Feline tooth resorption affects over 50% of cats and causes chronic oral pain through erosion of tooth structure, yet remains widely undiagnosed because cats mask dental discomfort effectively.
Feline tooth resorption represents an invisible, nearly universal welfare burden in middle-aged and older cats. Lesions that expose pulp tissue to the oral environment cause ongoing pain with every movement of the jaw. Yet cats continue eating because hunger overrides dental pain - this stoicism is often misread as evidence that the cat is comfortable. The welfare implications of dental radiographs in routine care are significant: without radiographic screening, the majority of affected cats will go undiagnosed and untreated for years. Post-extraction behavior change is often described by owners as a transformation.