Companion Animal Welfare

Cat Feline Dental Disease Lifetime Prevention

A lifetime approach to feline dental health beginning in kittenhood prevents the chronic pain of periodontal disease in older cats.

Key Facts

Daily tooth brushing is most effective when started in kittenhood
Dental diets and chews provide supplementary benefit for cats that resist brushing
Annual professional dental assessment monitors disease progression
Dental radiography at professional cleans detects disease not visible clinically
Tooth resorption and periodontitis are progressive without preventive care

Welfare Considerations

Dental disease is a welfare problem that accumulates over years without being noticed. A lifetime prevention approach starting with tooth brushing in kittenhood, supplemented by dental diets and regular professional assessment, prevents the progressive pain and organ damage associated with dental disease. Prevention is vastly more welfare-effective than treating established severe dental disease.

What You Can Do

Begin tooth brushing with kittens to establish a lifelong habit
Schedule annual dental assessments as part of routine veterinary care
Provide dental diets or treats as supplementary prevention for cats that resist brushing