Dental disease is the most common health condition in cats, with periodontal disease affecting over 70% of cats over 3 years old, causing chronic pain that cats mask until the disease is advanced.
Dental disease in cats represents a widespread welfare deficit that is under-recognised by both owners and veterinary professionals. Cats are stoic pain maskers by nature — in the wild, showing vulnerability risks predation, so chronic pain adaptation produces animals that continue normal behaviour despite significant suffering. The result is that most cats with moderate to severe periodontal disease or tooth resorption show no obvious signs until disease is advanced. Owner reports of increased activity, playfulness, and improved demeanour after dental treatment are compelling indirect evidence that pre-treatment cats were experiencing chronic pain they successfully masked. Professional dental assessment requires anaesthesia — conscious dental examination in cats is inadequate for detecting subgingival disease and resorptive lesions. The welfare case for annual or biennial anaesthetic dental examinations in older cats is strong: identifying and treating disease while it is moderate prevents progression to severe pain, tooth loss, and systemic bacterial seeding. Daily toothbrushing in cats habituated from kittenhood can substantially slow plaque accumulation.