Dental disease is the most common health problem in domestic cats, causing significant chronic pain that is often invisible to owners and undertreated by veterinary systems.
Cat dental disease represents one of the most pervasive and underrecognised sources of chronic pain in companion animals. Because cats hide pain and continue eating despite severe dental disease, owners are often unaware their pet is suffering significantly. The scale of the problem — affecting the majority of adult cats — means that dental welfare is not a rare edge case but a routine welfare failure affecting tens of millions of animals globally. Addressing this requires better owner education, accessible preventive care, and veterinary systems that make dental assessment a standard part of every consultation rather than a costly add-on.