What do cat teeth look like? How many teeth does an adult cat have? Ultrasonic cat teeth cleaning

Having brought a pet into the house, people think little about its proper maintenance. And care is not only washing the potty, bathing and feeding, it is also a careful observation of the health of the animal: from the tail to the teeth. Teeth, in most cases, are left without due attention, and this is a very important aspect of the health of the animal and its normal well-being.

How many teeth should a cat normally have?

Normally, a healthy domestic predator should have 30 teeth:

• 12 incisors (6 on the upper and 6 on the lower jaw);
• 4 fangs (2 on each jaw);
• 10 premolars (6 on the top and 4 on the bottom);
• 4 molars (2 on each jaw).

More or less - a deviation from the norm. It is caused either by genetics or by the influence of external factors.

A cat with 30 teeth is considered full-toothed.

At the kitten

Teeth in babies begin to appear only by the age of one month (from 2 to 6 weeks all milk teeth should grow). Nature has provided for everything: breastfeeding should not cause discomfort and injure the cat. Especially if the mother is a firstborn. After all, any negativity can lead to the abandonment of babies.

So, the first teeth appear at the age of 2-3 weeks:

• First, incisors appear, there are 6 of them.
• Then the fangs are cut. This happens at 3-4 weeks of age.
• From 4 to 6 weeks, milk premolars erupt almost simultaneously with the canines.

As a result, the kitten has 26 milk teeth. The number of teeth and the timing of their appearance are the same for all breeds. But in reality, the time of appearance of teeth varies and depends on the individual characteristics of the animal.

At the time of the appearance of teeth, the kitten actively bites. His gums itch, saliva is secreted. Of course, the owners do not really notice this period, but for a small kitten it is just as tiring as for a human child.

Video: milk teeth in cats

For an adult pet

At the age of 3-6 months, milk teeth begin to change into permanent teeth of an adult animal. The process is completed by about 8 months.

Usually the change of teeth in a kitten is completed by 8 months.

Starting from the beginning of the period of changing teeth, the owner needs to carefully monitor the cavity of the mouth and provide the pet with timely care.

In my home collection there are milk fangs of my mustachioed pets. For some reason, from each I found only one fallen canine, I found them on the floor during cleaning. Where their remaining teeth went when they changed to permanent ones is a mystery to me.

Dental pathology in cats

Like all owners of teeth, cats can also develop dental diseases. Veterinarians provide care to animals. The task of the owner is to know the main problems that arise with the pet's teeth.

There are doctors of a narrower specialty - veterinary dentists. They are engaged in the prevention and treatment of diseases of the teeth and oral cavity of animals. If your pet has problems in this area, it is better to immediately contact a specialist. But, unfortunately, this can not be found in all cities and clinics.

Yellowness

One of the most common problems is yellow teeth. In general, no one and never, except for breeders or owners of show animals, pays attention to yellowness. In the meantime, here is something to think about.

The yellowness of the teeth is nothing but tartar. It appears as a result of hardening of plaque. It, in turn, is formed due to a violation of the microflora of the mouth, gradually settles on the teeth, hardens and begins to destroy tooth enamel. As a rule, this leads to the occurrence of caries and subsequent loss of teeth.

Plaque often occurs due to the pet's diet only soft food, the particles of which do not clean the teeth.

Yellow teeth can appear due to feeding pets only soft food that is not able to clean teeth.

Dropping out

Tooth loss in cats occurs for a variety of reasons. Among them:

• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• jaw injury;
• untreated tartar;
• viral and infectious diseases;
• antibiotic treatment;
• metabolic disorder in an animal;
• taking hormonal drugs;
• a general drop in the cat's immunity;
• the old age of the animal.

Tooth loss is rarely noticed immediately by owners. As a rule, this only happens when a pet who has previously eaten solid food begins to have difficulty eating. Then the worried owners look into the mouth and, of course, an unpleasant surprise awaits them.

Also, tooth loss can be accompanied by salivation and swelling of the gums. These signs usually attract the attention of the owners, and they quickly discover their cause. A fallen tooth, if it was not the result of an injury, can indicate very serious deviations in the health of the pet, therefore it requires a consultation with a veterinarian.

Creak

A rather unpleasant and alarming moment is the creaking of a cat's teeth. Everyone has long been accustomed to the myth of the squeak - supposedly the cat is overcome by worms. This is a tale that applies to all owners of the jaw apparatus: from people to cats. The reason lies in completely different problems. And they are much more serious than it might seem:

Age-related changes in teeth in cats

There is one more thing that, as a rule, does not raise questions from the owners - age-related changes. Cat teeth wear down over time. This process is inevitable, and it is almost impossible to prevent it. But nevertheless, maintaining the sharpness of the teeth for a long time contributes to proper and balanced nutrition, as well as caring for the pet's teeth with the help of special tools.

