Do kittens have milk teeth? What vitamins are needed for a cat during a change of teeth. Loss of teeth in old age

Kelly Roper

Like many animals (and people), kittens are born without teeth. The teeth that appear after birth are called milk teeth, they then fall out. The process of changing teeth in kittens to permanent ones usually does not cause any problems, but it will not be superfluous for kitten owners to understand how this happens. By knowing how kittens teeth change, you can notice and eliminate emerging problems in time, such as sore gums or diseases of milk teeth.

The appearance of milk teeth in kittens.

According to Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine (CUCVM), the first "set" of teeth in kittens ( baby teeth) consisting of 26 teeth, begins to erupt through the gums approximately at three weeks of age. As a rule, all milk teeth in kittens germinate by six weeks of age.

Loss of milk teeth in kittens.

Usually, between three and four months Kittens start to lose their milk teeth. This is due to the fact that they are pushed out of the gums by growing permanent (molars). As a rule, a permanent tooth that takes the place of a fallen milk tooth can be seen immediately after the corresponding loss. baby tooth, since these two processes - the appearance of the root and the loss of milk, occur in kittens almost simultaneously. So far, no clear sequence of teeth change in cats has been noticed, although more often the incisors change first, then the canines and the rest of the teeth.

Molar teeth in cats.

By the time the cat reaches six months old, the process of replacing milk teeth with permanent ones is completed. Full set permanent teeth consists of thirty teeth, including four molars, which were not among the dairy ones.

Caring for a kitten during teething.

The change of milk teeth to permanent teeth in kittens usually occurs quite imperceptibly, although veterinarians advise to pay attention to some possible complications.

Inflammation of the gums.

As in humans, teething can be accompanied by inflammation of the gums. Inflammation of the gums is accompanied by the following symptoms:

The kitten chews longer than usual, starts chewing on inappropriate items - shoes, bedding, etc.;
There is salivation. Due to the pressure of growing permanent teeth on the roots of milk teeth, the kitten's body receives signals that stimulate the dissolution of the roots of children's teeth, facilitating their loss;
The kitten rubs its mouth with its paw or rubs its muzzle against objects more often than usual;
With particular soreness of the gums, the kitten may have a poor appetite;

If you notice any of these symptoms, make sure the kitten has Stuffed Toys for chewing, they will help him speed up the process of losing milk teeth. As soon as the baby tooth falls out and the molar comes out of the gum, the kitten's condition improves. Until this happens, you can replace dry food with wet food to make it easier for the kitten to chew. You can return to dry food after the teeth erupt.

Residual milk teeth.

Sometimes milk teeth remain in their places, even after an adult tooth has already emerged from the gums. This pathology is called residual milk teeth(false polydontia). Lost baby teeth interfere proper growth and development of the cat's permanent teeth. wrong height teeth can cause damage to other permanent teeth, as well as gums and palate.

Sometimes a residual tooth falls out on its own, but if there are no signs of weakening, veterinarians remove such teeth. Although examining a kitten's mouth is easier advised than done, try it and see a doctor if you notice loose baby teeth after the kitten turns six months. After an examination, the veterinarian will decide whether they need to be removed, or, if it is safe, you can wait until such a tooth falls out on its own. Surgical removal counts last resort as the procedure requires anesthesia.

Healthy teeth - happy life.

Healthy permanent teeth provide the cat with trouble-free nutrition, allows the cat to use his toys the way he wants. By controlling the process of changing teeth, you will be able to eliminate problems in a timely manner, minimizing their consequences. It's a good idea to have your cat's teeth checked by a veterinarian every year to make sure they stay healthy throughout her life.

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 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.

Determining age by teeth

Kittens are born toothless. The milk incisors begin to erupt first, this happens at about 2 to 5 weeks of the life of the babies. For 3 weeks, milk fangs are already growing, this process lasts up to 8 weeks. After 2 - 3 weeks after their appearance, milk premolars begin to erupt. At the age of 3 - 6 months, kittens change their milk teeth to permanent ones. As a rule, by the year a young animal erupts 30 teeth: 16 per upper jaw and 14 on the bottom.

Determining the approximate age of a pet by the teeth is not so difficult and even the owner can do it:

If 30 snow-white teeth are found in the mouth without signs of pigmentation and abrasion, then we can say with confidence that the animal is 1 year old.

