Milk teeth in kittens when. Cat teeth care. The beginning of the change of teeth

Newborn kittens are born toothless, later milk teeth appear in a cat.

Like small children, cats first have milk teeth at the age of 1-4 months, later molars appear.

Milk teeth in cats

Kittens are born without teeth and at first feed only on mother's milk. First, as expected, milk teeth grow in kittens, then there is a change of teeth in kittens to permanent molars.

When kittens teeth change can be read here.

Milk teeth in cats are temporary, not as strong as molars, but nevertheless sufficient to do a good job of grinding food.

Milk teeth in cats should be white, clean, without plaque.

When do kittens erupt teeth?

The cat's teeth are cut without any special manifestations, however, the symptoms of a change of teeth in kittens are still present: excessive salivation, kittens gnaw objects, sometimes rub their faces with their paws.

Teething in kittens begins from 12-14 days, the first milk teeth in kittens appear on the 15-25th day after birth, i.e. Kittens change their teeth at the age of about 2-3 weeks. I would also like to note that the front teeth in cats are the first to appear. When kittens are teething, they do not experience the same discomfort as small children. In cats, this happens less sensitively. So, let's figure out which teeth appear first in cats.

By two months, kittens should have 26 milk teeth.

Kitten's teeth in the photo.

What milk teeth appear in cats, and at what age, see the table.

As you can see, cats grow teeth from about 2 weeks, and up to 2-3 months all milk teeth will grow.

How kittens' teeth grow, look at the photo.

Milk teeth of a kitten in the photo

When do kittens get teeth: photo

In cats, milk teeth fall out almost imperceptibly and this process can be skipped.

Read more about tooth loss in cats here.

When do kittens grow teeth?

At about 2 months, a cat's milk teeth grow completely.

Video "All about the milk teeth of kittens"

In this video, the veterinarian will tell you when kittens' milk teeth fall out, and what actions to take at this time.

When the change happens

The change of milk teeth in kittens to permanent ones does not always go smoothly. Some symptoms may appear, which, as a rule, are not pronounced. This may manifest itself in a certain excessive excitability of the cat during meals or in the absence of appetite. Lethargy and weakness can also be manifestations of the symptoms of this period.

The sequence of changing milk teeth to permanent teeth is as follows:

at 3-4 months, the incisors change (the front, the smallest);
fangs change next;
by 5 months, permanent premolars appear (when compared with the teeth of a child - small molars);
at the age of six months, molars (large molars) are added to the kitten.

How to help your pet during this period

As the kitten begins to grow permanent dentition, his gums begin to itch, like a small child. What can be done to help him in this case? Here are some tips:

Buy food-grade plastic toys from the vet store. Gnawing with pleasure on a toy, the baby will scratch the gums, simultaneously making their massage. Pay attention to toys containing liquid inside. If you put it in the freezer for a while, the water will freeze and the toy will stay cold for a long time, which will relieve inflammation of the gums in your pet.
Many owners are wondering what kind of food a cat should have during this period. Nutrition can be left the same by adding and enriching it with foods containing a large amount of calcium and phosphorus. It can be sour-milk products, cottage cheese, lean meats of veal, rabbit, turkey. You can apply special additives and vitamin complexes to food. A consultation with a veterinarian is appropriate here. It is during this period that you should visit a specialist at least once every three months, he will be able to follow the correct bite of the teeth and growth.
Do not be surprised if an unpleasant smell comes out of the cat's mouth during this period. This is a normal and natural physiological process, the smell will disappear by the end of the formation of the dentition.
Keep your teeth healthy and strong with regular brushing and toothpaste. It is necessary to accustom a kitten to this procedure from early childhood.

Related article: When do kittens normally open their eyes after birth?

Prohibited actions

What the owner should not do during the growth of the dentition of his pet is to indulge him in everything. Do not allow a kitten to bite your hands, even if these actions are not painful. The habit will remain with the cat and after that it will be difficult to eradicate it. It is necessary to unequivocally and decisively declare to the pet a “taboo” for such actions. The same goes for scratching.

Most veterinarians during this period tend to temporarily cancel vaccinations. At this time, the cat's body is weakened and the extra load, which can be another vaccination, can cause unpleasant side effects.

