Dental disease is extremely prevalent in cats, causing chronic pain that significantly affects quality of life but is frequently unrecognised by owners and undertreated by veterinary teams.
Feline dental welfare is a chronic, pervasive, and largely silent welfare problem. Resorptive lesions — in which the tooth structure progressively erodes — cause constant, significant pain that cats mask through stoicism. Periodontal disease with inflamed, infected gums is equally painful. Owners often miss dental disease entirely because affected cats continue eating, though they may show subtle preferences for softer food, reduced play, or slight withdrawal. Annual dental examination under anaesthesia allows comprehensive assessment and treatment of conditions invisible without magnification and probing. Early treatment prevents progressive deterioration.