At the age of 1.5 years, yellowness appears.

At 2 years old, medium incisors mandible begin to fade, a well-defined yellowness appears. At the same time, the formation of tartar can be observed.

At the age of 3, the obliteration of the central incisors located on the lower jaw is already noticeable.

If during examination the erasure of fangs is noticeably expressed, then this condition is typical for an animal of 5 years. At this age, a dark yellow coating on all teeth.

After 5 years of age, destruction occurs chewing surface incisors.

Erasure of the upper and lower incisors can be seen in a cat at the age of 7 - 8 years.

If not a single incisor is found in the animal's mouth, then the animal is from 12 to 14 years old.

After 14 - 15 years, fangs fall out. How many teeth a cat will have after 15 years depends largely on nutrition and proper nutrition. hygiene care behind the mouth of an animal.

How older age pet, the more pronounced yellow plaque. The formation of tartar occurs already at the age of one and a half years and largely depends on the type of nutrition and competent dental care. Even a specialist often finds it difficult to determine the exact age by incisors and canines due to the fact that improper care or its absence leads to premature erasure.

Cleaning and caring for teeth

The owner of a fluffy beauty should pay attention not only rational nutrition and hygiene procedures, but also the care of the animal's mouth. Healthy teeth promote proper grip and chewing large pieces food, provide normal digestion. The condition largely depends on proper and regular cleaning, which prevents the formation of tartar.

Tartar is the hardened remains of food and salts on the enamel. Deposits are localized at the root of the tooth. Bacteria lead to inflammation of the gums, it exfoliates and exposes the neck of the incisor or canine. The infection is accompanied painful sensations, bad breath. The animal, experiencing discomfort when chewing food, loses its appetite, loses weight. The formation of tartar often leads to premature tooth loss.

The main reason for the development of deposits on the gums and teeth is the lack of solid food in the pet's diet, which mechanically contributes to cleansing. Regular cleaning also helps prevent development.

To such a procedure as brushing your teeth, a pet should be accustomed with young age. You can clean them with a finger wrapped in gauze, a children's toothbrush or a special brush attachment for small animals. Preference should be given to a brush with soft or natural bristles.

For pets, special cleaning pastes are used, which can be purchased at a specialized pet store. Cat toothpastes are safe to use, clean teeth well, and have an attractive taste and smell for a cat. Such pastes do not need to be washed off with water.

The pet should be accustomed to the procedure gradually. At first, you can lay on the cheek a small amount of paste so that the cat gets used to the taste of the cleaning agent. The first manipulations can be short, for a few seconds. When the animal gets used, the duration of the procedure should be increased to 2-3 minutes. To brush your teeth properly, the animal must be turned back to itself. The movements should be clear: back and forth and up and down.

How many teeth an adult cat will have in old age depends on the regularity hygienic cleaning. Daily cleansing of plaque will keep you healthy for a long time cat teeth and prolong the animal's comfortable life.

To learn how to properly brush your pet's teeth, see this video:

Causes of tooth loss

Often, the owner of a domestic cat finds a lost tooth near a bowl of food or elsewhere in the apartment. There are several reasons why an animal loses a hunting tool and a means of chewing.

Dairy change

AT young age the pet loses teeth due to the physiological change of dairy to molars. At little kitten during this period, there are 26 teeth. And only by the year the molars will grow, a complete “combat” set will appear.

As a rule, the stage of changing milk teeth to permanent ones is painless for the animal. However, the owner needs to periodically check the pet's mouth and observe how the process takes place.

In some cases, when examining the kitten's oral cavity, reddening of the gums may be observed, bad smell from mouth. Special attention should be given to the formation correct bite. Often, milk fangs do not fall out immediately, breaking the structure and correct formation neighbors. In this case, it is necessary qualified help specialist.

During the period of changing teeth, the animal may be in a depressed state, refuse to eat. Often, young kittens try to gnaw on foreign objects. In this case, the baby should purchase special toys at the pet store.

Toys for kittens and cats

In spite of physiological reason tooth loss in young animals, the pet should be shown to a veterinarian. A professional examination of the mouth will prevent the development of malocclusion, if necessary, the doctor will remove the interfering milk premolar.

