Dental disease affects the majority of cats by middle age, causing chronic pain that significantly impairs quality of life. Yet because cats hide discomfort so effectively, dental pain is among the most underdiagnosed and undertreated welfare issues in companion animal medicine.
Feline dental disease is one of the most significant sources of undertreated chronic pain in companion animals. A cat with multiple resorptive lesions or advanced periodontal disease lives with constant oral pain — pain that affects every meal, every grooming session, and every experience of facial contact. Because cats evolved as prey animals who must conceal vulnerability to survive, they suppress pain behaviour with remarkable effectiveness. A cat continuing to eat despite oral pain is not demonstrating that it is not painful; it is demonstrating that evolutionary drives to maintain function can override pain expression. When these cats undergo dental extractions, the behavioural transformation is often striking: owners report that their cat seems "younger," plays more, seeks more contact, and shows renewed interest in activities. This before-and-after contrast reveals the extent of the suppressed suffering that preceded treatment. The welfare case for proactive, regular dental care in cats — including professional cleaning under anaesthesia from middle age — is overwhelming, and the barriers are primarily awareness and cost rather than technical feasibility.