Dental Disease in Cats and Welfare

Dental disease is the most common health problem in domestic cats and causes chronic unrecognised pain in the majority of adult cats.

Key Facts

Dental disease affects over 70% of cats over 3 years of age
Feline oral resorptive lesions are an extremely painful and common dental condition
Cats with dental pain often continue eating until the disease is very advanced
Professional dental examination under anaesthesia is the only way to fully assess feline dental health
Regular tooth brushing from kitten hood dramatically reduces dental disease progression

Welfare Considerations

Feline dental disease causes chronic pain that is profoundly underrecognised. Cats continue to eat despite severe dental pain because hunger overrides pain avoidance — meaning continued eating is not reassurance that a cat is comfortable. Feline oral resorptive lesions, which affect 30-60% of domestic cats, are acutely painful erosive lesions that require extraction. Detecting dental disease requires examination under anaesthesia. Annual professional dental assessment is one of the highest-impact welfare interventions for adult cats.

What You Can Do

Schedule annual professional dental examinations for all cats over 3 years of age
Begin tooth brushing from kitten hood to prevent early dental disease
Learn to recognise early signs of dental pain including reduced food interest and facial rubbing
Ask your veterinarian to include dental assessment at every health check
Consider dental diets or veterinary chews as supplements to brushing