Pathologies

Often the cause of tooth loss in adult animals is dental problems such as tartar, oral dysbacteriosis, and caries. Lead to the development of pathology:

malocclusion,
malnutrition,
absence hygiene procedures,
genetic predisposition.

Often tooth loss occurs due to a lack of vitamins and minerals in the animal. Deficiency of calcium and phosphorus can lead to the fact that an adult cat becomes toothless. Concomitant diseases also lead to premature loss: liver disease.

How many teeth a cat has lost in adulthood is influenced by the development of more complex pathologies e.g. periodontitis, pulpitis. As a result of these dental diseases pet in short term may lose most of their teeth.

To prevent oral diseases that can lead to toothlessness, veterinarians recommend:

daily brush your cat's teeth with special pastes;

regularly give, after consultation with a veterinarian, calcium and phosphorus supplements;

with a tendency to dental problems transfer the pet to specially designed food to clean the surface of the teeth from plaque and tartar formation;

periodically inspect the mouth of the cat yourself;

regularly visit a specialized clinic for a professional examination.

Most veterinarians believe that they are triggering a pathological process in the cat's mouth. pathogenic bacteria that lead to the development of dysbacteriosis.

Senile changes

Loss of the first incisors fluffy pet due to the onset of old age occurs, as a rule, after 7 - 8 years. Some animals begin to lose incisors only at 14 - 15 years. The process is individual and depends on many factors: good nutrition, carrying out regular hygiene procedures, preventive examinations at veterinarian, availability concomitant diseases and even lifestyle.

Often, the loss of fangs in adult cats does not occur due to old age, but during street fights, falls from a height, and injuries.

Is it scary that a cat has no teeth?

A feature of the digestive system of domestic cats is that there is no great need for thorough chewing of food. Fangs and front incisors are necessary for a pet, as a predator, to capture and hold prey, tear it into pieces, and gnaw bones. Domestic cats, which are fully maintained by their owner, practically do not feel the loss of teeth.

The owner needs to pay attention to a cat that has lost fangs and incisors by transferring it to food soft food. To improve digestion, a toothless pet should be given pureed food, scrolled through a meat grinder or chopped in a blender. Soft food is the best solution for both an adult cat that has been left without teeth for some reason, and an elderly cat that has lost its fangs and incisors due to age-related changes.

Dental Services

In addition to a preventive examination of the cat's mouth in veterinary clinic, a cat owner can receive the following dental services:

removal of tartar using ultrasound;

sanitation of the oral cavity with treatment with special preparations;

treatment (removal) pathological processes when changing teeth in young animals;

removal of diseased non-viable molars;

Filling and prosthetics of teeth in cats are considered ineffective procedures in veterinary practice and have not been found. wide application in animal dentistry.

Save healthy teeth pet possible through regular preventive examinations and constantly taking care of the hygienic cleanliness of the cat's oral cavity. Quite a few importance to save canines and incisors balanced diet with vitamin and mineral supplements.

Teeth for such a predator as a cat are important if the animal is forced to get its own food. For pets whose life does not depend on successful hunting, the loss of fangs and incisors is not so critical.

Tooth loss in cats can occur for two reasons. The first is found in absolutely all representatives of the cat family and is physiological norm– change of milk teeth to permanent ones. The second reason is diseases of the oral cavity, the occurrence of which depends on the totality of a large number factors. But first things first.

At what age do teeth change?

When teething, kittens actively bite during games.

Like most mammals, kittens are born without teeth. The latter begin to erupt by two weeks of life, and by the month the baby begins to actively use a new tool, which is with brothers or a person.

The change of teeth occurs at the age of 4-6 months and continues until the kitten reaches the age of nine months. Sometimes the process is delayed up to one year.

Signs of baby teeth falling out

Often, the owners do not notice when and how the milk teeth fall out in kittens, although there are a number of symptoms that directly indicate the process of updating the dental system that has begun.

These include:

increased salivation -;
short-term bleeding that often goes unnoticed;
a slight decrease in appetite;
shakiness of teeth;
craving for biting and gnawing everything that comes to hand, more precisely in the mouth.

How to understand that the teeth have changed?

The appearance of permanent teeth differs from temporary ones. Dairy, as a rule, very sharp, akin to a well-sharpened dagger, fangs have a curved shape and thinning in the gum area. While the permanent fangs are straight and more rounded at the ends, and the neck is without thinning.