Even in older cats, tooth loss is not considered a natural condition and always accompanies injury or disease, most often dental.

My cat's canine fell out when she was 11-12 years old. This was a consequence of tartar, as the doctor said at the consultation. We noticed this almost immediately, because saliva was leaking from the side of the fallen tooth. Needless to say, we never brushed her teeth. At the time, it never even crossed my mind that this should be done at all. But once a day, the cat ate dry food, perhaps with this she somehow cleaned her teeth, but still not enough.

Prevention of dental diseases

Simple prevention of dental pathologies and timely visits to specialists are the key to healthy pet teeth.

The role of nutrition

An important role in maintaining the health of the teeth is the nutrition of the pet. A balanced diet and vitamin intake are very important, especially during the growth period of the animal. Bone tissue must be fully formed in order to provide the animal with healthy and strong teeth for its entire life.

If the animal is fed with industrial feed, then additional intake of vitamins is not required, provided that the feed is of the highest quality. Such products are expensive and are sold only in veterinary shops, but not in supermarkets near the house. But such food will provide the animal with all the necessary substances for health.

Only premium and super premium food will provide your pet with all the necessary substances for proper development.

Look for a mark on the package - super premium or premium class.

If the animal is on a natural diet, it needs an additional intake of vitamins. They will be prescribed by a veterinarian.

Vitamin preparations are produced by different brands, a veterinarian will prescribe a suitable product for a pet

Water regime

Water is a great mouth cleanser. This happens due to irrigation of the pasture and washing off of pathogenic bacteria. The presence of a large amount of pollution, "bacterial revelry" will tell you a bad smell from the pet's mouth. It must be remembered: water must be constantly in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bits access. It needs to be changed at least twice a day. It is also necessary to wash the water bowl daily.

Cat Oral Hygiene

A very important aspect is pasture hygiene. No matter how ridiculous it may sound, a cat also needs a toothbrush. Of course, you can’t brush a cat’s teeth with human paste. There are special products for this procedure.

But the process itself differs little from what we are used to. With the help of a brush, you should clean the entire surface with sweeping movements from the gums to the edge of the teeth.

The process of brushing a cat's teeth is not much different from what we are used to.

You need to brush your pet's teeth a couple of times a week. A kitten should be taught to this procedure from childhood. An adult cat will not let you calmly do all the necessary actions if he does not take them for granted. With advanced plaque or tartar, it will be possible to brush your teeth only under anesthesia. It's really annoying for a cat.

I tried brushing my cat's teeth with a special brush, but it seemed uncomfortable to me. The cat does not sit very still, even though I wrapped it in a towel. And I'm always afraid of hurting her. It turns out much better when you wrap a bandage around your finger, quickly go through all the teeth with your finger. And recently I use a children's silicone nozzle on my finger for brushing my teeth. She came with toothpaste, but the child cleans well with a brush, but it came up for a cat. It is also a very convenient thing, the bristles are soft, and the paste is well distributed.

Video: how to brush a cat's teeth

In addition to all the above methods for the prevention of dental health, there is another, very important point. This is a regular check-up with a doctor. The specialist will detect emerging health problems and deal with them in time.

Regular consultations with the veterinarian will save the cat from the development of dental diseases.

Our pets - cats are just as susceptible to diseases as humans, and therefore the health of our smaller brothers needs to be monitored. In particular, the teeth for the animal are of great importance. And their proper development, keeping clean is the key to the health of animals. In order to properly care for an animal, in particular for its teeth, it is necessary at least to know how many teeth cats have, when they begin to appear, when the change of teeth begins in cats, etc.

In a small kitten, teeth begin to appear in the second - fourth week of life. First, milk teeth grow, there are 26 of them in total. In the period of about three to five months, milk teeth begin to fall out and molars begin to grow. A complete change of teeth occurs by 7 months. An adult animal has only 30 permanent teeth: 4 pieces of main molars and canines, 10 teeth of small molars and 12 incisors.

Cats, just like humans, need to brush their teeth periodically. Why? Because in cats, just like in humans, stones form on their teeth. If the animal is fed dry food or solid pieces of food, such as meat that needs to be chewed, then the animal self-cleanses its teeth. But at home, the cat is often fed soft food that can leave plaque on the teeth. This plaque hardens over time and turns into tartar, which causes the same problems for the animal as it does for humans. Inflammation of the gums and various other associated diseases may occur. Neglected and untreated diseases can lead to tooth loss, the gums begin to become inflamed, the tooth may become loose and the cat may lose teeth. To prevent this from happening, the owners should periodically inspect the mouth of the animal and clean its teeth, and it will not be superfluous to check how many teeth does a cat have are they all in place. After all, the cause of tooth loss can be not only an infection in the cat's mouth, but also beriberi or other internal diseases that you have no idea about.

