Dental disease affects the majority of adult cats and causes significant chronic oral pain that impairs eating, grooming, and quality of life — yet it remains one of the most underdiagnosed and undertreated welfare problems in companion animals.
Dental disease causes chronic oral pain that affects cats daily throughout their lives. The feline tendency to continue eating despite pain means owners routinely underestimate how much their cat is suffering from dental disease. Signs including dropping food, jaw chattering, preference for soft food, and reduced grooming are often attributed to preference rather than pain. Untreated periodontal disease progresses to tooth root abscesses, bone infection, and severe pain requiring extensive surgical intervention. Regular veterinary dental assessment, professional cleaning under anaesthesia, and extraction of diseased teeth dramatically improves quality of life. Prevention through regular toothbrushing and dental diets reduces the burden of disease in cats who receive this care from an early age.