Dental disease affects the vast majority of cats and causes significant chronic pain that impairs quality of life. Prevention and treatment are essential components of cat welfare.
Feline dental disease represents an enormous but largely invisible welfare burden in companion cat populations. Because cats continue to eat despite severe dental pain — often until disease is extremely advanced — owners and even veterinarians can underestimate the degree of suffering associated with common dental conditions. Tooth resorption in particular causes intense, localized pain at the root that cats cannot communicate except through subtle behavioral changes: increased aggression when touched near the face, preference for soft food, reduced grooming, and behavioral withdrawal. Post-dental-treatment behavioral changes are often dramatic — owners report cats that seem years younger after painful teeth are removed, revealing the extent of pre-treatment suffering. Routine dental care is one of the highest-impact welfare investments for companion cats.