Dental disease affects the vast majority of adult cats and is one of the most common sources of chronic pain in companion animals — yet it remains widely underdiagnosed and undertreated.
Feline dental disease represents a massive welfare failure because it is so common, so painful, and so preventable — yet so rarely treated until severe. The stoic nature of cats means owners frequently interpret continued eating as evidence of dental health. In reality, cats in severe dental pain will continue eating because not eating is also aversive. Tooth resorption, in particular, causes pain comparable to a human cavity reaching the nerve — affecting over a third of the cat population. Regular anesthetic dental examinations, prompt extraction of diseased teeth, and home preventive care can dramatically improve quality of life. The cost barrier to dental care is significant and drives much of the undertreatment.