Dental disease is the most common health problem in companion cats, affecting over 70% of cats by age 3, yet it is significantly undertreated due to the difficulty of detecting pain in cats and the cost of veterinary dental care.
Dental disease causes chronic pain that profoundly affects cat quality of life and is massively underdiagnosed because cats do not reliably signal pain. A cat living for years with severe periodontal disease or tooth resorption is experiencing constant discomfort that affects eating, grooming, social interaction, and general activity. The stoicism that makes cats difficult to read for pain is an evolutionary adaptation that in the domestic context leads owners and even veterinarians to underestimate the burden of dental disease. Post-dental treatment behavior changes — increased activity, improved grooming, more social behavior — frequently reveal how significantly the animal was suffering before treatment.