Dental disease affects the majority of cats over three years old and causes significant chronic pain. Prevention and early treatment dramatically improve feline quality of life.
Dental pain in cats is pervasive and chronically underrecognized. A cat with severe periodontal disease or tooth resorption — which causes the tooth to be gradually destroyed from within — is in significant pain that affects their eating, grooming, and social behavior. Because cats mask illness so effectively, owners often interpret reduced appetite or decreased activity as normal aging rather than dental pain. Cats who have had painful teeth extracted often show dramatic improvements in behavior and vitality, retrospectively revealing how much the pain had affected their quality of life.