Those who are planning to get a cat are interested in the question: do kittens' teeth fall out and, if so, at what age period does this happen. All kittens are born without teeth. Age from 7 to 14 days is characterized by the fact that they have milk teeth. After a while, at about 4 months of age, the kittens change their teeth: the milk ones fell out, and the molars grew in their place. How does this process go, how long does it take and what are the main symptoms - these questions should be of interest to the owner of the babies.

When do kittens get teeth?

The first tooth may appear as early as the second week of a kitten's life. The age at which this happens is different for each pet. But there are general rules. This does not cause any trouble for the owners, they may not even notice when this process began and ended. A cat at the age of two months already has a set of 26 milk teeth. This is four teeth less than an adult.

It is important to know at what age the teeth of kittens change and how long this process takes. Since this period can sometimes be noticeable to the owner: the pet can be capricious, gnaw on the owner’s things and even get sick. Milk teeth in kittens are replaced by molars at 4 months. The whole process takes two to three months.

The main symptoms of changing teeth

It is not difficult to notice that a baby's teeth are changing. First, you need to consider his age. And secondly, monitor his behavior and signs. The symptoms are:

profuse salivation;
the kitten gnaws everything that comes in its way;
possible loss of appetite;
swollen or slightly reddened gums may be visible.

It is also useful to know at what age the change of teeth ends. Usually it is 5 months, but sometimes this process can take a little longer and end in the 8th month. What to do if you notice that a kitten has lost a tooth? In most cases, nothing. If the process goes smoothly, don't worry. But if the owner notices some atypical or frightening behavior, then you need to seek advice from a veterinary clinic.

What should attract the attention of the owner?

Usually the owner may not even notice the period when the kittens change milk teeth. But sometimes this process does not go well. Here are some signs a pet owner should look out for:

The animal refuses to eat. This is due to sore gums, and in principle, this behavior is normal and not dangerous. You should be worried if the hunger strike suddenly drags on and lasts more than a day.
Your pet has bad breath. In this case, you need to examine the animal's oral cavity for severe irritation and redness. If there are such signs, it is better to visit a veterinarian.
Also, when examining the mouth, you can notice that in the place where the milk tooth is still located, the molar is cut through. That happens. There is no need to worry if there is no severe inflammation, and the tooth does not interfere with another. But if there is irritation of the mucous membrane, and dairy interfere with the indigenous ones, you need to make an appointment with a veterinarian.

Features of care at this time

The change of teeth in kittens, although normally passes almost imperceptibly for the owner, but during this period the animal requires care, it needs special care. It consists in maintaining the immunity of the kitten, which is weakened during the period when the teeth fall out:

give your pet only high-quality food;
protect against viral infections;
it is not recommended to vaccinate an animal at this time;
during a visit to the veterinarian, warn that the pet's teeth are falling out.

Diet Features

Pets need good nutrition during the growth of new teeth (this is the age of up to 5 months). The food should contain sufficient amounts of calcium and phosphorus. It is these elements that are needed for the full formation of bone tissue. You can purchase and feed your baby with special vitamin supplements.

Starting from the age of 3 months, sour milk and cottage cheese are added to the diet. These products are given to the cat regularly in small quantities. The kitten should also eat lean meat, it must first be poured over with boiling water or boiled. Finely chopped meat can be mixed with cereals (rice, buckwheat, oatmeal) or vegetables (carrots, pumpkin, zucchini). Sea fish can be given twice a week. But this is not a mandatory product in the baby's diet.

Education during this period

When milk teeth change in kittens, the animal can be naughty. So, a kitten can gnaw on everything that comes across: the owner’s slippers or his expensive shoes, wire from the Internet or from a table lamp. You need to prepare in advance for the period when the kittens will change their teeth, buy toys at the pet store. They will bite and procrastinate them to get rid of discomfort. In pet stores, special goodies are sold for these purposes - for example, dried veins.

During the period when the kitten's teeth have fallen out and new ones are growing in their place, the animal can be capricious. This should be taken into account, and treat the pet more affectionately, because he is naughty only because he feels discomfort.

If the baby develops the habit of biting hands, it must be weaned from it. After all, the problem with the teeth will pass, but the habit will remain.

What to do if a tooth falls out in an adult animal?

