Scratching Post: When Did You Last Brush Your Teeth?

Editor’s Note: The Scratching Post is a column that’s sponsored and written by the staff at NOVA Cat Clinic.

Have you brushed your teeth in the last few years? If you’re a human reading this, I’m hopeful the answer is yes!

If, however, you’re a cat, the answer is quite possibly no. Cats aren’t very fond of anyone sticking things in their mouths that isn’t edible. So how do you keep your cat’s teeth pearly white and fresh?

Brushing is actually a very good idea. If you start when your cat is young, it may be possible to make brushing a part of your cat’s daily routine. It’s possible with older cats as well, but will probably take a lot more training time (for you AND Fluffy).

At NOVA Cat Clinic, we sell toothbrush kits which include toothpaste and a soft finger brush. You can start by dabbing a bit of the toothpaste on your finger to see if Fluffy would like to lick it off. Hopefully, over time Fluffy would see this as a treat and run up to you when you start to squeeze the toothpaste tube. Eventually you can start slowly rubbing your finger in Fluffy’s mouth during this fun treat time. Then introduce the brush in the same way. Let Fluffy lick the toothpaste off the brush and eventually start gently rubbing it in her mouth.  Voila!  You have just brushed your cat’s teeth!

If Fluffy would rather bite off a finger than let you get near her mouth, we highly suggest you try a different approach.  Does your cat like to eat? We carry one of Hill’s Prescription Diets called “t/d” that is specially formulated to be a complete nutritional diet that focuses on dental health. They are made such that your cat’s teeth enter all the way into it before the piece of kibble breaks apart. This abrasive action on the teeth helps remove some of the tartar.

Feel free to ask at your next visit with us if t/d would be right for your kitty. While it can be fed as a complete diet, we often recommend using it as a treat to supplement Fluffy’s diet so you can keep feeding Fluffy her favorite foods. We also carry Tartar Shield Cat Treats. These treats contain ingredients that have been shown to help prevent tartar buildup in cats. So far, a lot of our patients seem to like them.

Both the Tartar Shield Treats and the Hill’s t/d diet are 100 percent guaranteed.  If for any reason you or Fluffy aren’t completely satisfied you can get a full refund.

We also carry MaxiGuard OraZn. This is a product you dab on your finger, then rub on the top teeth on both sides of your cat’s teeth. It’s easier than brushing but can still be beneficial. The zinc it contains helps break up tartar buildup and freshen breath.

The best time to start using any of these products for your cat’s dental care is immediately after a thorough dental cleaning. But it’s never too late to start. Come see us soon to find out if any of these or other products might be right for your kitty.

The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.