Dental disease is the most common health problem in cats, affecting up to 85% of cats over three years old, yet it remains dramatically undertreated despite causing chronic pain that affects quality of life.
Feline dental disease is a welfare issue of enormous scale: the majority of middle-aged and senior cats in domestic care experience chronic oral pain from periodontitis or tooth resorption, and the majority of that pain goes unrecognized and untreated. Cats' stoic nature and continued eating behavior despite oral pain creates a false impression that dental disease is either absent or not causing distress. The reality is that cats adapt their behavior around oral pain rather than stopping eating — a survival adaptation that masks suffering from owners. Systematic dental examination at regular veterinary visits, combined with owner education about subtle behavioral signs of oral pain, enables earlier intervention. Prevention through daily toothbrushing ideally established in kittenhood, combined with appropriate dental chews and water additives, significantly reduces disease burden. The welfare improvement from addressing dental disease — often described by owners as a transformation in their cat's energy and engagement after dental treatment — is among the most striking in companion animal practice.