Dental disease affects over 70% of cats by age three, causing chronic pain that is often unrecognized. Prevention through regular dental care significantly improves feline quality of life.
Feline dental disease causes chronic pain that is systematically underrecognized because cats hide pain so effectively. A cat with severe periodontal disease, dental abscesses, or tooth resorption may have been experiencing significant oral pain for months or years before diagnosis. Owners often report dramatic improvements in activity level, grooming behavior, and apparent happiness after dental treatment - reflecting how much pain was suppressing the cat's quality of life. The welfare case for preventive dental care is therefore compelling: daily brushing and regular professional monitoring prevents the development of conditions that cause prolonged unrecognized suffering. Making dental care part of routine feline welfare is as important as vaccination and parasite control.