Gingivitis affects most cats by age three and is a leading cause of chronic pain. Prevention through consistent home care dramatically improves feline quality of life.
Dental pain profoundly affects cat welfare. Cats with untreated gingivitis often eat less, groom less, and withdraw socially — all signs of chronic discomfort that owners may attribute to aging. Because cats mask pain so effectively, owners frequently underestimate the burden of dental disease. Prevention is far preferable to treatment both for welfare and cost reasons.