Companion Animal Welfare

Cat Welfare and Dental Disease: Lifetime Management

Dental disease is a progressive, painful condition in cats that requires lifetime management. Prevention, monitoring and professional treatment at appropriate intervals prevent chronic oral pain.

Key Facts

Over 85% of cats over three years old have some degree of periodontal disease
Resorptive lesions affect up to 60% of adult cats and are extremely painful
Annual dental examination under sedation allows early detection and intervention
Professional scaling removes subgingival calculus that daily brushing cannot access
Tooth extraction, though appearing drastic, is often the most welfare-positive treatment for affected teeth

Welfare Considerations

Dental disease causes chronic pain that profoundly affects quality of life for millions of cats. Lifetime dental management including regular professional care prevents decades of unnecessary oral suffering.

What You Can Do

Schedule annual veterinary dental examinations for your cat throughout their life
Introduce tooth brushing from kittenhood as the most effective daily prevention
Request dental radiography when professional dental cleaning is performed to identify hidden disease