Dental disease affects over 70% of cats by age 3 and is a major source of chronic oral pain — yet it is among the most preventable conditions in feline health with appropriate home care and professional monitoring.
Feline dental disease welfare parallels canine dental disease but with unique features: tooth resorption in cats causes progressive loss of teeth from within, creating an internally painful process that is not visible to owners. Cats with significant tooth resorption may eat normally while experiencing chronic oral pain from exposed dental pulp. The stoic nature of cats means owners frequently miss dental disease signs — subtle jaw chattering when grooming, excessive drooling, or pawing at the mouth are dental pain indicators that precede obvious food refusal. Early prevention through daily tooth brushing, started in kittenhood, can prevent much dental disease. For cats that resist brushing, dental diets and VOHC-approved treats provide partial but meaningful benefit. Annual professional dental examination identifies disease before welfare is significantly compromised.