Keep Your Cat’s Teeth Clean with these 4 Pro-Tips

Your sweet cat deserves healthy teeth. Gingivitis and other oral problems affect organ wellness, not just what you smell when your cat opens her mouth. Fishy breath is normal cat breath, but the smell of rotting can be a sign of a chronic pain disorder or heart condition down the line. You can take preventative steps and give your cat the best pampering by being Health First.

Now, before you whip out your own tube of toothpaste to brush Fluffy’s teeth, let’s give you some pro-tips:

Give Your Cat Greenies SmartBites

Unpaid endorsement: They just work. They clean your cat’s teeth while they chew, no effort on your part needed! They come in a variety of flavors, and are commonly found in cat-stuff markets. Tartar control treats are a great way to reward a cat who’s behaving or being generally lovable, and are usually a hit with the felines. Over-supplementing can hurt the belly, so be sure the keep the treats moderated by the other steps.

Keep Their Diet Healthy

This means various meals, grain free, and reasonably sourced. If it was fish last week, try chicken this week. If your cat can eat both wet and dry, mix it up there, too. The better the diet, the healthier the teeth!

Brush Their Teeth

Acquire a finger toothbrush (a plastic tool that fits over your finger and is intended for use with pets) and some Cat Toothpaste (very different than human toothpaste! Human toothpaste will put your favorite fluff on the vet’s table!), and get into a routine. Warm your cat up to the feeling of you lifting her lips, and after a few days, introduce the new toothbrush. Gently brush, for as long as she’ll let you (no more than two minutes—but wow, if you can do two minutes!). After the first brushing, make it a routine. Cats are creatures of habit.

Regular Check Ups

Bring ‘er in for a yearly check up at your local. You’ve gotten the postcards in the mail, read the signs on the storefront, and received reminder emails: A regular check up keeps Meow’s health in tip top shape, and this means the pros will have the chance to really care for her teeth.