DuranNotSpandeau · 21/06/2023 22:16

One of our cats underwent a dental under anaesthetic and the vet recommended getting biscuits that are big enough so the cat HAS to break them up (rather than just hoovering up tiny ones). We bough the Hills oral care ones and for the 8 or so years after that until she died she never had any plaque build up or any mouth problems.

I think if my vet suggested that for my current cat I'd have to say "can you show me first please, just to make sure I do it right" then watch as their hand gets shredded. 😂

DailyCake · 21/06/2023 22:18

I just had a £800+ vet bill for teeth cleaning under anaesthetic for eleven yo dcat.😱

Surely2023IsTheYearForMyRainbowBaby · 21/06/2023 22:33

My daft dearly departed Cat loved his teeth brushing. He was messing around with an old toothbrush one day so I picked it it and gently rubbed it on the outside of his mouth. He opened his mouth so I gently rubbed it over his teeth and he happily laid there. I didn't brush them every night and some times all he wanted was to give the brush a good chomping. During his final few days when he wouldn't eat or couldn't stand up I used to dip his toothbrush into his licky lix yogurt and he would lick it off that instead

Madwife123 · 21/06/2023 22:36

I brush my cats teeth.

You can get little toothbrushes that slot on the end of your finger and meat flavoured toothpaste.

Mine weren’t a fan at first but they actually like it now and try and eat the toothpaste while I’m brushing. I think starting them young is the key to getting them to accept it but with how many cats now have dental disease I can see it becoming more commonplace.

Original poster

CucumberCool · 21/06/2023 22:49

@Beenhereageskeepchangingname 😂nice try!

Hmm she's 5 years old and I'm not overly keen on trying it. She hates being picked up and handled so I don't think it will do anything but stress her out.

Kudos to those who do/have tried!

She's always had dry food only but they are small biscuits, will look into bigger one I think!

OP posts:

Daisythecat15 · 21/06/2023 22:52

I think my cats would bite my hand off if I tried to brush their teeth 🤔

Wherestheheatwave · 21/06/2023 22:54

DailyCake · 21/06/2023 22:18

I just had a £800+ vet bill for teeth cleaning under anaesthetic for eleven yo dcat.😱

😟😫Oh no!