Not all cats like to brush their teeth. The solution can be found if you periodically give the cat to chew on solid food, such as a special bone for cats or dry food. But if you still manage to persuade the cat to brush your teeth, then for this you will need baking soda and a little red wine. Wine vinegar, reacting with soda, perfectly breaks down tartar, of course, if the teeth are not neglected and there is not much tartar on the teeth. First, with a cotton swab dipped in wine, wipe the cat's teeth. Then, with another swab, apply soda softened with water to a mushy state. The procedure must be done carefully so as not to injure the delicate gums of the cat.

Our pets are often exposed to diseases of the digestive system. Not the last role in their occurrence is played by the dentition and its pathology. After all, the digestive process begins with chewing food. What should a pet owner know about their pet's teeth? How many should there be? When do they start to appear, change? What are the most common dental problems in cats? Let's find out in detail.

How do chewing organs grow?

In kittens, temporary teeth begin to appear in the second or fourth week of life. They have only 26 dairy products. First, temporary incisors appear in cats, then fangs. At the age of 5-10 weeks, milk molars erupt. The last to appear are the premolars.

Permanent chewing organs in these animals begin to appear at 3-5 months. By 7 there is a complete change of dairy constants. Adult cats and cats have only 30 such teeth: 4 main molars and canines, 10 small molars and 12 incisors.

The change of teeth is often accompanied by an unpleasant smell from the kitten's mouth. But he disappears on his own. If by the age of seven months the milk teeth have not been replaced by permanent ones, then, most likely, not everything is in order with the animal's body.

The period of change of chewing organs is always accompanied by a general weakening of the body. Therefore, veterinarians do not recommend vaccinating pets at this time.

About brushing your cat's teeth

Why do pets, like humans, need to clean their chewing organs? Because they also form stones. If a pet is fed dry food or solid food, then his teeth clean themselves. But when a cat stays on a natural diet, eats minced meat, vegetables, cereals, plaque accumulates on the enamel, which eventually hardens and turns into tartar. It gives cats and cats the same problems as humans: gums can become inflamed, caries and cysts can develop. In the worst case, the animal's teeth become loose and it loses them. To prevent this from happening, the owners must remember that all the teeth of a cat are 30, periodically look into the mouth, check their number and condition.

Of course, cats don't like brushing their teeth. But it doesn't have to be done often. Twice a month will be enough to keep plaque from turning into tartar. It is recommended to purchase a special fish-flavored toothpaste in a veterinary pharmacy, and buy a children's toothbrush for the procedure. Cleaning should be done carefully, preferably together with an assistant.

The second way to rid the animal's teeth of plaque is a combination of red wine with soda and use instead of toothpaste. Baking soda (1 teaspoon) dissolves in 50 grams of wine. The solution wipes all the teeth of the pet. Wine vinegar reacts with baking soda and perfectly removes plaque, breaks down tartar that has not yet hardened.

About dental pathologies in cats

Cats are just as susceptible to dental disease as humans. Sometimes their chewing organs can fall out. The causes of the problem may lie in diseases of the stomach and intestines; infectious diseases; taking antibiotics and hormonal drugs; weakening the body's defenses; metabolic disorders. If the chewing organs fall out, the cat must be taken to a veterinary clinic. Without examination and correct treatment, it will not be possible to correct the situation.

To avoid the appearance of dental pathologies in adults, kittens should be taught to brush their teeth from childhood. This is done once a month, but without brushes and pastes. You just need to wipe the animal's teeth with a wet bandage, removing plaque. Having got used to the procedure since childhood, an adult cat will not be afraid of it and will behave calmly during the cleaning process.

Cats seem to us playful and affectionate. But in fact, these are predators, simply possessing a relatively small size. Like any other predator, cats have powerful jaws and strong teeth, which is necessary for capturing and grinding prey. It is clear that at home the value of this weapon is leveled, however, it still plays a very important role in the normal functioning of the body.

Like many other mammals (including humans), they are completely toothless. During this period of life, they do not need them, since it is possible to cling to the mother without the help of fangs with incisors.

It goes without saying that the formation of the first bite in cats begins much faster than in humans. The first milk incisors begin to appear a few weeks after birth. Next, the canines and premolars are cut through. The molars are the last to appear, and all this takes several months. By this time, the kitten should have 26 teeth. Naturally, they are all dairy, so the bite formation is not over.

The next step is to change the milk cloves to permanent ones. Moreover, this process is carried out in the same order as the cutting of milk. Initially, permanent incisors appear, then canines, premolars and molars.

