Cats need care not only for their fur and nails, but also for their teeth. And the correct development of the latter, keeping them clean is the guarantee of the health of these animals. In order to properly care for a cat, in particular its teeth, you need to know how many of them there should be, at what age they appear, when milk teeth begin to change to permanent ones, etc.
How many teeth does a kitten have and when do they appear?
Newborn kittens are still toothless. Only after 2 weeks of life, their first milk teeth begin to erupt. If you find them in a kitten, then you can already start introducing complementary foods.
In total, 26 deciduous (temporary) teeth erupt in kittens. In a period of about 3-5 months, they begin to fall out, being replaced by permanent ones. As a rule, this process takes 5-7 months.
14 milk teeth in kittens are located in the upper jaw, and 12 - in the lower.
With proper nutrition, the change of teeth in kittens is not particularly painful, it does not require medical attention. However, it will not be superfluous to observe the animal's oral cavity during this period.
And if you notice any deviation - for example, milk teeth do not fall out, but permanent ones are already erupting - be sure to contact the veterinary clinic. There, the doctor will determine whether it is necessary to remove the temporary teeth, or they will soon fall out on their own.
How many teeth does an adult cat have?
A healthy cat has 30 permanent teeth, 16 on the top and 14 on the bottom. Of these: 12 incisors, 10 small molars (radical, premolars), 4 canines (also called predatory teeth) and 4 main molars, or molars.
The correct bite in cats is pincer (straight).
If you counted your pet's teeth, and there were fewer of them, this is not always a reason for panic. For example, some cats never grow incisors, while others lose them early. On the other hand, the cause of tooth loss may be an infection in the animal's mouth, vitamin deficiency or other internal diseases, the existence of which, perhaps, you do not even know.
How many teeth a cat has depends on its age. Over time, they wear off and fall out. This mainly concerns the incisors, which take on the main load in the process of chewing food. But the root and molar teeth are preserved for more than 2 decades. However, purebred cats usually have a slightly shorter lifespan than others. And therefore their teeth fall out a little earlier than their counterparts.
How to brush your cat's teeth properly
Cats need to brush their teeth periodically. This should be done to prevent the formation of tartar, which occurs when plaque hardens. And he, in turn, arises from food debris and bacteria.
Tartar can cause a lot of problems for your pet. Your cat may develop gum disease and other related conditions. Neglected and untreated diseases can lead to the loss of teeth in an animal.
To prevent this from happening, periodically let the cat chew on solid food, for example: meat that needs to be chewed; special bone for cats; dry food. Then the animal will self-clean the teeth.
In addition to this, you can brush your cat's teeth yourself. For this, you can use, for example, soda and a little red wine. By reacting with baking soda, wine vinegar breaks down tartar well if there is not much. Use a cotton swab dipped in wine to wipe the animal's teeth. After that, use another swab to apply soda diluted with water to a mushy state. This procedure should be carried out carefully, otherwise there is a risk of injuring the delicate gums of the animal.
You can also brush your cat's teeth with tooth powder using a small children's toothbrush. But the best way is to use a special brush and toothpaste for cats, which you can buy at the pet store. And so that your pet does not resist the procedure of cleaning her teeth from plaque, it will not be superfluous to buy a paste with the taste of fish.
