Natural Pet Health

Availability of better preventive care has resulted in our pets living longer than before. The flip side is that pets now have to struggle with age related conditions and dental problems that are fast emerging as the most commonly diagnosed medical problems in cats.

If you see signs of cat bad breath there is every reason for you to suspect that something is wrong. Feline bad breath may occur due to any of the following reasons:

Cat breath may become offensive due to teething. By the time cats are six months old they start shedding their baby teeth. The time between shedding and eruption of permanent teeth is a trying period for pets just as it is for human babies. The gums appear red and swollen and you can see new teeth breaking out. You may address the problem by rinsing her mouth with baking soda diluted in water. You can also get an oral breath spray for your cat.

Cat owners know for a fact that bad cat breath can be downright awful. It isn’t that much different from bad human breath, as both are caused by bacteria found in the mouth that breaks protein down and releases the sulfur compounds out into the air. Sulfur smells really bad on its own, which is why breath containing it smells bad as well. The bacterium that causes bad breath with cats is normally associated with a buildup of tartar around the teeth. Tartar is yellow in color, known as a coating of bacteria, food, and minerals.

Feline dental problems, much like humans, start with the accumulation of plaque. Plaque is a mixture of salivary minerals, bacteria and food particles and sticks as a thin film on teeth and gums.

If plaque is not removed within three to five days of formation, it combines with minerals from the saliva and forms tartar, a hard incrustation that binds strongly to the teeth. Tartar irritates gums and causes gingivitis or inflammation of the gums that can be seen as reddened gums and leads to exposure of the roots of teeth. Gingivitis is one of the major causes behind feline bad breath.