Dental disease is the most prevalent health condition in adult cats, causing chronic pain and systemic health problems that remain largely unaddressed due to low owner awareness.
Chronic dental pain in cats is one of the most pervasive and underappreciated welfare problems in companion animals. Cats hide dental discomfort extremely well, and owners often discover severe disease only at routine veterinary examinations. The welfare improvement from treating dental disease can be dramatic — cats who receive appropriate dental care often show dramatic improvements in activity, behavior, and engagement. Owner education and accessible veterinary dental care are the primary levers for improving cat dental welfare.