When milk teeth fall out, this is natural, but what to do if a molar tooth is lost. In what case should the owner be alerted? Here's what to consider:

How old is the pet? If the animal is over a year old and its fangs or incisors are falling out, this is bad. The change of teeth should have been over a long time ago. But if they fell out, then the cat's body is not functioning correctly.
Did the pet have any injuries that led to the loss of teeth.

First of all, you need to make sure that these are permanent, and not milk, fangs. This is easy to do: dairy teeth are very white and sharp, slightly flat and thin where the tooth passes into the gum. Roots, on the other hand, have a yellowish tint, a rounded section, they do not thin out at the gums.

If an adult cat has lost a tooth, it may be due to poor oral care. Most often, such problems in animals occur after three years, when plaque on the teeth turns into stone. Starting from this time, animals necessarily need regular cleaning of the oral cavity.

Among the causes of tooth loss, there are also problems with the gastrointestinal tract, infectious diseases and viruses, taking hormonal drugs or antibiotics, which can provoke dysbacteriosis. A cat's fangs fall out if it has poor immunity or a metabolic disorder. The exact cause, as well as the appropriate treatment, can only be determined by a veterinarian through special tests and examinations.

Prevention

If the kitten's teeth fell out - this is not a problem. This is the change of dairy to indigenous, which takes place at specified periods. All that the owner can do during this period is to watch the pet, feed it with vitamins and give treats that will allow the pet to “scratch” the growing teeth. If the indigenous ones fell out, this is not the norm. As a preventive measure for such a development of events, the owner should regularly monitor the condition of the pet's oral cavity, prevent the development of infections there, periodically brush the animal's teeth with a solution of chlorhexidine (once or twice a week). Take your pet to the veterinarian regularly. Especially - if there are any problems: bad breath, problems with the intestines, refusal to eat, lethargy, etc.

Your pet's health depends on how you care for it. A proper diet, activity, cleanliness and regular care are the key to good health and a good mood for a pet.

Many caring owners of mustachioed and striped cats are interested in when the kitten's teeth change and how to take care of the animal at this important time. The change of teeth in kittens is a natural process that lasts about 12-16 weeks, and it begins in the period from three to five months. Some animals endure these life difficulties with heroic calm, and some become restless, begin to gnaw everything and meow loudly. To understand how kittens' teeth change and what to do in this situation, let's look at this topic in more detail.

Ideally, a healthy cat should have 30 permanent teeth, but kittens can boast only 26 small sharp teeth. The upper and lower jaws of an adult animal have 6 incisors and 2 sharp fangs. The number of molars on the lower and upper jaws is different: there are eight teeth at the top, and only six molars below.

Milk teeth in kittens

Like other mammals, newborn kittens are born completely toothless. The very first small incisors begin to erupt approximately 10-14 days after birth. Somewhere in a month, fangs should appear in the animal's oral cavity. The process of appearance of milk teeth is completed in about two to three months. Upon reaching this age, the kitten may well begin to eat not only mother's milk, but also various solid foods.

Change of teeth in cats

This process begins almost immediately after the animal has acquired a complete set of milk teeth. The cat's milk teeth gradually fall out, and permanent ones grow in their place. The change occurs in the same order as it manifested initially. First, the incisors begin to change, then the fangs. After that, the prolapse of molars and premolars begins, which appeared in the little fluffy in the very last turn. According to existing standards, the change of milk teeth in cats should be completed at about seven months of age.

How to facilitate the process of changing teeth for your beloved pet?

The owners will be able to find out that the change of teeth in a kitten has begun by a sharp unpleasant odor from the animal's oral cavity. This smell is a kind of indicator that indicates that the pet is teething. You should not worry about this, usually this smell goes away on its own, after about two months. As for nutrition, there are no special changes required. During the period when the cat's teeth are changing, special supplements containing calcium and phosphorus can be included in the diet.

In most cases, the teeth of the animal fall out and erupt without any complications. There are situations when a cat swallows a fallen tooth along with food, do not worry, this does not pose a danger to him. However, it is necessary to regularly inspect the mouth of the animal, normally the gums should be even and have a uniform pink color. If you suddenly find a broken tooth, you need to contact a veterinarian who will remove it as painlessly as possible.

