Dental disease affects over 80% of cats over three years old, causing chronic pain that is frequently unrecognized and untreated due to cats' tendency to hide discomfort.
Cat dental disease is perhaps the most prevalent unrecognized source of chronic pain in companion animals. The stoic nature of cats means they continue eating and behaving relatively normally even with significant dental pain. Unlike humans or dogs that might refuse food when experiencing tooth pain, cats suppress this response. Annual veterinary dental examination under sedation is the only reliable way to assess dental health below the gum line where most pathology occurs. The welfare improvement from treating unrecognized dental disease can be dramatic — owners of cats treated for chronic dental pain often report significant behavioral change indicating the animal had been living with sustained pain for months or years.