Dental disease affects the majority of cats over three years of age and causes chronic pain that owners often fail to recognize until severe stages.
Feline dental disease is a hidden welfare epidemic. Unlike dogs who may vocalize or paw at painful mouths, cats typically conceal dental pain through behavioral stoicism — a trait inherited from prey animals that avoid showing vulnerability. Owners often interpret a cat that continues eating as a pain-free cat, when in reality they may be eating despite significant discomfort. Regular veterinary oral examinations detect dental disease before it becomes severely painful. Daily tooth brushing from kittenhood prevents accumulation of tartar. The cost and anesthetic risk of dental procedures is often cited as a barrier to treatment, but untreated dental disease imposes chronic suffering and systemic health consequences.