When kittens have teeth, they become surprisingly similar to small children: they try everything on the tooth, they strive to bite a person by the finger. Here you will come to the aid of special toys simulators, which are on sale in veterinary stores. Such a device is similar to a baby rodent, it is frozen in the refrigerator before use and then given to a pet suffering from itchy gums.

When are milk teeth removed in cats?

Basically, the process of changing teeth does not require outside intervention, but in some cases, milk fangs can remain in place and do not plan to leave the animal's mouth at all, preventing new permanent teeth from erupting. This can lead to the following complications:

Damage to the palate and gums;
Formation of malocclusion;
Periodontitis.

The indications requiring a visit to the doctor include a double dentition - a pathology that provokes osteomyelitis and the formation of stone and deposits. Removal manipulations are carried out under anesthesia, so the animal will not experience stress.

What exactly should not be done when cats change teeth

At this time, the animal's immunity is weakened, so in order not to harm your pet, you should not plan vaccinations. It is better to postpone the procedure for a month and get vaccinated when the cat's dental boom is already over.

If a cat is teething, this does not mean at all that he is sick and requires some special privileges. During this period, you should not let him scratch and gnaw the hands of the owners, as well as allow everything in a row. Such behavior can very quickly develop into an addiction, from which the owners will suffer constantly. Make it clear to your pet that he is only entitled to cat toys and nothing else. And remember, this difficult time will end very soon, and the cat will again delight you with its purring and obedience.

A kitten is born without teeth. He does not need them as long as the baby eats exclusively mother's milk. Everyone who decides to have a pet should know when they appear and how teeth change in cats.

Kittens' first teeth

Veterinarians do not like to use the terms "indigenous" and "dairy". They prefer the words "temporary" and "permanent". A change of teeth in a cat occurs at the age of 1.5-3 weeks. It ends in about one and a half to two months. With age, a complete set of 26 teeth appears.

Among them:

two fangs above and below;
six incisors above and below;
three premolars on each side from above;
two premolars on each side from below.

The incisors break through first, followed by the fangs. The premolars come out last. But babies don't have molars.

The process of teeth growth in a kitten is not accompanied by particularly unpleasant sensations. The kid can only gnaw everything, helping teething, rubbing the muzzle with his paw. It is necessary to provide him with soft toys. Also, sometimes there is increased salivation, the gums swell and redden. You may temporarily lose your appetite.

Change of teeth in a cat

A cat's teeth change once in a lifetime. Temporary ones begin to fall out somewhere in three or four months, pushed by already climbing permanent ones. The fangs change first. At five months, the incisors are renewed. The last (by about six months) appear premolars and molars. As a result, in the oral cavity of the animal there should be exactly three dozen teeth. Among them:

12 incisors;
4 fangs;
10 premolars;
4 molars.

With the help of incisors and fangs, the cat tears off pieces of food and holds them. Premolars and molars are necessary for its thorough chewing. 18 cat teeth have a single root, 10 have a double root, two are equipped with a triple root.

Possible problems

Usually in a kitten, the change of milk teeth, as well as their eruption, passes without problems. The animal feels well, does not suffer from pain. The owner may not even realize that his pet's teeth are changing until he finds "material evidence" somewhere on the floor.

Sometimes there are signs already described above: loss of appetite, redness of the gums, chewing longer than usual. When cats change their teeth, it is advisable to feed them with something soft or liquid. It will be more difficult for the animal to cope with solid food.

In some cases, the change of "chewing tools" is accompanied by such a problem as "residual milk tooth". Its scientific name is false polydontia. We are talking about situations where a temporary tooth (or several) did not fall out and prevents the permanent one from growing. This often damages the gums, palate and adjacent teeth.

If time passes, and the "stubborn" does not fall out, it must be removed. In particularly difficult cases, surgery is required. Her animal is carried out under anesthesia.

In the process of life, a cat rarely loses teeth. How many permanent ones have grown, so many remain. If suddenly the teeth fall out, then the pet has serious health problems. In this case, the help of a veterinarian is necessary.

But usually the teeth are only slightly erased, covered with plaque. So that they serve faithfully for the cat until the end of her days, you should not limit your pet to exclusively soft food. In addition, his oral cavity needs care.