Dental disease affects over 70% of cats by age three. Chronic oral pain significantly reduces quality of life, yet many affected cats continue eating and are therefore assumed to be comfortable.
Feline dental disease is one of the most pervasive and underappreciated welfare problems in companion animal medicine. Because cats instinctively hide vulnerability and continue eating despite significant oral pain, owners often assume their cats are comfortable when they are not. Behavioral signs of dental pain including reduced grooming, altered chewing, face rubbing, and personality changes are easy to miss or attribute to aging. The welfare implication is profound: millions of cats live with chronic daily pain that could be eliminated by routine dental care. Regular veterinary dental examinations, professional cleaning under anesthesia, and extraction of painful teeth are transformative for affected cats. Owner awareness that dental disease is the default rather than the exception is essential to drive uptake of preventive care.