Dental disease is as prevalent in cats as in dogs, affecting the majority of adult cats and causing chronic oral pain that significantly impacts quality of life — yet home dental care for cats is rarely implemented.
Cat dental disease causes chronic oral pain that affects quality of life profoundly yet remains largely invisible to owners and sometimes to veterinarians who do not perform detailed oral examinations. Tooth resorption — a feline-specific condition where the tooth structure is gradually destroyed — causes severe pain but affected cats rarely stop eating, masking the problem. The transformation that owners observe after dental treatment — a cat that becomes more playful, more social, and more comfortable — reveals the degree of chronic suffering that had gone unrecognized. Preventive home dental care, while challenging in cats, is achievable with patient training and early habituation. Incorporating dental examination into every veterinary visit is essential for early detection.