By the way, during the change of teeth, you should not be afraid of the so-called multi-toothedness, when a kitten suddenly has 8 instead of 4 fangs. The fact is that the molars are not formed in the same alveolus as the temporary ones, but nearby. So it turns out that one fang has not yet fallen out, but a new one has already grown.

AT rare cases the growing tooth pinches the milk root, then the kitten begins to feel discomfort: he does not eat, periodically squeals plaintively and generally feels bad. The problem is not global and is easily solved by removing an extra tooth.

You should not try to remove it yourself, it is better to take the baby to the veterinarian. It is possible that local or general anesthesia. At the same time, the doctor will check for what reason the pathology occurred (perhaps the kitten malocclusion or developmental anomaly).

Features of caring for a kitten during a change of teeth

During the period of tooth formation, it is necessary to brush the kitten's teeth regularly.

The formation of a healthy dental system depends on the content of phosphorus and calcium in the body. During the period of changing teeth in a baby, the owner should take care of additional introduction to the diet mineral salts, which is easily achieved by giving calcium-rich foods (cottage cheese, milk, kefir, etc.), as well as by using veterinary drugs containing substances necessary for strong enamel. Most often, these means are vitamins with a complex of minerals.

In addition, periodic examination and timely care of the kitten's oral cavity will not interfere. Sanitize with chlorhexidine solution weekly. This will help kill harmful microbes, which will prevent the development infectious process on tooth enamel, and consequently, tooth loss at a more mature age.

There are special dental tablets containing a disinfectant. Sticking to the mucous membrane for a short time, they prevent the occurrence of dental diseases.

Do not forget about regular cleaning. To do this, there are special toothpastes with a pleasant taste of fish or meat for a kitten. The product is rubbed into the enamel with special brush or fingertip with rubber spikes.

Losing teeth in a cat

As noted above, teeth in adult animals can fall out.

What are these diseases:

caries;
tartar;
inflammation of the gums or gingivitis;
inflammation of the root of the tooth;
periodontitis;
pulpitis;
imbalance between beneficial and harmful microflora in the oral cavity, in other words, dysbacteriosis.

By the way, according to many veterinarians, it is dysbacteriosis that is the main reason for the occurrence of all pathological processes in the mouth.

Again, all problems are solved preventive measures: examination, cleaning and observation by a veterinarian, which must be visited at least once every six months.

Is missing teeth dangerous in cats?

It is quite natural that not all cat owners properly care for their pet and there are times when teeth become so unusable that it is easier to remove them than to treat them. Such a proposal plunges many cat lovers into a state of shock:

How will a cat (cat) live without teeth? He will die of starvation!

Firstly, it was necessary to think earlier, and secondly, not everything is as terrible and scary as it seems. The cat does not use its teeth for chewing. Their direct purpose is to strangle or bite the victim to death, tear off a tidbit from her, which is already swallowed whole. That's the way it's set up digestive system felines that they don't need thorough chewing food, unlike humans.

Due to the fact that domestic cat no need to hunt, and the owner will always provide her ready feed soft consistency, death from starvation in case of loss of teeth definitely does not threaten her. But it is better not to bring a cat to such a state of toothlessness!

Senile changes in the dental system of cats

It can be easily determined by the teeth, more precisely by the degree of their erasure. The central and lateral incisors of the lower jaw are the first to be erased, with age the surface of all incisors takes on a transverse-oval shape. The more such teeth a cat has, the older it is. The fangs are the last to be involved in the process of enamel abrasion.

Senile tooth loss, especially for fangs, cats have quite a rare event and is mostly due to improper care. Although it is quite natural, if the animal reaches the age of twenty, it is unlikely that the number of teeth that is given by nature can be found in its mouth. Most likely, you definitely won’t count a couple of pieces.

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Cat owners have a lot of questions about raising and keeping a purr at home. Today we will discuss one very important topic, it concerns teeth. So, let's begin...

When kittens are born, there is not a single tooth in their mouth yet. At two weeks of age, the first incisors erupt. By the tenth week there is a set Many people are interested in how the change of teeth occurs in kittens, the age when babies become most biting.

