Dental disease is one of the most common and most undertreated sources of chronic pain in cats. By age three, the majority of cats have some form of periodontal disease — yet it is frequently missed or dismissed as "normal ageing".
Feline dental disease is a chronic pain condition affecting the majority of adult cats — making it one of the most prevalent welfare problems in companion animal medicine. The clinical challenge is that cats suppress visible pain responses so effectively that owners rarely notice dental disease until it is advanced. A cat that is eating, grooming, and seemingly behaving normally may have severe periodontal disease, multiple resorptive lesions, or tooth root abscesses causing significant ongoing pain. The welfare implication of this stoicism is that dental disease is systematically undertreated: owners do not recognise it, and even veterinarians may underestimate severity without thorough oral examination under anaesthesia. Annual dental examinations with dental radiography — recommended by feline medicine specialists — detect disease at earlier, more treatable stages. Prevention through daily toothbrushing, where accepted, is highly effective but requires patient owner commitment and early training.