Dental disease affects over 70% of cats over 3 years old, causing chronic pain that is often unrecognized. Prevention and treatment significantly improve cat welfare.
Dental disease in cats is a pervasive welfare problem that is chronically underrecognized by owners and sometimes by vets. Cats evolved to mask pain as a survival strategy, meaning that cats with severe periodontal disease, tooth resorption, or dental abscesses often continue eating and behaving relatively normally. The absence of overt pain signs does not indicate the absence of pain.
Tooth resorption — a condition unique to cats where the tooth root is progressively destroyed — causes intense pain when the nerve is exposed. Affected teeth become exquisitely sensitive to temperature and pressure. Owners may notice their cat eating more carefully or dropping food, but many cats show no signs despite advanced disease. The only effective treatment is extraction of affected teeth, which reliably relieves pain.
Daily toothbrushing with appropriate feline toothpaste is the gold standard for prevention — even three times weekly brushing makes a significant difference. Regular dental examinations (including dental radiography under anaesthesia) detect disease early. Many cats show dramatic behavioral improvements following dental treatment — increased activity, improved appetite, and more social behavior — reflecting how much chronic pain had suppressed their quality of life.