Teeth brushing for cats - any suggestions?

[Jayinthetub]

On our annual vet trip it turns out big boy cat (4yo) has a “minor build up” on his teeth with advice to try brushing them. Before I start on what I can only imagine will be a tricky, messy task which will no doubt result in me covered in foul smelling cat toothpaste and himself sulky staring through the cat flap, does anyone have any good advice or best tips? This is very new to us!

Well I'd certainly be watching the One Show if they were.

And me!! 😂

Mine has the dental biscuits. I’ve tried the toothpaste on the paw and it’s genuinely like I have injured him he limps around 😅 unfortunately he has a disease where I need to keep on top of his teeth hygiene. Also have buggerlugs dental solution I add into his water

Beaphar - Liver Flavour Toothpaste with Enzymes on cat licks it off my fingers other one has it on teeth.

I thought it would be impossible and tried the plaque off food power toys and treats all claiming to do teeth. In end it wasn't as bad as fear and it fairly straight forward. We didn't start till a few years old did think feisty torbie would be impossible but apaprently stuff on my fingers is fine to lick.

You‘re kidding, right? Our cat needs three people to hold him down for blood tests at the vet. Toothbrushing just won’t be happening. Luckily at the age of 14 he still has all his teeth and they‘re apparently not too bad. He had a clean under anaesthetic a while back, but obviously at his age we need to be careful.

One of ours had several teeth out last year. When we picked her up after the operation they gave us painkillers and antibiotics for her and a 'care package' which included some cat toothpaste. Said you have got to be joking, and they said "Haha yeah, good luck with that one!"😂

Our cat has build up on her back teeth and her gums were really red there. We'd been using plaque off powder for a year but it made no difference. So we caved in and bought a Beaphar liver flavoured toothpaste and brush set. DH or DS hold her while I prize her mouth open and give the back teeth a brush. She doesn't mind the toothpaste, but isn't keen on the process in general!

It has helped though - gums back to normal and teeth look less yellow. We've carried on with the plaque off in the hope it will prevent further build up if nothing else. When we went away for a fortnight we didn't bother to ask the cattery to clean her teeth and when we got back her gums were really bad again, so looks like we'll have to continue with regular (not daily) brushing. Just wish I could open her mouth as easily as the vet does!

You’re brave doing this.

I think cats go into shock when the vet opens their mouths and the vet is used to doing it.

Is the dental solution good?

He had a deep clean in October and he has them checked last month and they were happy with his teeth were still pretty clean. Still had a bit of inflammation but like i said he does have a dental disease so it’s never going to be perfect. I only introduced the dental food after the appointment so I would say it kept it under relative control

I never once cleaned my cat's teeth in all of the nearly 18 years I had him.

I think I would have ended up in A & E if I had tried! He didn't much care for being touched at the best of times and I would have been more likely to have had his teeth (and claws) sunk into me than ever managed to clean a single one of them.

Very grateful and appreciative of our efforts, these cats!