Dental disease affects the vast majority of cats over three years old and is a leading cause of chronic pain. Yet it remains dramatically underdiagnosed and undertreated in companion cat populations worldwide.
Feline dental disease is one of the most significant preventable sources of chronic pain in companion animals globally. The scale is vast: the majority of adult cats live with some degree of painful dental disease, yet most receive no dental treatment during their lifetimes. The primary barrier is owner unawareness: cats continue eating even when dental pain is severe, and owners interpret continued appetite as evidence of comfort. Veterinary education at routine check-ups is the highest-impact intervention for closing this gap. When dental disease is identified and treated, often through extractions of severely affected teeth, the behavioural transformation in affected cats is frequently dramatic: animals that had become quiet and withdrawn return to grooming, play, and normal social behaviour. The welfare cost of untreated dental disease, and the benefit of treatment, cannot be overstated.