Diagram of the structure of the jaw in cats

If the animal is completely healthy, then the end of the formation of the jaw coincides with the beginning of puberty, that is, by about 8-10 months. For the entire period of growth of new incisors, it is strongly recommended to give your pet food rich in calcium, phosphorus and other minerals that play an important role in the formation of bone tissue.

In general, by the first birthday of a mustachioed pet, there should be 30 "tools" in his mouth - 16 from above and 14 from below.

It is noteworthy that the age of the animal can be easily determined by the number and appearance of the teeth. There is nothing complicated in this, respectively, even an amateur can cope with this task. But before that, it is recommended to study the following table:

It is possible to determine the exact age by the teeth only if the animal is domestic, it eats properly and is properly cared for. In street vagrants, damage and loss of incisors and even fangs begins much more often.

Of course, they are very important for any animal and, of course, people. Over time, incisors, molars or canines will deteriorate - this cannot be avoided. And if a person can seek help from a dentist, then cats have no one to rely on. The main task of the owner is to make sure that the teeth are healthy for as long as possible. If they start to deteriorate ahead of time, this will inevitably negatively affect the functioning of the pet's body.

The reasons why they can fall out can be both physiological, that is, normal, and pathological.

Physiological causes of tooth loss

They are typical only for young individuals. As mentioned above, initially a kitten grows milk teeth. They are temporary, respectively, over time they will be replaced naturally by permanent ones. In total, 26 dairy pieces germinate, and 30 permanent ones.

In a healthy animal that does not suffer from any pathologies, the change of teeth to permanent ones occurs without any problems and pains. Often the owner is not even aware of this. However, you need to inspect the pet's mouth from time to time in order to detect a developing pathology in time.

Sometimes the loss of milk teeth is delayed, but the permanent ones are already erupting. This leads to problems such as:

• malocclusion, as they simply interfere with each other and bend;
• reddening of the gums, which indicates their inflammation. There may also be bleeding;
• characteristic stench from the mouth.

In a healthy animal that does not suffer from any pathologies, the change of teeth to permanent ones occurs without any problems and pains.

During the period of change of fangs, the animal has a depressed mood, often refuses food. The desire of a pet to gnaw everything in a row is just one of the external manifestations of this process. To prevent the kitten from chewing on important things for you, buy him appropriate toys.

If you notice that something is wrong with the little fluffy, be sure to take him to the veterinarian. Incorrect bite will cause a lot of inconvenience to the animal in the future, so this should be avoided.

Pathological causes

The main cause of early tooth loss in adults are classic dental diseases:

• caries;
• tartar;
• oral dysbacteriosis;
• pulpitis;
• periodontitis.

The development of these ailments leads to insufficient hygiene of the mouth, malocclusion, poor nutrition, as well as a genetic predisposition.

An important role is played by concomitant disorders, which, it would seem, have nothing to do with teeth. First of all, these are:

• immunodeficiency states;
• urolithiasis disease;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• problems with the functioning of the liver.

A lack of minerals and vitamins in the body can also provoke a premature loss of the pet's main weapon. This is especially true if the cat does not receive enough calcium, phosphorus and all groups of vitamins.

In fact, caring for the teeth of your mustachioed pet is not so difficult. Care is based on three main principles:

• high-quality and systematic cleaning;
• proper nutrition;
• regular examination by a specialist.

You can prevent the development of a number of dental problems with the help of cleaning. In fact, accustoming an animal to such a seemingly classic human procedure is not so difficult.

The main rule in this case is not to rush. First you need to put some toothpaste in your pet's mouth so that he gets used to it, and then gently start brushing. If the animal resists, leave it alone, but start over again the next day. Sooner or later, the pet will get used to the procedure, and will not show any dissatisfaction with what is happening.

A range of dental problems can be prevented by brushing

Nutrition must be balanced. It is very important that food contains sufficient amounts of phosphorus, calcium and other minerals. This is especially true for . From time to time, give your cat cartilage, soft bones and raw meat - these foods contribute to the natural strengthening of the gums.

Even if you do not notice any problems with the oral cavity of your pet, it still needs to be regularly shown to the veterinarian. The sooner a pathology is detected, the easier it is to eliminate it, and without negative consequences for the body.

What if there are no teeth?

The digestive system of cats is more enduring than the human one, and is arranged in a slightly different way. If it is very important for us to thoroughly chew every bite, then cats do not have to do this. They only need fangs and incisors to capture and securely hold prey, and then tear it apart. Chewing is carried out with the help of molars, of which the cat has few.

Therefore, if we talk specifically about pets, then for them the loss of teeth is not as dangerous as for wild animals. The thing is that at home the cat does not experience any problems with a lack of food.

But still, these animals need care. You will have to transfer the pet mainly to liquid or soft food. If this is not done, then the digestive function will deteriorate significantly, and this can already threaten the development of a number of serious diseases.