At ten weeks old, the purr already has a full set of milk teeth. By the way, how many kittens do they have? There are twenty-six in all. Approximately in the third week of life, incisors appear, after seven to ten days - fangs, and later than all premolars erupt. As a rule, they appear painlessly. At this time, no one is worried: neither the kitten nor the owners. After that comes the change of teeth in kittens. It is impossible to name exactly the period when this happens, since everything is individual. Usually, already at the age of seven months, kittens have all their teeth.

The shift period brings a lot of trouble. At about three to four months, they begin to change into permanent teeth in kittens. First change the incisors, then the fangs. The last are premolars and molars.

By the way, how many permanent teeth do cats have? The purr has exactly thirty of them. The lower and upper jaws each have two fangs and three incisors. The upper jaw has four (one molar and three premolars), and the lower jaw has three (two premolars and one molar). Note that every third root is the largest.

Here is an adult cat: three incisors, one canine, three premolars, three incisors, one canine, 2 premolars.

In what order do they change? First, the incisors erupt (at four months), then the canines after two or three weeks, then approximately the premolars and molars (at four to six months).

Change of teeth in kittens: symptoms of the process

As a rule, everything happens asymptomatically. But still, we single out one sign of this phenomenon - excitability. The animal may be in this state while eating or drinking liquids. Can also Weakness and lethargy - these are also signs of a change of teeth. Sometimes there is also salivation and soreness of the mouth.

What to do so that the change of teeth in kittens does not turn into a tragedy? They need something to occupy their teeth. For this, special toys are suitable. They are simply irreplaceable in this period. To better soothe your gums, freeze the toy first. The more of these things, the better.

Questions

What feeding should be in this difficult time? The change of teeth in kittens is a rather difficult period, both for the owner and for the kids themselves. In principle, the diet does not need to be changed much. It is only necessary to add phosphorus. You can buy special dressings that contain these substances. There is no need to switch to any special food, as this process is completely natural.

Is it true that during the change of teeth, kittens have an unpleasant smell from the mouth? Yes it is. But the smell will disappear in a couple of months (one or two).

When there is a change of teeth in kittens, you should not treat them condescendingly. Don't let them bite and scratch your hands. Similar behavior can remain in adult cats (then scratches and bites will become much more painful), during puberty their fun develops into aggression. Therefore, immediately put a taboo on human hands, let the kids gnaw on special toys.

Is it possible to vaccinate an animal during the period of changing teeth?

Here the opinion of experts is divided. Although many believe that it is still not worth vaccinating at such a time. It is better to do this earlier (two or three months) or later (about eight months), since during the change of teeth, various changes in the body (hormonal, by the way, too). Vaccination is additional load, it can provoke complications, as well as other side effects.

Do kittens need to have milk teeth removed?

If this is not done, then what will happen next? If no fangs injure the gums, and new teeth grow evenly, then you should not worry. Now try to gently loosen the milk teeth of the kittens. This way you can speed them up. You need to start worrying if the old fangs do not fall out by six months. Then they need to be removed (although cats rarely have such problems). It will be necessary to pull out milk fangs. Excess amount teeth can lead to traumatization of soft tissues in the mouth, the development of periodontal disease and a change in bite.

Why do violations occur?

The main cause of violations of the change of teeth is a genetic predisposition. Therefore, the owner should examine his pet, starting from three and a half months. If abnormalities are detected, immediately consult a doctor.

Help from a veterinarian dentist

If you notice a double row of teeth in your pet, be sure to contact your veterinarian. Note that even with such a pathology, cats behave well, eat well, play. The presence of such a problem can lead to tartar, as well as more sad consequences such as osteomyelitis.

The only way to resolve the issue associated with a double row of teeth is to remove the interfering ones. Of course, that such a manipulation can be carried out by a doctor in a veterinary clinic. This is because such operations should be carried out under anesthesia in order to avoid significant stress on the animal, as well as to carry out the removal procedure. baby tooth right.

A small conclusion

Now you know how the change of teeth occurs in kittens, the symptoms of which we have described in detail. We hope everything is clear to you. You understood how it is necessary in this period. In addition, if you notice any problems at this time in the purr, then be sure to show it to the veterinarian. By looking, he will be able to identify the problem. If timely diagnosis and treatment is carried out, then you will be able to protect yourself from more serious issues related to teeth and oral cavity animal. In general, experts advise visiting a veterinary dentist at least once a year (preferably two). Keep an eye on your pet's health, then everything will be fine.