Dental disease is the most common health problem in companion cats, affecting the majority of cats over three years of age and causing chronic oral pain that significantly impairs quality of life.
Feline dental disease causes chronic pain that is routinely underestimated because cats continue eating — more slowly and carefully — even with severely diseased mouths. The prey-animal pain masking that makes cats stoic in other health contexts also conceals oral pain, leading owners and sometimes veterinarians to attribute behavioral changes to aging rather than dental disease. Cats with severe periodontal disease or tooth resorption may be in chronic significant pain for years before diagnosis and treatment. Post-dental extraction behavior changes — increased affection, improved grooming, resumption of normal play — reveal how much cats were suffering before treatment. Annual dental assessments including oral examination are a minimal welfare standard. Complete mouth x-rays at dental cleaning appointments reveal the full extent of disease that visual examination cannot detect.